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Shooting into Wall of Windows


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Wanted to do a little brainstorming on here, so here's the situation:

 

I've got a shoot coming up next month and a bit of a problem. I've shot this location before and the problem we had was with reflections, we're looking at an entire wall of windows. It's a 3 camera shoot, with one on a jib, so there is multiple angles at all levels, high to low. The problem we obviously run into is with reflections! We need to pump a bunch of light to match the outside (not enough budget for all the ND to cover the windows), but of course there is going to be a lot of reflections.

 

Any suggestions on how to light it? High key, fairly uniform lighting needed. Can run 2.5k lights at the most.

 

 

 

The location:

ubcyoga.jpg

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You can't ND the windows so have you considered placing the cameras behind black screens/curtains (in a sense, creating hides) and lighting from above you with selective 2.5k spots focused on the subject?

Steve

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No problem with camera reflections, the back wall has no windows so it's pretty dark.

 

Because of the one camera on the job there is usually sweeping low shots that will see the reflection of the ceiling if there are lights up there. Also don't have the rigging to hang lights up there.

 

I'm thinking two 2.5k hmi placed at 45' angles on either side and flagged between the the fixture and window could do well. Keeping them as far out to the sides as possible to keep the reflections as far apart as possible, framing between those reflections.

 

3 cameras spread across the area, two on the sides on head to toe med wides, the center camera is on an 8' jib, wide and floating around from full left to right, high to low.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Depends on the windows and lighting angles, but have you tested a polarizing filter? I've shot through store windows where the polarizer got rid of almost all reflections and on days with a blue sky, served to nicely darken the sky up a bit too.

 

Might be an obvious reason not to use one, but seemed like one of those "possible simple solution for a big problem" moments.

 

cheers,

-a

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Depends on the windows and lighting angles, but have you tested a polarizing filter? I've shot through store windows where the polarizer got rid of almost all reflections and on days with a blue sky, served to nicely darken the sky up a bit too.

 

Might be an obvious reason not to use one, but seemed like one of those "possible simple solution for a big problem" moments.

 

cheers,

-a

 

 

Good call. Unfortunately the camera mounted on the jib arm will have a wide angle attached to the front, and unfortunately the canon wide angle adapter does not facilitate the use of filters.

 

 

And no we will not be able to pull the glass from the windows. Too windy and uncomfortable for a 12 hour shoot when our talent is wearing so little clothing!

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  • 3 weeks later...

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