Should I use the natural light?

March 16, 2005

I will be shooting a short student 16mm film this coming weekend. It is set in an NYC photography studio. In the story, the time is 5:30pm.

We are shooting Vision2, 250D stock.

The location has a wall of north-facing windows, and no other incoming light.

My first instinct was to use the natural light, and supplement with daylight balanced units.

However, the producer wants me to duvy the windows and light from scratch. She's concerned about lighting continuity.

We shoot from 8am-5pm each day.

I think that the producer's concern is a valid one, and I am now questioning my decision to use the natural light.

I suppose I could just as easily create similar light with the units available. However, I would love to include the windows in some of the shots.

Any advice?

John Sprung · March 16, 2005

Is the location actually used for photography? If so, maybe somebody who works there can tell you if the light from the North is consistent all day. In many places it is, but in NYC you can have bounce light from a big building North of you interrupted by the shadow of a big building elsewhere. You can also get specular sun reflections off of windows. If nobody knows, can you get somebody to spend a day there and watch?

If it's mostly consistent, try to shoot your masters avoiding the times of odd shadows or reflections, and use that time for closeups that you can fix with flags and lighting from the floor. Or better yet, if you know that there's sunlight reflected off a building, say from 1:15 to 2:00, schedule lunch for then.

-- J.S.