Types of lights/lighting

[Bryan Smith]

I'm pretty much new to cinematography, started making my scripts and plots a week ago and using a 7D for starters and from photography. Looking into getting some lamps but looking into lighting without knowledge in cinematography, I don't think I should buy them straight away... and I'm on a budget, too.

 

I saw a couple on www.bhphotovideo.com. I was looking at tungsten because it looks like it's a common one. I'll be out in the woods shooting my video and I was trying to find a cheap alternative to a power pack for the light as well. I've done photography lighting but not used to the tungsten thing as well as the other types of lighting. So basically what I'm trying to get out of this form is more knowledge of lighting such as what would be best to suit my film, tungsten or another sort. And if possible, any cheap easy power packs?

[Guy Holt]

So basically what I'm trying to get out of this form is more knowledge of lighting such as what would be best to suit my film, tungsten or another sort. And if possible, any cheap easy power packs?

 

Tungsten is a power hog but offers good color rendition. LEDs sip power but the their color rendition is not very good (see www.screenlightandgrip.com/html/emailnewsletter_generators.html) for details. Your best bet is probably Kino Flo lights. But it really depends on whether you are shooting day exteriors or night exteriors?

 

- Guy Holt, Gaffer, ScreenLight & Grip, Lighting Rental and Sales in Boston

[Bryan Smith]

Tungsten is a power hog but offers good color rendition. LEDs sip power but the their color rendition is not very good (see www.screenlightandgrip.com/html/emailnewsletter_generators.html) for details. Your best bet is probably Kino Flo lights. But it really depends on whether you are shooting day exteriors or night exteriors?

 

- Guy Holt, Gaffer, ScreenLight & Grip, Lighting Rental and Sales in Boston

 

I was thinking daylight conditions will be all right for the scene. I might as well film myself filming the scene if at night time if I do so. :rolleyes:

[David A Smith]

Light is like water, what do you want to do with it? Carbonate it, color it, flavor it, thicken it......

 

When you invest in lights you must think modification of the light; how do you want to modify that light, just like when you modify water. What do you want to add or take away in order to get the results you need

 

If you are shooting a lot, invest in lights that will endure wear and tear, that doesn't always mean expensive lights but rather build quality

 

Yesterday, I saw a Youtube tutorial on lighting and the guy said "All your lights should have the same color temperature". That is not necessarily true, not at all, because it's all relative to what you want your image to look like. God forbid some of your lights are not the same color temperature. Sure we work with conversion filters but not everything has to match and again it depends what you are trying to achieve. This shot here that I did has several different light color temperatures; there's a flashlight that was used, a Lee Amber filter on a Lowel Pro and then a 40 watt soft household incandescent bulb. All 3 of those have different color temperatures

 

The tendency is to buy lights and not think modification of that light, so someone goes out and buys a Smith Victor light kit with 3 umbrellas and calls it a day or they buy 2 soft boxes because they are "easy"

 

You are better off customizing and building your kit from the ground up. If you don't have a lot of money there are ways to build a light kit without going crazy. You're looking at build quality though because if you plan on shooting a lot, the money invested in "cheap build" will fly out the door once wear and tear hits them

 

You want to look at barn doors, scrims, flags, black cine foil even different light bulbs, it's about modification of light. Don't get hung up the TYPE of light, but how are you going to modify it and will it work for your images in video and your scene that you are shooting

 

People get hung up on Tungsten and state "They are hot" but the real issue is - does that tungsten bulb in that particular light housing with that a particular modification (scrim, foil or barn door) work for you. I don't care if it's hot, cold or lukewarm

 

Stick a reproduction antique Edison filament bulb in an older Smith Victor A50 and you get this funky looking light pattern. Change the bulb in that housing to a household 40 watt "amber" colored festival bulb and you get something else

 

Build a unique kit and you get uniquer lighting and get to know your kit. Don't buy cheap that will fall apart but buy light housings that work for you and modifications accessories that are interesting.

[Brandon Arandt]

Light is like water, what do you want to do with it? Carbonate it, color it, flavor it, thicken it......

 

When you invest in lights you must think modification of the light; how do you want to modify that light, just like when you modify water. What do you want to add or take away in order to get the results you need

 

If you are shooting a lot, invest in lights that will endure wear and tear, that doesn't always mean expensive lights but rather build quality

 

Yesterday, I saw a Youtube tutorial on lighting and the guy said "All your lights should have the same color temperature". That is not necessarily true, not at all, because it's all relative to what you want your image to look like. God forbid some of your lights are not the same color temperature. Sure we work with conversion filters but not everything has to match and again it depends what you are trying to achieve. This shot here that I did has several different light color temperatures; there's a flashlight that was used, a Lee Amber filter on a Lowel Pro and then a 40 watt soft household incandescent bulb. All 3 of those have different color temperatures

 

The tendency is to buy lights and not think modification of that light, so someone goes out and buys a Smith Victor light kit with 3 umbrellas and calls it a day or they buy 2 soft boxes because they are "easy"

 

You are better off customizing and building your kit from the ground up. If you don't have a lot of money there are ways to build a light kit without going crazy. You're looking at build quality though because if you plan on shooting a lot, the money invested in "cheap build" will fly out the door once wear and tear hits them

 

You want to look at barn doors, scrims, flags, black cine foil even different light bulbs, it's about modification of light. Don't get hung up the TYPE of light, but how are you going to modify it and will it work for your images in video and your scene that you are shooting

 

People get hung up on Tungsten and state "They are hot" but the real issue is - does that tungsten bulb in that particular light housing with that a particular modification (scrim, foil or barn door) work for you. I don't care if it's hot, cold or lukewarm

 

Stick a reproduction antique Edison filament bulb in an older Smith Victor A50 and you get this funky looking light pattern. Change the bulb in that housing to a household 40 watt "amber" colored festival bulb and you get something else

 

Build a unique kit and you get uniquer lighting and get to know your kit. Don't buy cheap that will fall apart but buy light housings that work for you and modifications accessories that are interesting.

 

Great post. BTW, how did you light this shot? Tungsten with some flags?