Claire Pie Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Hi, I am doing an outdoor beauty shoot in a few weeks in a city/urban environment and wanted to ask for advices. Because I usually shoot my work as a documentary style, I have never been in this situation where I can use a few lights to make it look the look. There is a few lights I want to take with me such as a mini light panel if it is too cloudy or a 125 pocket par for sun light punchy effect, some diffusion frame if too sunny, some color correction and diffusion or a poly board. I wanted to ask if anyone wanted to share advice on how to create a nice lighting on the face of the model if it is too cloudy for exemple or any general advices, things I need to pay attention to. It should be a fun and interesting shoot but I d like to be well prepared and will appreciate help from more experience DOP. :) Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin R Probyn Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Neither of your lights are going to do alot against day light ambient I think.. esp the mini panel light.. unless they are in very close.. others will know alot more than me.. but I really doubt these lights will give you alot of "punch".. if you could get at least a 575 ? If its sunny a largish butterfly frames would be handy to diffuse the sun light..I know there is sunshine sometimes in the UK..! if thats the effect you want.. other than that.. put your rate up :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Allman Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Claire, I think you'll find that "little" lights do next to nothing outdoors. Some basic grip equipment I might recommend includes the following... -6x6, 10x10, or 12x12 diffusion frame with silk and ultrabounce - large polystyrene bead board - fold out circular bounce (4') - 4x4 black solid - c-stands (sorry Phil) - quacker clamps - 4x4 shiny board (if sunny) - lots of sand bags - at least one grip with a strong back and biceps Without a budget for 18k's and the associated mess, you'll want to shape sunlight in my experience. If it's good enough for Roger Deakins it's surely good enough for me! Stuart Allman ------------------------------- illuma.blogspot.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Satsuki Murashige Posted April 12, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted April 12, 2016 These frames are all shot in natural light with my gaffer chasing me with one 3x3 silver side beadboard: So it's certainly possible to shoot these types of projects without a big budget. You need a great location, beautiful models who know how to perform to camera, and a great makeup artist. We also carried a 3000w Honda genny, an M18, 400 Joker with chimera, and a 4x4 Kino Flo along with some grip frames but we only used them for the evening and night scenes in the woods. It all fit into a pickup truck and an SUV. This would be trickier in an urban environment without permits. Best thing to do - pick your locations very carefully for lots of bounced sunlight. Shoot into back light and let the bounced light from the environment fill your actors. Then bring in a beadboard (or silver side if you really need the extra exposure) just out of frame and right next to the talent. Keep it simple, just bring what you need. If the beadboard is going to be a pain to haul around or you need something more incognito, a 5-in-1 fold up reflector will work too. Also look into California Sun Bounce gear, they make a lot of clever bounce and diffusion material for fashion photographers that can be applied to fashion cinematography. Might be easier to carry around than 4x4 frames if you won't have a grip truck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claire Pie Posted April 13, 2016 Author Share Posted April 13, 2016 Hello Guys, Great thank you for all those advices. It is exactly what I needed and it is very helpful. I am new to this forum but love it already. Merci Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted April 13, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted April 13, 2016 This is the sort of thing I use my 575 HMI PAR for most - putting some sort of punch into cloudy day exts. Obviously, it's only really usable with fairly tight shots, as the power level just isn't there. The main lighting tool for exteriors, though, is 8x8 diffusion. Absolutely essential in the sun. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin R Probyn Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Re the large butterfly screens.. you will need two heavy duty stands and sand bags.. and a big grip to help wrangle these things.. ! any sort of wind and they are pretty dangerous.. sharp edges ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted April 13, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted April 13, 2016 I have two heavy duty stands. Sandbags don't appear to make much difference, to be honest. The windage on 64 square feet of ripstop nylon overcomes all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin R Probyn Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) Alot of them will make some sort of difference .. or at least give you time to get out the way /grab your expensive talent with good lawyer out the way.. when that moment of flight becomes apparent .. :).. adding the sound recordist,s wallet would be another option.. although this could damage the stand .. By heavy stands I mean those monster Mathew,s ones on wheels.. that takes at least 2 two people to get out of the van.. !.. but yes theres a limit for sure.. too windy.. dont use them.. Edited April 13, 2016 by Robin R Probyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted April 13, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted April 13, 2016 those monster Mathew,s ones on wheels Why is it that no matter how much crap I buy, someone always recommends something else? Anyway, if Claire wants to borrow any of it, she can. P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin R Probyn Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) Can she borrow your C stands.. they are Mathew,s right ... PS It was all rented stuff.. those stands wouldn't even come close to fitting into my Bentley .. Edited April 13, 2016 by Robin R Probyn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted April 13, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted April 13, 2016 You drive Bentley in the home of the kei car? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin R Probyn Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 I push them off the road.. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Hartman Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 When used outdoors, all but the smallest of frames (6x) should have at least two tag lines attached to the top corners, held by crew members Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dunn Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Two spare crew to hold ropes? Hmmm. I wonder how likely that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted April 13, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted April 13, 2016 You took the words or of my mouth... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Hartman Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 (edited) Funny. Both of you are missing your true calling. When camera rolls, all work stops.... What are your Grips doing? Or use HMU and Scripty or continuity person. Edited April 13, 2016 by JD Hartman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stuart Allman Posted April 13, 2016 Share Posted April 13, 2016 Phil, When it comes to equipment one-up-manship there's no winning. There's only degrees of losing. Stuart Allman -------------------------- illuma.blogspot.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Phil Rhodes Posted April 13, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted April 13, 2016 My laughter, it is hollow. Outside your world, JD, the idea of there being spare people on a film set, at absolutely any time, is comedic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Satsuki Murashige Posted April 13, 2016 Premium Member Share Posted April 13, 2016 If you don't have the crew for overhead frames, then don't bring them. It's that simple. If you can't do it safely, don't do it at all. A handheld 4x4 frame with Half Soft Frost works fine for close ups. Otherwise just shoot in backlight, under shade, or canopy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward Lawrence Conley III Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 There's one of our 12x12 overhead set ups in the ocean in Hawaii somewhere :ph34r: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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