Hard light from the window - day interior

[Nathaly Pinheiro]

Hello, 

 I´ve seen some day interior behind the scenes where only hard sources are coming from outside the window, side lighting the actors but the light on them look soft, while sometimes the body or the surroundings get a hard light.

I wonder what is the most important thing to do in order no to get that hard light on the face of the actors, specially if they are moving. Is it achieved by directing the light 45 degrees down to light from the chest down? Or is it by using a diffusion frame on the top of the light just to soften the face? Or sheers etc 

Ps: Im not talking about the light that creates a slash at the background wall or the backlight at the subject. 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2023 by Nathaly Pinheiro

[David Mullen ASC]

Just depends, you can raise the light to get a hard cut from the window or you can use a black flag or you can use a heavy diffusion frame to create a hard cut with some soft light as well. Sometimes I gel either the diffusion frame to be cooler or I clip warming gel to hang below the frame and make the hard light warmer.

[Nathaly Pinheiro]

43 minutes ago, David Mullen ASC said:

Sometimes I gel either the diffusion frame to be cooler or I clip warming gel to hang below the frame and make the hard light warmer.

Great tip, never seen this. Thanks David, you always very helpful. And when blocking part of the light with a flag or window frame,    do you also add a soft key light inside?