ashraf islahuddin

Sunlight tends to be hard, so what are you describing? Sun coming through very thin layers of clouds? Or are you just talking about soft daylight coming through windows, not the sun?

 

How much diffusion you use, and how large, just depends on how soft versus directional you want the light.

Hi David,my idea of sunlight is,sun coming through a thin layer of clouds,that is the look i want.

Hi

I have a commercial shoot coming up in the next month.The effect i am looking for is a soft sunlight coming through a large window.What diffusion material should i use to get the soft sunlight effect.I know different cinematographer see it differently,but any idea,thought od advice will be a great help.

Ashraf islahuddin

Generally I carry both a regular Silk and a Half Soft Frost to put on frames for day work, to diffuse the sun. The nice thing about Half Soft Frost is that you only lose 1/3 of a stop under it, so when people move from full sun to being diffused under it, they don't not get darker -- it's like an Opal material in terms of heaviness, just smooths out the sunlight while keeping its directionality.

 

Silk is heavier and makes it look more like people are under the shade of something unless the background is not obviously sunlit (like dark trees and bushes, which help hide the fact that the people are under a silk.) But it is a nicer softlight, more of an overcast look.

 

So I alternate between the two. There are many other types and levels of diffusions, Quarter Silk, Light Grid, Quarter Grid, etc. I try to keep it simple, down to two levels.

 

As for bounces, most people use Ultra Bounce these days, before that it was a Griflon. Griflons are a bit shiny though, Ultra Bounce is softer. Even softer is Muslin, bleached or unbleached (unbleached has some warmth it it.) At the other end, if you want a lot of bounce, there are silver materials like Lame'.

Thanks David will try and keep it simple and as natural as possible.

Generally I carry both a regular Silk and a Half Soft Frost to put on frames for day work, to diffuse the sun. The nice thing about Half Soft Frost is that you only lose 1/3 of a stop under it, so when people move from full sun to being diffused under it, they don't not get darker -- it's like an Opal material in terms of heaviness, just smooths out the sunlight while keeping its directionality.

 

Silk is heavier and makes it look more like people are under the shade of something unless the background is not obviously sunlit (like dark trees and bushes, which help hide the fact that the people are under a silk.) But it is a nicer softlight, more of an overcast look.

 

So I alternate between the two. There are many other types and levels of diffusions, Quarter Silk, Light Grid, Quarter Grid, etc. I try to keep it simple, down to two levels.

 

As for bounces, most people use Ultra Bounce these days, before that it was a Griflon. Griflons are a bit shiny though, Ultra Bounce is softer. Even softer is Muslin, bleached or unbleached (unbleached has some warmth it it.) At the other end, if you want a lot of bounce, there are silver materials like Lame'.

Hi, I have a small fiction shoot coming up with almost all the scenes to be filmed outdoors.I would like to avoid the the direct sun hitting my proatagonist in a few scenes and would like to bounce the sunlight for a soft fill.Can you please suggest what should i use to shield my sunlight and also get the some light to pass through and what will be good material to use as a bounce.

Hi i have an upcoming corporate ad project,and tyhe clients want to shoiot on F900.Though i have tested the camera,but i would like to know as to how can i9 achieve the best result,should i shoot on preset and let the post production handle the detail or are there certain changes in the menu that i can do to make it richer in it's look,any valuable suggestion is needed.

regards

Ashraf

Hi

i have to light up a complete white set for a small commercial.The walls are white and the set is more or less in oval shape,now there are few problems,the set is about 30feet approx from all sides and the biggest scimmer i have for me is 20 by 20 feet,the action is happening in the centre of the set ,my main concern is lighting the side wall of the set, and also what should be the exposure difference between the main action area and the walls.Should i use multi twenty on the rig facing the walls and diffuse them for even illumination,i know i am not very clear in my description but any valuable tip will be appreciated.Or if any body who has lit up a white set can post some production shots for my referrence.

To avoid flicker with 50Hz. lighting you need to shoot 24fps at with a 172.8 degree shutter angle, or shoot 25 fps with a 180 degree shutterangle. If it's 60 Hz. lighting you should be safe at 24fps and 180 degrees.

Thanks Michael

will keep all that in mind.

what is the place like? will you work with natural light? are there any windows in the background? i have been shooting on an airport too and i had quiet a problem with the ratio because there was a huge window in the background and i had to light a lot in the interior, otherwise the highlights in the background would have been blown out.

usually there are a lot of practicals in airports like flourescent lights, mind your frame rate and power frecuency to avoid flicker too...

Hi Tebbe,

Yes there are a lot of florescent fixture and I am mostly shooting in the evening,frame rate and power frequency is my main concern.Cpold you suggest me something on that?

Hi ,i have a small shoot coming up.The work is suppose to be done on super16.I will be shooting shooting in lounge and waiting area of the airport in the evening,i don't have time to test anything ,what should i keep in mind as not too regret later?

so here i m , going for an outdoor shoot, its a part of a documentary by a friend of mine.

 

we are going on location, its aaaaa.......this place has mountains, green fields, small rivers. We'll be shooting natural sceneries as well as interview of the locals, might be indoor in some rooms or outdoor in fields......so what u guys suggest?

 

between I'll be using sony dxr 250 dv camera

See if you can hire ND grads or sunset filters, they are very helpfull when you are shooting exteriors.

so here i m , going for an outdoor shoot, its a part of a documentary by a friend of mine.

 

we are going on location, its aaaaa.......this place has mountains, green fields, small rivers. We'll be shooting natural sceneries as well as interview of the locals, might be indoor in some rooms or outdoor in fields......so what u guys suggest?

 

between I'll be using sony dxr 250 dv camera

See if you can hire ND grads or sunset filters, they are very helpfull when you are shooting exteriors.

Hi, i am acinematographer based in New Delhi,India.I am going to shoot an office interior with a lot of CFL on the ceiling.Am shooting it on Super 16,any piece of advice,regarding cast and flicker problem?Please help.

Hi ia m shooting a corporate film on super 16 in an educational institute,The institute has different fixtures on walls and ceiling,such as CFL's ,tungsten small lights and forescent tubes.Ihave to take some long shots to establish the institute.Any suggestions in terms of lighting?