Jump to content

Lighting eyes- techniques


Recommended Posts

Hello!! I am wondering how to light-up the eyes (meaning having a glow or reflection in the iris) of an actor.

 

What are the different techniques used in various situations as close ups, medium shots and moving shots (steadicam or dolly)???????

 

Thank you for your time and knowledge!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The easiest way is to have a big difussed source point at the actors face from a distance.

 

There are many many other ways..you're going to have to practice on your own to learn...

 

 

Good Luck

Edited by Rik Andino
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello!! I am wondering how to light-up the eyes (meaning having a glow or reflection in the iris) of an actor.

 

What are the different techniques used in various situations as close ups, medium shots and moving shots (steadicam or dolly)???????

 

Thank you for your time and knowledge!!!

 

hi . using a frontal small eye lance lamp will do it . glow efect dosnt working from medium. s and longer because of the small eye surface in the fram.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest rajavel

actually as Rik said....lot many ways...best is to experiment.....some may be

 

1) try the Cameo lighting.....from the stable of Kinoflo...its basically a ring light that

goes just over the lens of the camera....and lights the face beautifully....with an

interesting RING in the iris of the artist eye.

this is similar to the ring flash that the fashion photographers use!

 

2) try a big soft box......

 

3) try the soft box with EGG crates

 

4) try soft box with marking tapes on it....that can be passed of as window pane reflection in the iris

 

5) try a spot light practical...that is generally used in jewellery show room display .......can give

a bright sparkling effect on the eyes

 

6) try hanging a chinese lantern if it is an Extreme CU

 

7) and many more to experiment....let me know if u find anymore !

 

cheers!

rajavel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

One really neat one is to place a very hard source on the same plane as the iris. It will actually light up the lens of the eyeball but not light the iris itself very much. It gives a very glassy, glowy look to the eye.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for the tips!!!

 

I will have to go and experiment these things.

I will deffinately try them out and will let you know how they worked and try to I find another way.

 

One really neat one is to place a very hard source on the same plane as the iris. It will actually light up the lens of the eyeball but not light the iris itself very much. It gives a very glassy, glowy look to the eye.

 

This technique is the one I commonly use and it does look really neat thank you.

 

1) try the Cameo lighting.....from the stable of Kinoflo...its basically a ring light that

goes just over the lens of the camera....and lights the face beautifully....with an

interesting RING in the iris of the artist eye.

this is similar to the ring flash that the fashion photographers use!

 

Just one other question to rajavel... How do you place the cameo lighting on the lens?

 

cheers!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest rajavel

Just one other question to rajavel... How do you place the cameo lighting on the lens?

 

get one cameo and its easy...u will figure it out .....its a ring form.....that can be fixed and insert the lens through it.....u might not b able to use the filter hood but....can use black wrap around lens....any filter can be stuck jjust for that shot.

rajavel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

You can also build what I would call a "ring-light" by getting a circular base and attaching lightbulbs around it, you can shoot through to nice effect, kind of a poor man's kamio. All the parts to make cost about $100.

 

Another thing you can do, and this would fall in the glamour lighting category, but using 4 chimeras, mount one above the lens, one below and one on either side. Gives a nice large source soft light effect, and a cool cross pattern in the eyes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

You can also build what I would call a "ring-light" by getting a circular base and attaching lightbulbs around it, you can shoot through to nice effect, kind of a poor man's kamio. All the parts to make cost about $100.

 

Another thing you can do, and this would fall in the glamour lighting category, but using 4 chimeras, mount one above the lens, one below and one on either side. Gives a nice large source soft light effect, and a cool cross pattern in the eyes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

You can also build what I would call a "ring-light" by getting a circular base and attaching lightbulbs around it, you can shoot through to nice effect, kind of a poor man's kamio. All the parts to make cost about $100.

 

Another thing you can do, and this would fall in the glamour lighting category, but using 4 chimeras, mount one above the lens, one below and one on either side. Gives a nice large source soft light effect, and a cool cross pattern in the eyes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

You can also build what I would call a "ring-light" by getting a circular base and attaching lightbulbs around it, you can shoot through to nice effect, kind of a poor man's kamio. All the parts to make cost about $100.

 

Another thing you can do, and this would fall in the glamour lighting category, but using 4 chimeras, mount one above the lens, one below and one on either side. Gives a nice large source soft light effect, and a cool cross pattern in the eyes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

You can also build what I would call a "ring-light" by getting a circular base and attaching lightbulbs around it, you can shoot through to nice effect, kind of a poor man's kamio. All the parts to make cost about $100.

 

Another thing you can do, and this would fall in the glamour lighting category, but using 4 chimeras, mount one above the lens, one below and one on either side. Gives a nice large source soft light effect, and a cool cross pattern in the eyes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hold a bunch of fairy lights close together in a close up to give a thousand reflections in the eye balls. Andrew Lesnie ACS, ASC used this technique for quick fill and to give an ethereal quality to Kate Blanchet on Lord of the Rings.

 

Graeme

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hold a bunch of fairy lights close together in a close up to give a thousand reflections in the eye balls. Andrew Lesnie ACS, ASC used this technique for quick fill and to give an ethereal quality to Kate Blanchet on Lord of the Rings.

 

Graeme

 

 

What is a bunch of fairy lights??? Rope lights coiled up like a pancake???

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What is a bunch of fairy lights??? Rope lights coiled up like a pancake???

 

Fairy lights, white christmas lights. The type that has no covers on them. And I believe he used them like you were holding a bunch of flowers or pencils in a hand.

 

Graeme

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the tip on the home made kameo light, it sounds easy and simple to manufacture!ª!!

 

Also today I went over to the rental house and askd for the kameo light and saw it. It´s really cool and easy to use. Has a nice quality of light.

 

Hold a bunch of fairy lights close together in a close up to give a thousand reflections in the eye balls. Andrew Lesnie ACS, ASC used this technique for quick fill and to give an ethereal quality to Kate Blanchet on Lord of the Rings.

 

Graeme

 

Well this is a great Idea hadn´t thought of it, Im gonna have to go and test this!!!

thanks

Edited by joeh
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think we are missing the point here. There are almost an infinte amount of ways to make a eye-light. I remember specifically a single tracking shot we did on "high school musical" from the disney chanel that consisted of a single tracking shot on a dolly down a high-school hall. For this shot we made an eyelight by attaching 4 two bank floro fixtures with kino tubes in a box pattern on the dolly. Then the camera is placed inside of this box and a general fill/eyelight was created. Kameo and Light panel lights are nice, but they are nice for only a certian situation, they are not an end all fix. Just remember think big, think soft and think balanced.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...