Babette Siobhan Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Hi everybody! I am a film student and aspiring DP whose especially interested in lighting. I'm still learning the basics and one step along the way is to get familiar with the types of lights: their specific qualities and differences, best situations for each, common brands, etc. So far I have noticed these categories: Par, Fresnel, Open Faced and Redhead. What are the unique qualities and common uses for each category of light? Are there any other types than these? Any feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Babette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dunn Posted February 28, 2013 Share Posted February 28, 2013 Just take one into the studio and try it out. Take a 'model' with you and a digital camera and you'll learn more in ten minutes than reading anything here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babette Siobhan Posted March 1, 2013 Author Share Posted March 1, 2013 Mark, I couldn't agree more. I'm currently interning at a lighting and grip house, and luckily have those opportunities. I was looking more for general tips and tricks that are shared between fellow cinematographers. Am I in the wrong place; is there another section of the forum reserved just for that? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyun De Grande Posted March 1, 2013 Share Posted March 1, 2013 The light of a Fresnel has the sharpest edges, and the most even beam-spread. So the quality of the light is very good, and can be used to light directly at an object/actor. You can control the beam from spot to flood. A PAR (parabolic aluminized reflector) has lesser light quality (the shadow patterns are not as sharp for example) but they usually generate more output for the same wattage. So for example, a 4K Arrisun (= PAR) should have more light output than a 4K Fresnel HMI. Because the quality of the light is poorer, they're normally used through diffusers. An open face is created purely for its output, and has the poorest light quality of the tree. They're generally used with bounces or also through diffusers. A redhead is an example of an open face armature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babette Siobhan Posted March 2, 2013 Author Share Posted March 2, 2013 Thank you Hyun, I greatly appreciate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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