PART 9: LIGHTING

On the courses I run we don't give people lights. I don't believe you can teach cameras and lighting in a single week. Lighting is a specialised craft plus there is a lot of health and safety issues tied up in lighting. But, I do give some guidance of working without lights. Hence this section.

TECHNICAL INFO

Light levels are measured in LUX. The light given off by one candle at 12 inches (30cm) distance is equal to 10 Lux. The camera works best at light levels in excess of 100 lux. But most can produce some sort of picture down to a couple of lux - but don't expect the results to be of great quality.

Please note the camera manufacturers will boast about the amazingly low light levels their cameras can work in - BUT all cameras only give their highest quality pictures when the subject is correctly and adequately lit. That said, it is not always possible to work in ideal lighting conditions. Poorly lit areas and very bright sunny conditions both pose problems for the camera operator.

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LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS

The camera is capable of producing pictures in very low light conditions. To be able to do this the picture signal is electronically boosted, which results in noisy, grainy, pictures. To prevent this loss in picture quality you need to find some way of increasing the light hitting your subject.

Firstly ask yourself is it essential to do an interview indoors or can it be done outside in daylight?
Your eyes will deceive you. Look carefully at the location, is it gloomy and under lit? If it is - move. Ask if there is another room you could use which is better lit
Sit your subject near to available light sources.
Don't be afraid to re-arrange furniture, standard lamps and table lamps to ensure your subject is lit. Anglepoise lamps can be particularly useful.
Sit your subject beside or facing a window to use the natural light coming into the room.
Remember blinds and net curtains reduce the light through the window (ask if it is all right to move them out of the way during the shoot).
NEVER sit your subject with their back to a window. If you do, your subject will be in silhouette (fine if you want to keep their identity a secret). The camera cannot correctly expose an unlit face against a bright, sunlit, background.

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SUN LIGHT

Remember - you have no control over the sun (and clouds) - sun light levels can change dramatically - keep your finger on the exposure dial and be ready to change F numbers!
Sun light can be soft (when it is cloudy overhead) or hard (under direct sun).
Soft light can reduce wrinkles! it will make shots look flat and boring.
Hard light can give harsh (unflattering) shadows on peoples faces - but all photographers agree that you will probably take your best shots when you have some shadow to play around with.

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MIXED LIGHT

When you work in an area lit with more than one source of light e.g. a room lit with light bulbs and with daylight coming through a window - you need to give the situation some thought when white balancing.
Always do a manual white balance when working in mixed light or your pictures could end up with a strange colour cast, which you won't find out about until it is too late. Take a white piece of paper and position it so that it is lit with the same mix of light that your subject will be lit by.
Carry a few pieces of half-blue gel. You can place this over tungsten light in order to convert it to daylight. Now you don't have mixed light anymore.

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LIGHTING WITH ARTIFICIAL LIGHTS

I HOPE TO ADD SOME STUFF HERE IN THE NEAR FUTURE

If you want some lightweight lighting recommendation try my buying guide

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Move on to ...: Part 10: TROUBLE SHOOTING
...or go back to: Part 8: SOUND LEVELS

Christina Fox