Hello everybody, my name is Elliot I am from Under The Ledge and welcome back to a new blog. A lot of the time, when shooting non-fictional work, you have to stay very run and gun. There is no time to set everything up carefully and slowly, because these moments only happen once. So what most filmmakers have realised is that there is no time to set up lights. You have to get used to shooting in natural light. But how do you do that? In today’s video I’m talking about how you can use natural light to create more cinematic images, to help better tell your story.
Tip number one is to use window light. Window light is especially useful for filming talking head shots. You can use this light to create depth using shadow, that make your images look more cinematic. It is important to know where to place your subject and camera, around the light source. Placing your subject at different angles to the light can create more or less cinematic images. For example, if you place your subject at 10º from the light, the image will look less dramatic, but if you place your subject at 90º to the light, it will appear very dramatic. I’ve often found that 45º is a good middle to place your subject at, but remember there are no rules in filmmaking, only guidelines.
Tip number two is to shoot when the light is right. Depending on the mood, there are different times of day that you could try shooting at. For example, if you want to show happiness and good times, shoot at golden hour. This is usually at sunrise or sunset, when the light looks orange. There are some great apps to let you find the right light, like sun-seeker and photo pills. However, golden hour might not be the look you are going for. Sometimes if you want to shoot a dramatic scene, you’ll shoot at night, or maybe try and shoot cloudy, dramatic skies. Clouds act as giant softboxes, that help diffuse the light from the sun. Try different things and see what looks right.
Tip number three is to use bounce. Reflectors and negative fill will help you to shape your light source, without having to spend a long time setting up. A reflectors job is to bounce the light onto your subject or scene, and negative will helps subtract light to create shadow and depth to create a more cinematic image.
Tip number four is to use a filters. There are many different types of filters. A Nd, or neutral density filter will help you to subtract light from your scene, without having to altar your camera settings. Think of it as sunglasses for your lens. A polarising filter will help get rid of reflections in scenes, and create more rich colours, when used right. Filters are quick to use, and are useful in a run and gun situation.
Tip number five is to turn off room light. Lights in your location will usually look bad and create flicker. So turn them off.
Finally, tip number six is to shoot towards the light. Shooting towards or away from your light source will create different images. For example, shooting away from your light will create a more flat image, that looks boring and not very cinematic. Where if you shoot towards the light, it would create an image that looks more cinematic, creating flares and depth.
Thanks for reading this blog, I hope you learned something new. Before I go I just want to tell you about our weekly Email newsletter. Every Wednesday, I send out a newsletter about what I, and others have been doing in the creative industry. It’s only a short five minute read, so do check it out, there’s a link in the description. With all of that said I want to thank you very much for watching and I’ll see you in the next one.
From Elliot
Comments