Hack 20. Add Diffusion to a Camcorder Light

Lighting is an important aspect of capturing good video images, but you need some control over it.

When shooting on the go during a wedding reception, a nightclub party, or for a documentary, for example it helps to have portable lighting. Many companies offer lights that attach to your camera and draw power from it. However, these lights offer little control, if any, over the beam of light provided.

Camcorder lights are usually very small, yet very bright, lights that sit atop your camera. Although some lights provide some control over the light, through the use of barndoors, most do not provide any control. It's light or no light.

Barndoors usually consist of four metal flags attached to the sides of the light, and are common on professional lights. By closing a flag, partially or completely, you can change the amount of light emitted. Barndoors still don't solve the problem of the sometimes harsh light emitted.

Herbert Wetherford, an independent producer in Los Angeles, introduced me to a trick he uses when shooting independent movies. Placing Scotch tape in front of the light will knock down the light, as well as soften it. You effectively diffuse the light with just a few strips of tape. Figure 2-9 shows the results of this effect.

Figure 2-9. Adding a little scotch tape to provide the needed diffusion

Scotch tape is not fireproof. Do not place it in close proximity to the light. If you have to fashion something to hold the tape off of the light, do it. The tape can, and will, melt.

If you need to, you can use clothespins [Hack #25] to position the tape away from the light.

Adding diffusion to a light causes it to become softer, thereby reducing harsh shadows and casting light evenly across an area. If you have control over your environment, using paper lanterns [Hack #19] or some work lights with diffusion [Hack #18] can provide excellent, soft light. But when you're on the move and can't take time to light a scene, a camcorder light is your best option.