Hack 18. Light with Work Lights

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"Work lights" are very bright lights, often 500 to 1000 watts, that are sold in home improvement stores. They make great video lights.

Unless you plan on a career that involves lighting, or you're really serious about making the next great independent movie, purchasing a professional set of lights just isn't worth the cost. If you're lucky enough to live somewhere where you can rent lighting packages, you always have that option. But if you don't, or if you're stuck somewhere between renting often (expensive) and purchasing (expensive), you might be looking for a way to light you video without a great expense.

2.3.1. Purchasing Work Lights

Practically every home improvement store sells very bright, portable lights, often called work or shop lights. The lights range in power, from small 50-watt lights to large 1000-watt lights. The range of power makes them a great choice for the aspiring moviemaker, because you can grab a few across the range. What's better is their price: you can often find them for less than $25 each. Figure 2-3 shows a 500W work light.

Figure 2-3. A work light


2.3.2. Using Work Lights

Using one really bright, powerful light, along with a small light kit [Hack #17], can fulfill most of your needs. By using your bright light as your key light (the light most focused on your subject) and then using smaller lights as fill and back lights (lights to cut down shadows and balance out the key), you can effectively light a scene. Figure 2-4 shows a shot lit by a key light only, contrasted with one that uses key and a fill light. A key light can cause shadows; a fill can reduce them.

The technique of using a key light along with a fill light and a back light is called three-point lighting. Your key light should always be brighter than your other lights; a good rule of thumb is that it should be twice as bright. Both your key and fill lights should be aimed from the same direction as your camera, somewhat opposite of each other and slightly above your subject. Your back light, as its name implies, should be aimed from behind and slightly above the subject you are shooting. Figure 2-5 shows a diagram of a three-point lighting scenario.

Figure 2-4. A shot lit by a key light only (left) and both a key and a fill light (right)


Figure 2-5. Three-point lighting


2.3.3. Controlling Work Lights

Work lights are cheap, functional, and work great for lighting video. The problem is, sometimes they are simply too bright. One solution to the problem is to attach a dimmer and bring down the intensity of the light. Another is to use diffusion. As a bonus, the two solutions can be applied together.

2.3.3.1. Using dimmers.

Dimmers can be purchased at home improvement stores, lighting stores, and even some supermarkets. Use one dimmer per light, to gain the most control over the entire look of your scene. When purchasing a dimmer, be aware of the maximum wattage it can handle.

2.3.3.2. Using diffusion.

Many photo and film supply stores sell sheets and rolls of diffusion. These sheets are often slightly transparent, white sheets of plastic that are very heat resistant. When diffusion is placed in front of a light, it softens the light.

A cheap alternative to purchasing diffusion is parchment paper (found at supermarkets; for $3 $5 per roll), which is used by people who bake. The paper is often white and slightly translucent perfect for diffusion. Additionally, because it is designed to withstand heat, you can use with high-wattage lights. Figure 2-6 shows a 500W work light with parchment paper attached as diffusion.

Figure 2-6. Using parchment paper for more than baking


As you can infer, work lights can be a great help in creating a more professional look to your video. But there's something else: they're designed for use in tough working environments. Because of their low cost (in comparison to professional lights) and their durability, work lights should be on your short list when shopping for video lighting supplies.

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    Digital Video Hacks
    Digital Video Hacks: Tips & Tools for Shooting, Editing, and Sharing (OReillys Hacks Series)
    ISBN: 0596009461
    EAN: 2147483647
    Year: 2005
    Pages: 158
    Authors: Joshua Paul

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