Hey guys, just a quick scenario/question. When filming and you look at your surrounding/subject, whatever. You can see things in low light spaces clear with your eyes but when you try and film it its barely visible. Case and point: My bedroom has one light fixture thats not too bright but I can still see everything clear and lit up etc. But when I turn on the generic HD camcorder my dad got off EBAY, a lot of it is dark on the LCD. I can see the colors when I look with my eyes but through the camera its all sort of blended into the darkness. Any ways to make this better? Is it just a lighting issue? If I set up some overhead hanging lights from like home depot or something can that make teh colors more visible and vibrant without making it look too "atrificial"? Thanks.
-
Wondering which camera, gear, computer, or software to buy? Ask in our Gear Guide.
Lighting questions
- Thread starter CHamburger
- Start date
What you are now discovering is the primary difference between
getting an exposed image and lighting a scene. Many people want to
point the camera and press “record” and many of today's cameras
allow that. It’s exposed - it is not lit.
To get an image on video that appears close to what your eye is
seeing you need to learn to use light well. You’ve seen pictures
of professional sets that have many lights and flag and scrims -
there is a reason for all this equipment. You can come close.
One reason why lighting seem “artificial” is because a filmmaker
will put up a light, point the camera and press “record”. A well
lit scene needs some fill light, back light, shadows and - very
often - even lights on the walls behind the actors.
Use a paper lantern. Put a 150w bulb in a dimmer, place it to the
right or left of the camera. Now the actors faces stand out. Take
a small clamp on worklight, attach it to a dimmer, put in a 100w
bulb. Place it behind the actors aimed at the back of their heads.
Now the actors do not blend into the background.
Two (or three) lights and the actors pop out immediately. Very
simple, very fast to move and adjust and the difference is
amazing. Throwing one more light on the background of most scenes
to cast a shadow give a realistic boost to the location. It’s
sometimes surprising what that little addition does to the look of
a scene.
getting an exposed image and lighting a scene. Many people want to
point the camera and press “record” and many of today's cameras
allow that. It’s exposed - it is not lit.
To get an image on video that appears close to what your eye is
seeing you need to learn to use light well. You’ve seen pictures
of professional sets that have many lights and flag and scrims -
there is a reason for all this equipment. You can come close.
One reason why lighting seem “artificial” is because a filmmaker
will put up a light, point the camera and press “record”. A well
lit scene needs some fill light, back light, shadows and - very
often - even lights on the walls behind the actors.
Use a paper lantern. Put a 150w bulb in a dimmer, place it to the
right or left of the camera. Now the actors faces stand out. Take
a small clamp on worklight, attach it to a dimmer, put in a 100w
bulb. Place it behind the actors aimed at the back of their heads.
Now the actors do not blend into the background.
Two (or three) lights and the actors pop out immediately. Very
simple, very fast to move and adjust and the difference is
amazing. Throwing one more light on the background of most scenes
to cast a shadow give a realistic boost to the location. It’s
sometimes surprising what that little addition does to the look of
a scene.
Thanks Rik. Your advice cleared so much ignorance up. Much appreciated.