cinematography Where to position the sun?

[paulbrighton]

If you're shooting outside where do you think the best position for the sun is? (Not that you can move the sun).

A) Behind as a backlight and then light the faces with other lights?

B) To the side as a spotlight?

C) In front as a filler light?

Might it also depend on how bright the sun is on that day? For instance if it is quite dim then it could be used as a backlight and if it was super low and bright it could be used as a spotlight?

I am really fascinated by lighting this week since I didn't realise until now why home videos look kind of flat compared with films and then I was told it's all to do with 3-point lighting.

 

[joeduggan]

For the issue of being able to get a nicely exposed shot, where you can see the characters face and the background, I recommend them looking towards the sun. The other way round you will get either an over exposed background or an underexposed face, unless you light them. you could have the sun off to the side, and use a reflector to bring up the light on the opposite side of the face. Remember that getting the shot right in regards to the scene is the most important part. What mood do you want to convey etc...
But there is no right or wrong as long as it matches the rest of the scene and makes sense in regards to the story.

 

[TheArtist]

I asked myself the exact same question for a shoot on sunset.

I went with side light.

 

[jax_rox]

It all really depends on your scene, what works better and what looks better on the day.

Contrast is always better, and so using the sun as a back light or side light is going to give some contrast to their face, which always looks much more interesting than having the sun dead on, and having a flat looking face. If the sun does happen to be dead on, I'll often use floppies or duvetyne to create a slight neg fill on people's faces.

 

[Gonzo_Entertainment]

As everyone said, depends on the scene.
One issue with sun at camera's back is the talent tends to squint if the sun is right in their face.

 

[knightly]

Either over their shoulder or yours... break between 11am and 1pm as the sun is directly overhead and makes the face shadows REALLY long and straight down. Unless that's what you're going for... as stated above, depends on the needs of the scene.