Lighting Tipsfor Video: VideOccasions

Lighting for Video

Lighting? Don't you just point your video camera and shoot. You're at the edge of the Grand Canyon, and there's no question of enhancing the lighting. Or you're inside a restaurant, and you have to rely on available light for your video. Not much to do here, either, right?

Well, in these examples, you're probably right. You might consider a filter at the Grand Canyon, to cut through some of the haze, and a neutral density filter to cut down on the glare. At the restaurant you might use an on-camera light to brighten things up a bit. But beyond that you're at the mercy of the setting.

But suppose you do have some control. Lets say you're going to video a conversation with an elderly neighbor who has lived her entire life in Black Diamond, and has wonderful recollections of life around the coal miners in the 1920's and '30's. Here you have an opportunity to control the light, and in doing so, to control how your subject looks.

Your Eye and the Video Camera

Your naked eye isn't of much help here. All that matters is what the camera sees. So, to view the scene critically from a video point of view, if at all possible connect your camera to a video monitor and look at the scene in the large format. Be sure the monitor you are using has its color, contrast and brightness controls set to the neutral position, otherwise what you see may not be what you get. If you do lots of outdoor shooting you might consider getting one of many LCD monitors that will mount right on your camera. Try pricing these at a reputable mail-order house, B&H for example. Be sure to ask about return policies and shipping costs.

Lets examine some of the basics of lighting, then look at specific techniques to improve your finished tape.

Last modified 3/19/2020