Lighting Articles

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• FloLight MicroBeam 2500W Equivalent LED Light Kit Review
  July, 2012
  by Mark Holder
  For truly versatile lighting suitable for all users check out FloLight's MicroBeam 2500W Equivalent video lights.
• Portable Lighting Equipment
  June, 2012
  by Terry O'Rourke
  When you think of assembling a portable lighting kit, you need to consider what you need to complete a job, and also how to get that kit to your location.
• Catching the Rim Shot with Lighting
  April, 2012
  by Terry O'Rourke
  Traditional lighting using the key light as your main light isn't always the most interesting design. Try making your rim light the brightest and see how your…
• Let There be Light... for Less
  February, 2012
  by Michael Fitzer
  Why use light other than the sun or your house lights? Proper lighting will give depth and clarity to your subjects, and soften objects you don't want in the…
• Get Real with Practicals
  December, 2011
  by Terry O'Rourke
  Blazing a room with studio lights without using the glow from household lamps looks fake. Most movie sets use 'practicals' in their scenes to imply realism.
• Color Temperature for Video
  October, 2011
  by Michael Fitzer
  Why is color temperature awareness important in the AV industry? Whether it's setting white balance for iPhone 4 or Nikon D90, your camera needs a starting…
• The Art of Low-Key Lighting
  August, 2011
  by Terry O'Rourke
  Properly lighting a low-key setup will entice your viewers to focus on key points in your scene, and wonder about those dark shadowy areas in the unknown.
• Lighting on the Cheap Side
  June, 2011
  by Terry O'Rourke
  Need to set up a lighting design that won't cost an arm and a leg? Whether you need incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lights or LED lighting, we'll show you the…
• Fun and Entertaining Vacation Videos
  June, 2011
  by Jennifer O'Rourke
  Vacation videos don't have to bore your viewers - you just need to understand how to edit while you're shooting on location.
• Lighten Up Your World with LEDs
  April, 2011
  by Terry O'Rourke
  LED Lighting is the lighting of choice for more videographers. Here's why.
• 3D Lighting
  February, 2011
  by Heath McKnight
  With the rise of 3D video, films, television programming and video games, many hope to get in the stereoscopic game. But 3D lighting is a whole new ballgame;…
• Paint your Canvas with Light
  December, 2010
  by Terry O'Rourke
  Imagine light as being your paintbrush and your scene as your canvas. How heavy or soft you "paint" that light determines the dramatic focus of your canvas…
• Three Point Lighting
  November, 2010
  by Kyle Cassidy
  Three point lighting is so ubiquitous that everybody who works with video should know how to set it up in their sleep.
• Create Film Noir Videos with Effective Lighting
  October, 2010
  by Terry O'Rourke
  From the gritty Batman movies to the mysterious scenes of The Maltese Falcon, lighting Film Noir style isn't just about controlling the light, it's about using…
• Finding the Light
  August, 2010
  by Terry O'Rourke
  You don't need dozens of lights to shoot beautiful night scenes. Effective night lighting relies on "natural" lights, scrims, a few reflectors and imagination.
• 10 Tips for Guerrillas on the Go
  August, 2010
  by Dave Sniadak
  Backpack Journalist. Run-N-Gun. Lone Wolf. You've heard all the solo shooting call signs, but with all the advancements in technology and improvements in…
• Do It Yourself Lighting Kit
  June, 2010
  by Terry O'Rourke
  Cutting costs doesn't mean cutting video quality. You can get the same great video lighting when you create a Do It Yourself Lighting Kit.
• Sima SL20LX light, Logic Keyboard and The Black Pod Review
  June, 2010
  by Evan Burt
  As amateurs, professionals or enthusiasts, buyers of consumer electronics often put a premium on bigger things like computers and cameras. But they sometimes…
• What is Lux?
  April, 2010
  by Terry O'Rourke
  Manufacturers seem to have different way of defining the word lux. But what is it, and how can you compare your camcorder's "lux level" to that of others?
• Video and Photography Light Reflectors
  February, 2010
  by Terry O'Rourke
  An overview of video and photography light reflectors and their uses in both indoor and outdoor video production.
• Video Lighting Buyer's Guide 2009
  February, 2010
  by Terry O'Rourke
  Here are some tips on choosing lights because that's where all the action is and that's where you spend lots of money.
• Lighting Interviews
  December, 2009
  by Terry O'Rourke
  A basic 3 point lighting setup is a good place to start when lighting one person. Here are some lighting design ideas for lighting interviews using 3 points…
• Finding Light for Video
  November, 2009
  by Kyle Cassidy
  Don't have enough light? All is not lost-since we need light to see. There's lots of it around, finding light for video is easier than you think.
• Using Fill for Key
  November, 2009
  by Terry O'Rourke
  Three-point lighting has become the mainstay of video lighting. But if you want to add a bit of dramatic lighting, consider moving the fill to the key side,…
• Video Lighting Equipment Buyer's Guide 2009
  July, 2009
  by Julie Babcock
  With the growing number of videographers, it can be difficult to set yourself apart. One way to stand out is by using of professional video lighting equipment.
• Lighting Products for Video Ads
  July, 2009
  by Terry O'Rourke
  Learning to light products for video starts with learning how to "see" light and how it reacts to subjects. Light is to photography as paint is to an artist.
• Video Production Lighting Basics - Three-Point Lighting
  June, 2009
  by Kyle Cassidy
  Making sure your video production lighting looks good all comes down to video lighting basics. The best place to start is with three-point lighting.
• Outdoor Cinematography
  May, 2009
  by Jeanne Rawlings
  There is nothing quite like lovely, outdoor cinematography. Bringing it to the screen requires that you to retool your perfect vision to serve the eye of the…
• The Eye Light
  March, 2009
  by Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D.
  With a twinkle in his eye, your actor can win the damsel and convince the audience of his good intentions. Creating that twinkle is all in the art of lighting.…
• Day for Night Shooting Tutorial
  December, 2008
  by Brian Peterson
  How to turn the light of day into the dark of night... The technique of shooting outdoor night scenes in broad daylight has been around since the early days of…