Lighting Articles

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• 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: 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.…
• Tutorial Night Light
  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…
• Lighting Lighting Film Noir Style
  November, 2008
  by Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D.
  November. The days are getting shorter, the air is crisp and the mood is dark and forlorn. These are the perfect ingredients for film noir shooting.
• Lighting Lighting Gels
  July, 2008
  by Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D.
  You're ready with 3-point lighting or a soft-light and mood setting. But ... hum... what's missing? How about some red and blue on that dull white scene?
• Creating Shadows
  June, 2008
  by Brian Peterson
  Dramatic Lighting without Fear (Or, How I Learned to Love the Dark)
• Basic Training: Three-Point Lighting 101
  May, 2008
  by Kyle Cassidy
  Lighting can be extremely complicated. Some movie and TV shoots use dozens of lights to assure proper scene lighting. Here's a primer to help dispel the…
• Lighting: Using Practicals
  May, 2008
  by Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D
  Lighting a scene using everyday lamps realistically is a skill that earns Hollywood gaffers top dollars. Here are some tips to using practicals in your next…
• Illuminations: Casting Shadows
  July, 2007
  by Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D.
  When you think about lighting, you probably think about your lights and where to place them. But what about the shadows?
• Illuminations: One Light Wonder
  May, 2007
  by Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D.
  Sometimes you only have one available light. Other times, you chose to use one light for effect. It's not what, but how you use it that makes your video shine.
• Quick Focus
  February, 2007
  by Jennifer O'Rourke
• Jargon: Lighting Terms
  February, 2007
  by Videomaker Editors
  Lighting Terms
• Basic Training: Looking for Light
  January, 2007
  by Kyle Cassidy
  Shooting in a low light setting is more than just turning down the lights or opening your camcorder's aperture. You can't take low light shooting lightly.
• Video Lighting: High Definition Lighting
  May, 2006
  by Dr. Robert G. Nulph
  We are entering a new era of video production. Our hard work will show in all its HD glory and our sloppy mistakes will glare in HD horror. But light can help…
• How DID They do that?
  April, 2006
  by Randal K. West
  It's April Fool's Day, and what better way to amuse your friends than getting a little giddy with the camera and going a little wacko with your video?
• Illuminations: In the Mood
  March, 2006
  by Jim Stinson
  In lighting, the most important aesthetic quality is mood: the feeling communicated by the lighting design.
• Basic Training: Shooting an Interview
  March, 2006
  by Kyle Cassidy
  It might not be 60 Minutes, (more like 15 minutes!) but if you want to make your interviews shine like Ed Bradley's on CBS, read on!
• Basic Training: Shoot Yourself!
  February, 2006
  by Kyle Cassidy
  If you visit a Hollywood film production, or sit through its credits, you know it takes busloads of people to get the production in the can. But what if you…
• Lighting Your Video: Back to the Hardware Store?
  December, 2005
  by Jim Stinson
  Lighting accessories can be as easy to make as a trip to the local hardware store.
• Illuminations: One-Light to Cover them All
  November, 2005
  by
• Illuminations: One-Light to Cover them All
  November, 2005
  by Jim Stinson
  Budget and creative lighting are just a couple reasons why you'd want to shoot with only one lighting instrument.
• Lighting Terms
  July, 2005
  by Jennifer O'Rourke
  Glossary of lighting terms used by videographers.
• Illuminations: Moving Targets
  May, 2005
  by Jim Stinson
  In lighting a subject in motion, focus on the important points in the movement path.
• Shooting Day for Night
  December, 2004
  by Jim Stinson
  Making day resemble night on your screen means tinting the overall images blue, then adding white light, and adjusting contrtast and brightness to sell the…
• Home Video Hints: Holiday Videos that Rock!
  December, 2004
  by Jim Stinson
  A quick and easy recipe for capturing family memories.
• Light Source: Using Diffusion
  November, 2004
  by Jim Stinson
  Diffusion is invaluable for softening harsh light and creating natural-looking lighting designs.
• Light Source: The Wedding (Not) in the Woods: Part 2
  October, 2004
  by Jim Stinson
  FROM: gaffertom@barndoor.com TO: goldilocks@beanbagstate.edu SUBJECT: Flower children wedding plan B
• Test Bench: Frezzi Micro-Fill Dimmer Starter Kit On-Camera Light
  October, 2004
  by D. Eric Franks
  Frezzi Micro-Fill Dimmer Starter Kit On-Camera Light
• Home Video Hints: How to Use Available Light
  September, 2004
  by Garret C. Maynard
  Available light can be all you need if you patiently think through your options and wisely exploit the location.
• Light Source: The Wedding in the Woods - Part 1
  September, 2004
  by Jim Stinson
  The best-laid plans of mice and men gang aft agley.