Design Articles

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• 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 tips on lighting interviews using 3 points that also include a…
• 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
  3 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, and…
• Lighting: 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.
• Lighting: Night Lighting
  March, 2008
  by Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D.
  Winter is waning, the snows are beginning to melt in the northern states and the sun is sticking around a little longer. However, the night still rules!
• Lighting Car Interiors
  January, 2008
  by Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D.
  Did you ever notice that in the movies we never have a problem seeing a person's features while he's driving down the road? Even at night?
• 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.
• Illuminations: Tabletop Lighting
  March, 2007
  by Robert G. Nulph, Ph.D.
  Whether you're shooting a documentary, creating a scrapbook or shooting an object for a commercial - you will find a need for tabletop lighting techniques.
• How to Make a Video Look Like Film
  July, 2006
  by Michael Reff
  How to use movement, lighting, and filters, to make a video look like film.
• 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.
• 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.
• Green Screen Lighting
  October, 2005
  by Jim Stinson
  Virtual green screen sets are no longer just for the privileged Hollywood bigwigs.
• Illuminations: On-Camera Lighting
  August, 2005
  by Jim Stinson
  Lights mounted on camcorders are fairly crude and often frustrating; but there are times when you just gotta have 'em.
• Lighting Terms
  July, 2005
  by Jennifer O'Rourke
  Glossary of lighting terms used by videographers.
• Illuminations: Why Three-Point Lighting?
  January, 2005
  by Jim Stinson
  Conventional three-instrument lighting makes more sense when you understand the reasons behind this classic method.
• 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…
• 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
• 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.
• Light Source: Lighting Women/Lighting Men
  August, 2004
  by Jim Stinson
  The rugged and the glam.
• Light Source: Lighting for Mood
  July, 2004
  by Jim Stinson
  Lighting to achieve a certain mood is easy if you work with three basic elements: key, contrast and color.
• Light Source: Lighting Multiple Subjects
  April, 2004
  by Jim Stinson
  It's easy to light two people at once, whether with one light or eight.
• Light Source: On Location with Gaffer Tom
  February, 2004
  by Jim Stinson
  FROM: gaffertom@barndoor.comTO: goldilocks@beanbagstate.eduSUBJECT: Is
• Light Source: Three-Point Lighting Designs
  January, 2004
  by Jim Stinson
  For individual subjects, nothing beats the tried-and-true combo of key, fill and back lights. Classic three-point lighting (key, fill and back light) is…
• Light Source: Lighting Moving Targets
  December, 2003
  by Jim Stinson
  A few lights can cover a lot of action -- if you know how to use them.
• Light Source: Working with Mixed Lighting
  October, 2003
  by Jim Stinson
  Mixed lighting isn't necessarily a disaster. Here are some pragmatic solutions for your next location shoot.
• Light Source: Lighting for Compositing
  July, 2003
  by Jim Stinson
  Good lighting is the key to chromakey.
• Light Source: Using Reflectors Like a Pro
  May, 2003
  by Jim Stinson
  Reflectors are cheap and easy -- just how we like 'em.