Strong shadow! What to do?

[Anonymous]

I’m using 3-point lighting to light my scene. (3 X 1000W). This method works great when filming a person, but I’m filming a moving object on the ground. My problem is that I get a strong shadow on the ground behind my object, mainly created by the key light. How do I get rid of that shadow? My key light is at 45 degrees. My fill light is also at 45 degrees but 70% weaker. I also added a backlight.

[birdcat]

Think about adding a hairlight – something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Photograph-Continuous-background-lighiting-ePhotoINC/dp/B003YH2GH6

Softboxes work well for this sort of thing – It may not get rid of the shadow but it will lighten it up. The problem is that a light strong enough to eliminate the shadow completely may add too much glare on the object itself.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Bruce. It pretty much confirms what I was thinking. I used defusing paper in front of the lights to soften the shadows but I still got some unwanted shadows. What’s the hairlight for? Where is it positioned?

[D0n]

70% weaker?

think light ratios….

30% weaker would make more sense for a fill light.

[birdcat]

Hi Pierre –

My settings:

Key Light – About 30-40 degrees to the right of the camera, above subject height

Fill Light – About 20-30 degrees to the left of the camera, about subject height

Back Light – Pointing on or towards the background

Hair Light – Above and behind the subject (on a boom if possible), slightly off center to the left – This is used to highlight the hair (or top) of the subject – It also is helpful for minimizing shadows on the floor!

These are just my staring points, always adjust for each situation based on how it looks in the viewfinder.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Birdcat. Don says 30% for the fill light but I think this may be not enough. Will create to strong a shadow.

[D0n]

in your original post you said your fill light was 70% less than your main.. approx 1:3 fill to main ratio.

in my post I suggested using 30% less fill than your main… approx 2:3 fill to main ratio.

it would be impossible for my suggestion to have darker shadows that what you described when you originally posted.

most people start off thier lighting with a 1:2 fill to key ratio which would still have darker shadows than my suggested 2:3

[Author]

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