Location Lighting Tips
Situations, Tools & Techniques
How to Turn a Lighting Problem into a Positive
Overcome the challenges of outdoor light; build a scene using available tools; and make a shot with beauty, power and impact.
Situations, Tools and Techniques
SituationsTypes of sunlight | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bright | Hard | Sharp, sun, directional, transmitted, high contrast, good for shape and form |
| Overcast | Soft | Diffuse, cloud, general, reflected, low contrast, good for delicate texture |
| Special | Sunset | Golden hour, sunset, dusk |
ToolsFilter, modify and add light | ||
| Filter | Polarizers | Standard polarizer, blue/yellow polarizer |
| Color | Warming, sunset, magenta | |
| Exposure | Neutral density (ND), graduated (grad) | |
| Modify | Reflector | Remove shadows with white card or fabric Position: Opposite the sun |
| Scrim | Soften/diffuse with white sheet Position: In front of the sun | |
| Flag | Block light with black card or lens shade Position: By the lens<, bounce/diffuse, rear-curtain, off-camera | |
| Strobe | Main, background, fill, rim, catch | |
| Types | Diffuse: softbox, octobank Reflect: umbrella, beauty dish | |
TechniquesMove, build and balance | ||
| Move | Sun behind | Main light |
| Into sun | Rim, add fill-flash | |
| Shade | Soft | |
| Build | Scrim | Hold back light over face |
| Reflector | Remove shadows under chin | |
| Flash | Fill-flash adds light and attention to subject, plus catch light in eyes (glint, sparkle, specular highlight) | |
| Balance | Test | Shoot and review |
| Levels | Move reflectors, compensate flash, use ND filter | |
| Exposure | If can’t make it work in camera, bracket exposures and combine multiple shots in Photoshop for HDR photo | |
Bright vs. Overcast
Comparing Sunlight | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bright | Overcast | |
| Source: | Sun | Cloud |
| Type: | Hard | Soft |
| Directional | General | |
| Transmitted | Reflected | |
| Contrast: | High | Low |
| Good for: | Shape, form | Delicate texture |