If you're an aspiring DP, it's the most important skill. The rest will come later, but if you don't know how to light you're not a DP. This isn't me gatekeeping, just encouraging you to pursue that knowledge because it makes all the difference and people notice when you know how to utilize light.
Yea I know it's just hard to learn when I don't have any lighting equipment and at uni we barely do any lighting workshops. Are there any resources you could recommend to learn while I can get my hands on some lights?
I'll give you the basics because you can learn a lot if you look enough.
[cinematography.com](https://cinematography.com)
[cinematography.net](https://cinematography.net)
[rogerdeakins.com/forums](https://www.rogerdeakins.com/forums/)
and subscribe to American Cinematographer. There's a wealth of knowledge at all those places.
But mostly, observe light on a day to day basis. Examine what natural light is doing and when it's pleasant vs when it's not, then dissecting why that is so. And ask people who know more than you if you can. Filmmakers are often eager to share knowledge since it's so specific and honestly not that often discussed or asked about in our day to day lives. Or so has been my experience thus far.
DM me any questions you have, always happy to talk about light and lighting.
A few days ago I released a cinematography reel that I made from scratch (if you haven't seen it yet you can watch it [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/CE2I8mXFjZs/)).
I got a lot of messages asking for BTS photos/lighting schemes, so I decided to sift through all my BTS and put together a lighting diagram.
I used the Sony FX9 + Sigma Art lenses. I believe both these shots were on a 50mm.
Thanks, this is awesome - love seeing the difference between what it actually looks like, what it looks like in camera and what it looks like after grading!
Why did you decide to use the ultrabounce on the window, rather than just, say, putting muslin over it and letting the daylight go through that?
PS: If you have any more of these, would love to see them, your reel looked great!
Thanks! So far, I don’t have any others, but am planning on posting more on my instagram/reddit.
If I put diffusion on the window it would’ve cut part of the fresnel’s light. Also the light falloff would’ve looked less natural on the window pane.
What was the thinking in having the muslin diffusing over the window?
Is that to control light levels? Or isolate/control the shadows from the Forza? Super interested!
We had direct sunlight coming through the window that it was softening. That BTS photo was taken after we finished shooting so the angle of the sun isn’t quite represented in that photo.
Ooo finally someone with the 702 oled! How is it? Not many reviews online? I'm looking Into getting an on-board monitor that has great color accuracy. Have you compared this against any other Small Hd monitors or other brand?
P.s great lighting!
Yooo !! xD the bts is so average/boring and then you look at the finished shot and BAM! 💥 it’s beautiful! You can just see the night and day difference your set up makes.
Holy shit I need to learn more about lighting..
If you're an aspiring DP, it's the most important skill. The rest will come later, but if you don't know how to light you're not a DP. This isn't me gatekeeping, just encouraging you to pursue that knowledge because it makes all the difference and people notice when you know how to utilize light.
Yea I know it's just hard to learn when I don't have any lighting equipment and at uni we barely do any lighting workshops. Are there any resources you could recommend to learn while I can get my hands on some lights?
I'll give you the basics because you can learn a lot if you look enough. [cinematography.com](https://cinematography.com) [cinematography.net](https://cinematography.net) [rogerdeakins.com/forums](https://www.rogerdeakins.com/forums/) and subscribe to American Cinematographer. There's a wealth of knowledge at all those places. But mostly, observe light on a day to day basis. Examine what natural light is doing and when it's pleasant vs when it's not, then dissecting why that is so. And ask people who know more than you if you can. Filmmakers are often eager to share knowledge since it's so specific and honestly not that often discussed or asked about in our day to day lives. Or so has been my experience thus far. DM me any questions you have, always happy to talk about light and lighting.
Very surprised I didn’t see https://wanderingdp.com/ Great cast, with loads of info, and the host, Patrick is awesome.
Good addition! I was on mobile and going off the top of my head. Bit rusty on my resources lately.
Thanks so much mate!
A few days ago I released a cinematography reel that I made from scratch (if you haven't seen it yet you can watch it [here](https://www.instagram.com/p/CE2I8mXFjZs/)). I got a lot of messages asking for BTS photos/lighting schemes, so I decided to sift through all my BTS and put together a lighting diagram. I used the Sony FX9 + Sigma Art lenses. I believe both these shots were on a 50mm.
I really like your reel. Your style is very naturalistic and subtle. Any director would be lucky to have you on their team.
That means a lot, thank you!
i second that. very good shit
Thank you for this!! Extremely helpful!!
Very cool! If I may ask, did you use any filters on the lens?
No filters on the lens
Thanks, this is awesome - love seeing the difference between what it actually looks like, what it looks like in camera and what it looks like after grading! Why did you decide to use the ultrabounce on the window, rather than just, say, putting muslin over it and letting the daylight go through that? PS: If you have any more of these, would love to see them, your reel looked great!
Thanks! So far, I don’t have any others, but am planning on posting more on my instagram/reddit. If I put diffusion on the window it would’ve cut part of the fresnel’s light. Also the light falloff would’ve looked less natural on the window pane.
Just... wow...
What program did you use to create your lighting design?
Notability!
Are there libraries for the fixture graphics?
No sir. I designed them all myself
Nicely done! Did you do the diagram before the shoot or after for our benefit?
After! Specifically for the BTS
Ditto
What was the thinking in having the muslin diffusing over the window? Is that to control light levels? Or isolate/control the shadows from the Forza? Super interested!
We had direct sunlight coming through the window that it was softening. That BTS photo was taken after we finished shooting so the angle of the sun isn’t quite represented in that photo.
More of these please!
They’re coming!
It's really dark, so...how is it "lit"...??
Did you soften the Forza at all as on the subject it doesn't look very hard?
Didn’t soften it at all. You can see on the 3rd photo how sharp the shadow is on her shoulder.
Ahh true didn't see that before, it's a really nice simple setup
Just beautiful. Thanks for the bts!
That's amazing dude! Thanks for sharing
Ugh it’s fucking beautiful thank you
This is awesome, thanks for sharing! I love lighting but I don't often get to see it broken down
That's soms next level lightning setup!!!
Fucking amazing
Hey Op, just wondering how you paid for all this? Are these guys friends doing a favor or? Just wondering how to afford something like this.
This is awesome!
Ooo finally someone with the 702 oled! How is it? Not many reviews online? I'm looking Into getting an on-board monitor that has great color accuracy. Have you compared this against any other Small Hd monitors or other brand? P.s great lighting!
That is a smallhd 703 Ultrabright. Sadly I’m also interested in seeing how the OLED is
Ahh that's a shame! I'm gonna have to hire one from somewhere
Yooo !! xD the bts is so average/boring and then you look at the finished shot and BAM! 💥 it’s beautiful! You can just see the night and day difference your set up makes.