Comparing Light Modifiers | Cinematic Lighting 101
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ส.ค. 2024
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Being able to shape your light is one of the fundamentals skills needed in cinematography.
There are many different ways of modifying light, as well as many different tools that help you shape your light in distinct ways!Some make your light harder, while others make light softer. It is important to know the difference between each tool and the effect that it will create in your light. Today, cinematographer and photographer Shawn Corrigan teaches us how to use four different tools for modifying light; grids, fresnels, umbrellas, and beauty dishes!
In this video, Shawn shows us how to use four different light modifiers.
In our first setup, he uses the light without any modifier, and shows us what the bare bulb effect has on an actor. In our second setup, Shawn shows us how to use a fresnel attachment to modify light, and how different fresnels create different effects. In the third setup, he shows us how to use photography umbrellas as light modifiers, and how to use this modifier correctly.
In the fourth and last setup, Shawn shows us what a beauty dish is and how best to use on for lighting an actor.
The main techniques that we will be discussing today are getting the light as close to the subject as possible, getting the light as large as possible, and how to properly use each modifier.
Getting the light as close as possible means bringing the light as close to the actor as you can, before the light is in frame. This will help make the light softer on the face. Getting the light as large as possible means choosing a modifier that creates the largest light source out of your light; This makes the light wrap more around the actors face and eliminate harsh shadows. Proper use of the modifier refers to how one should place the modifier on their light, to best utilize the properties of a given modifier.
Ultimately, as cinematographers, we want to create the most pleasing light possible, and this often means the softest. With hard lighting sources, the best way to make that light softer is to modify it with one attachment or another. There are many different kinds of modifiers out there and some make your light harder and some make it softer. This is just one more tool, you have at your disposal, to use to create the best lighting for each character. There is almost always a way to make the light falling on someone's face more flattering, and this video will help you better understand how to do that! Remember: It is also essential to be able to embrace the type of lighting that will complement the talent's face and best tell the story.
Connect with Shawn: / shawn_corrigan
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Split screen comparisons would help a lot. Everything looks similar if you show it 1 at a time.
I like the little tutorials, but if I may suggest something that makes the videos even greater, I will love them!
Try to get the different videos you shot together in 1 shot (like a split screen or a four-window). This makes it easier to see the difference, especially when you show us the different light modifiers and what it achieves over just a single light without any modifiers. Actually, it can be as the tutorials of creating a commercial shot of a bottle you made a few weeks/months ago. Then the different lights were powered on, one by one, which was great for that kind of tutorial, to see what it creates. With these light modifiers, it would be lovely to see it all in one screen instead of me making screenshots and afterward compare them (which makes me a nerd I guess?).
Still, I like the videos you make, but this is my advice for making it videos to love!
Can't wait to see the next one!
Agreed. I was thinking the same thing as I was watching it.
+1! The example shots are hard to compare as there are no side by side comparisons. The camera movement and moving talent was more distracting than helpful for anyone new to lighting that is trying to discern differences between modifiers.
@@davidp158 Exactly what I thought. I liked it that they used two slightly different skin tones, so you know what you will get with both. However it was more distracting than actually helpful.
@@daanjessevenmans Lighting tests often include talent turning their faces to demonstrate light fall off. I would have preferred side by side still frames and barely any movement of talent and camera. That said, I do find these Aputure lighting videos informative.
The oldest, trustiest diffusion for any broke film student: A SHOWER CURTAIN!
One I use all the time is also the cheapest: bounce light!
Technically it isn't a modifier you put on your light, but it is an easy and affordable technique you can use to get soft light in difficult situations.
A $10 foam board, or even just a wall or ceiling, can turn an unusually hard light into a beautiful soft source!
I wish aputure would redo this vid and do a split screen of the modifiers.
same
Yeah that would be great! Maybe if enough if more of us comment they will redo it?
Leko's are cool, but my favorite is still a Booklight. Source, bounce, huuuuge diffusion. Last time I used it was during an interview session. Arri Skypanels, into a 4x4 bounce card, through an 8x8 diffusion. Looked beautiful.
I love to light through a jar that has some texture. It creates a cool illumination that is impossible to achieve in normals ways. It kinda brings the scene to life in a dreamy, magical way. And if you move the light source just a little back and forth, it glows beautifully!
Very cool technique!
I like using a shower curtain as a point of diffusion. I take the light and reflect it against a reflector, then diffuse that reflected light with a shower curtain, similar to the umbrella set up you showed. Since the shower curtain can be fairly large, it's good to use when I need to light up more than just a face, but a part of a room or larger set as well in a softer light.
I recently had the pleasure of using a giant 12 x gold and silver checkerboard bounce fabric to fill a scene on a runway where the talent was walking off a plane and then back on in a later sequence. The 12x was a great way to bounce warm light towards the subject (gold) while also popping the specular highlights on hair and skin (silver) to achieve a great look. We used a mirror board to create a nice edge and bring it all together. We also flew an 8x8 highlight frame above the subject to diffuse the bright daylight and bring the talent into the scene. Glorious :)
Great job! Right to the point, pure contact. Many thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Wow! This video is so informative and great! Saved for reference.
Thanks for this! Very helpful. I've been using softboxes a lot with a grid to separate foreground and background lighting. If I don't need to control the separation I'll use a spacelight or a 5in1 reflector/diffuser. Thanks again for the video!
FYI, the titles made is harder to see what's going on (just for future videos).
Super cool!!!
I really loved it! And I’d have loved to see more types of honeycomb on the beauty dish. Ciao!
Love that you use umbrellas! They don't get enough credit in the film world. Another amazing modifier is a stripbox. Very versatile modifier in any position...vertical, horizontal, angled. The thin form makes it easier to control :)
I agree fully. I have 160x30cm strip boxes that I used mostly for even background lighting or rim or hair or key for focused environmental full length portraits, and I found the shadow control pretty unique, diagonal is almost like a larger rectangle box, and horizontal key light wrapping without over soft nose and chin shadows are great and its been my best solution for corporate office shoots with low ceilings, and so many people always wear glasses, this is invisible for 95% of glasses. Only problem with strips is even brightness from corner to corner is impossible, its much more even on my 60x90cm rectangle which I think I like more than my 65cm round softbox or my 90cm octabox. The 65cm is my next favourite, soft, even & compact. You need shadows, but soft shadows. My 135cm white reflective umbrella is so soft its just for directional fill mostly. And currently I want to get a fresnel for more power outdoors and hard but rounded sun like shadows. 6inch or 8inch because 10inch is too heavy and bulky. This lighting game is so vast!
One shoot I set up a 12x12 ultrabounce and some 4x4 floppies to block out the sun. The white side of the 12x12 was facing the actors so we shot 2 1200w hmi lights into the 12x12 to give us soft diffused light. We also used some some Cine ND 1.2 rolls that were cut out to shape the windows to control the amount of sunlight coming in at the areas where the camera was shooting. It was quite a battle with all the windows. We did however get the perfect shot.
I like the beauty dish and umbrella look for film lighting.
love ya guys, great content... tree branches and paper cuts, i like to frame my lights (or subjects) with shadows
In our place, we haven't played with these cutting edge technologies. We still use 400w halogen lamps for lighting. It's very hard to control the light spill. So we go for the book lighting method. First we couldn't control the light so we placed it in a soft box. That gave more of a focused light. These lamps have small barn doors and when the light leaks through the hinges of the doors we get slits of light. And we use 'georgette cloth' as diffusion material.
Love these 4MFS videos. Is there an update video soon for all the newer modifiers available from Aputure?
Space Light, Lightdomes, and Lantern to name a few.
Valentina Vee.... oh love you so much :D Thanks. a lot fot this video! All the best form Poland :)
Nice!!!
Super useful video thank you! I use a Vflat
Another common modifier that I use is a 31 inch soft box with a layer of diffusion and then a honeycomb grid over top. It gives such beautiful soft and focused light.
Interesting!✌️
I like using a mola rayo with a mesh diffusion plate. It is similar to a long throw reflector and has a little beauty dish mixed in. It gives a really punchy, gritty feeling lighting effect that I love having as an option.
thank u for this video!)
You're so welcome!
My favorite modifiers are 6x6 or 8x8 silk, 4x4 blade frame with 214 diffusion on it, Light dome, a first surface mirror to help keep the light hard in tight spaces. What I use most is just a $2.50 plastic shower curtain from Walmart and some black curtains.
Can you guys PLEASE do a set up with a light shooting into a diffused umbrella, bounced off a vflat, through a silk onto the subject. SUPER LIGHT SOFTNESSS. Id love to see that.
Hello, thanks for the video. Quick question, what diffuser do you recommend to light for full body portrait on white background (for clothing ecommerce website) Thanks
I'm in love with natural light. Whenever I can, my only light modifier is the window. Practical, soft, and free. A couple of reflectors and\or black flags and you're good to go.
Definitely love using a octobox to diffuse and control the light
Comparing umbrella and beauty dish.
You guys completely changed the position of light ,the speculation of shadows and hilights will be changing with respect to it.
My best and go to way of making is "keep a bounce card (3x2 ft) exactly above the subject and hit a light (I mostly use baby) directly below (in 180° line) you'll get a very soft light and you can keep this in any kind of setup it's like a soft celling light .you can use it in romantic, comedy and even on horror setups as well .
I love bounce light, especially when you want an even ambient light. I’ve done this a lot when I’m shooting night interiors.
What bowens modifier are you using for the beauty dish? Also, I have not been able to fit a grid over a diffused beauty dish. How did you pull this off? It doesn’t seem to fit as well.
I see a strip softbox used behind subject as back/top light. However curious in filmmaking if it is common to use strip box as keylight next to subject? Or perhaps maybe I just didn’t notice in the past
I use a lot of different modifiers that are mostly industry standard so Flags and Cookies and bounce boards. I think something that in a way modifies light is haze. It softens the light along with adding depth and atmospheric effects. Another thing I would use that may not be an obvious modifier would be prisms for refracting the light hitting the lens along with mirrors to direct sunlight in the direction I need.
I like book lighting as a way of modifying light. Very soft light that is great for interviews.
parabolic diffusers, like the para from broncolor, or even a briese light, used for beauty... that quality of light is so beautiful, punchy, but soft as well, and with flood/spot options. A butterfly would be great to be seen, or even the light that Shane hurlbut defines as a book light: a bounced light in a V flat diffused with the butterfly. thank you for this video!
7:16 Thank you, too many people don't realize this.
paint chips in the light mini dome mkii. You tape it on the center and gives a neat color shift instead of gel. Also is it safe to say the mini dome mkii is the same as beauty dish?
Use a harsh thermocol board as a bouncer for key light and a plain thermocol board as a reflecter for fill light, makes a quite a interesting look... That's i used... You should try too...
I find that PME Wax paper (used for baking cakes) can be a good emergency diffusion layer to have in your bag. You can tear it off and gaff tape it to just about anything.
Shawn Corrigan can get it! 🤤
Woohoo! Notification gang!
For food-shoots I just love to use a Panaura with a Snapgrid. Then I carefully cut of light with Matthews flags to give the object in frame three-dimensionality. So that is a killer-combo.
It isn't common, but recently started using The Light Bridge reflected lighting system! For now I blast my aputure 120D + fresnel 2 into it. but when my spot mount comes, it will be even better!
4x4 or 6x6 butterfly diffusion, diffusion frame, deprom (best for natural light look), paper roll type diffusion (you put it on a light source), shower curtain (for low budget diffusion), blende (bounce light source and get softer light), styrofoam (same as blende), and lowest budget solution is just paper wipes for small light sources like low power led lights :)
a glass/bottle (gives creative reflections on the background or model)
what was the large fresnel you used and how large was the lens?
I love using a rectangular softbox, next to the camera especially for interview. Its great for Rembrandt lighting for emotional emphasis
I got a decahexagon Softbox instead of a square or octagon shape so the reflections on the talent's eye would be circular.
@@JohnKlosner sometimes i do that as well. But, i when I'm using the rectangle it often fakes the look of a large window catch light
I sometimes bounce the light or use V-Flat panels . . . always Enjoy the videos
What mount/adapter is used for the Umbrellas? Link?
Most reflector dishes have a little clamp on the side for the umbrella.
I was hoping that you would also show the difference of light when using a softbox, octabox and a parabolic. I often use a softbox because that is the only one that I can afford so I'm curious what else can I buy to increase my production value. Thanks for the amazing video guys!
Funny that these lighting techniques and tips are for photography but they didnt talk about softboxes and just because they dont produce and sell thise kind of modifiers.
How are color gels holding up nowadays .. with the new high level LEDs that are out now ?
I end up using the wall or ceilings to bounce off light more often as a run and gun film maker.
Been using my space light a lot recently. If quick turn over is needed I clip the reflected on and boom, soft box in 15 seconds. Not ideal but my first AD is happy!
LeighMakesVideos the space light is so simple and works great, great choice!
So glad I kept all my old bowens reflectors,beauty dishes, magnum reflectors and grids!! Been shooting Profoto for 25 years but also had Bowens back in the day and finally LED lights are very usable with Aputure.
I think Aputure would kill it if they made like a 1000D light to compete with something like a Brieses Light which I use on 95% of my shoots and is used on almost all Fashion and music video shoots these days. I already call my Aputure 320D my mini brieses...LOL
Light Dome II is what I am interested in,.... Comparison of Light Dome II, Light Dome mini and Beauty Dish. that would be interesting !!! and maybe mix in Softbox too :)
My go-to super cheap solution is to use tracing paper in front of my also super cheap LED panel. Held in place with binder clips on the LED barn doors. It works but I need to upgrade to an MW
I love using a booklight, or a shower curtain with an additional eye light!
Classic shower curtain!
I just recently watched two Spielberg movies I thought were going to be very boring, Bridge of Spies and The Post - they were not boring at all!
Anyway, both movies have amazing exterior lighting setups. This like Munich lighting on steroids! The night scenes in Bridge of Spies are amazing. And the daylight scenes in The Post, my God!
Is this all done with practical lighting or is it all done in post via computers?
I prefer a large white bounce and large grid diffusion: a book light. Wonderfully soft and pleasing
Are the Modifiers all Bowens mount?
I believe so.. if I'm not mistaken, most "photography specific" light modifiers are Bowens mounts
i really would like to try that under water light, anyone have that light in dubai ?
So why are shoot through umbrellas not recommended? I use them frequently
I beam Kinoflos through a 5ft DIY diffusion material to get that extra soft look. Most times
Well, a low Budget one is white plastic cups, creating a soft light.
Another one is just to bounce it from a wall, or maybe just the Light Dome that creates also really nice soft light (:
C'mon, guys. It's very hard to learn from this when models keeps moving so much and the clips are so short.
I like bouncing the fill light off of a 1/4 gelled bounce board of the opposing color temp. (I.e. if key is a 3200K source, bounce the fill off of 1/4 CTB gelled white bounce board).
Cool content. I've been curious about lighting modifiers and how they compare.
Unfortunately, this video didn't help as much as it might have for a guy like me. Rather than put the comparisons back-to-back, I'd have preferred to see them side-by-side. Sure, I can freeze the video, screen grab, go to the next shot, pause the video, screen grab and compare myself, but if they'd done that in editing, they'd have gotten a Thumbs Up from me (I never Thumbs Down... you guys did better than I did, so never a Thumbs Down).
About other modifiers: I really use flags and gobos. I think that this is the easiest way to quickly create an environment. For example, if I am in the field and I need a forest, I will use only a few branches or cut the leaves shape from the cardboard and use it as a gobo. This causes isusion of bigger world on cheap.
👌
I wish you guys showed the actual set-up to help with me following what Im seeing. But cool episode
Unbleached muslin! Give me an 6x6 (or bigger) of that stuff and bounce a 300D with a fresnel into it and it gives such a wonderful warm tone (use bleached for a truer tone) to the image.
Ceiling bounce for overall boost of light. (If the ceiling is white).
white walls are the best friends for soft lighting. I often use two 300d lighting to the white wall and diffuse reflection with light grid. Just add some flags and tasty soft image ready) Bon appetit)
😍😍😍😍😍
Book lights. Bounce a bright source through diffusion and put it all just out of frame. Very soft light.
the most common for me as a broke filmmaker is the good old white ceiling. It´s nearly everywhere and it gives me an incredible soft look if i need it.
What if it’s a shoot through umbrella?
Was a big fan of Trace paper but that was back when you were lighting with 5Ks and 10Ks.
Were a bunch of the shots [espc closeups] kinda out of focus or is that just me
Not able see the difference between setups with different modifiers as there is no split screen comparison .
The best way to bounce of umbrella but have a way the better look is to use the Aputure light dome version 1 in reverse mode attached to an indirect parabolic FOCUS BRACKET with matching speedring and Bowen's mount on it and then attach 120ii to it. That way will be more precise control on a light spread and it's still possible to attach greeds and diffusion in front. Deep Para on a budget. Where is my aputure MW. =)
Wow very creative!
@@aputurelighting Thanks =) It a cheap Broncolor PARA hack.
@@aputurelighting Did someone ever won any lights for best comment?
good ol home depot light cans xP
Octabox and rectangular softbox pls :)
Very helpfull video. One more thing I learned: Let your talent look different ways when he/she is wearing big ass glasses like this guy. Maybe you'll see a light (or something else that you do not want to see) in the glasses of its reflection.
Didn't realise Paul Rudd had an alternate Identity as a cinematographer
4x4 frame with diffusion or a White Bounce from the dollar store
Vellum paper. You should try it.
using a soft box with a honey comb or egg crate
Poverty has forced me to use whatever is available at the time to make a shoot work. I've shot through cheap wax paper, plastic bags and even gallon water bottle to modify my light. Sometimes it even works!
The most interesting modifier I’ve used is crumpled up tin foil.... creates really interesting light patterns!
Wow we'll have to try that!
mostly a cheap softbox but sometimes just a white board or wall 😎
Here cuz of gorgeous girl.
diffusion panels
Why does Rachel dolezal still have braids?
A white bed sheet with practical 100 watt led light bulb.
I like using lanterns or china balls to light table scenes