Better Location Shooting

Chapter 10

Choosing Video Lights and Specialist Light

A few simple rules apply to every type of video and film light choice you have to make whether buying or hiring.

Lamps with lenses give a more even spread of light on your subject, and good-quality lenses give good-quality light with clean edges to the beam of light. This results in more controlled lighting for your subject.

• Look for a smooth, even adjustment of the light beam using the “spot” and “flood” adjuster knob on the lamp head (Figure 10.1). Avoid coarse, notchy adjusters as these get tiring to use over time.

  

  Fig 10.1 Spot and flood adjuster. The spot and flood adjuster on this ...