Chapter 7
Mastering the Light
IN THIS CHAPTER
Seeing what makes up light
Knowing the secrets of light sources
Managing white balance
Making the most of light
Light defines how we record the world and communicate ideas through movies. But not just any light will do, so don’t expect it to transform your GoPro movie into anything spectacular unless it’s appropriate for the scene. Have you ever been in an old house that uses dingy fluorescent tubes for bathroom illumination? If so, you know that the light makes you look like an alien — not just any alien, but a sick one. Compare that with your appearance in a mirror adorned with an array of soft tungsten bulbs. Now, that’s better.
It’s important to think of light much in the same way that a painter thinks of paint. She doesn’t throw it on haphazardly (unless her name is Jackson Pollock). Instead, she applies color very deliberately, creating both form and detail. Great lighting shares this idea and provides an intoxicating mystique to a scene.
Understanding the intricacies and physics of light can help you master it. This chapter is ...
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