Videojournalism

Chapter 7 Light and Color

DOI: 10.4324/9780240814667-7

Early Morning Light. By selecting the time of day to shoot, you can control the quality of light in your pictures, as was done in this early morning shot of ties for sale in Venice, Italy.

(Photo by Ken Kobré)

Many times, you have no control over when or where you will shoot when gathering documentary footage. If the subject is a wrestler, you are likely to be in a gym, regardless of the poor quality of the light. If the subject is a new Marine recruit, you’ll need to be there before dawn for roll call. Sometimes, though, on certain stories, you can decide when to shoot and when to interview, ...