The Importance of Great Video Lighting Equipment for Your Films

When it comes to capturing the perfect image or shot on film, the right video lighting equipment can make all the difference. From setting the mood to highlighting specific people or objects in focus, the type of lighting and video lighting equipment that you utilize can help take your photography and videography to new heights. There are a variety of ways that you can use lighting to bring life to what is being captured. Understanding the various lighting techniques as well as the vide lighting equipment that offers those abilities is key to growing as a content producer. Let’s take a look at several of the most common lighting options and techniques that you can start adding to your arsenal today!

Common Light Options

When choosing a continuous lighting device that is able to offer enough lumination to cover the entire area to be filmed, there are several types of lights to choose from. You can choose video lighting equipment, from LED film lights, tungsten, daylight, to fluorescent - each offering a unique style and light property to the scene. Having a variety of options is important for ensuring that you always have the right light option on hand. Also, ensuring that you have the right film accessories used in lighting - such as stands, flashbulbs, and strobes - you can help create the perfect look through the right lighting methods.

Capture Any Scene With A Three-Point Video Lighting Kit

To start, one of the most common lighting techniques for photographers and videographers is known as the three-point lighting system. Using three light sources, a subject in the frame can be fully highlighted from a variety of angles - ensuring that nothing is left out. There are three sources of lighting in three-point lighting - key, fill, and backlighting.

There are a variety of lighting types;

Key Lighting: The key lighting shines a light on the main element of the scene, reducing shadows and helping the person or object stand out in the frame. With key lighting, it is important to place this light source on the side of the camera that the element being captured is facing to capture everything in full light. Fill Lighting: Fill lighting is shone around the element under the key lighting and helps to remove any shadows that are created through the key light. Fill lighting “fills in” the areas that key lighting may have missed or has created through shadows., and these must be eliminated in order to make the subject clearly stand out. Fill lighting is used to "fill in" all dark areas. The fill lights you implement should be a weaker intensity than the key light, to prevent even more shadows from popping up. Back Lighting By adding a third and final light source you can help bring to an even sharper focus what is being shot by the key light. The backlight helps to bring contrast to the picture or video. This light provides a direct contrast between a specified person or object and the background environment. Most cameras will respond positively to well-placed backlighting, and dimmers can be used when needing to control just how much backlighting you need. When using backlighting, be sure to keep in mind that the light is pointing directly into the camera.

Natural Outdoor Lighting

Another great - and free - option for those needing to add lighting to their images and video is natural light. By shooting in the mid-afternoon or mid-morning hours, you can use the natural light of the sun to bring life to your art. It is important to note that even with natural lighting, the use of video lighting equipment can help give you even more control of your shooting. Props can also be added to ensure that the same light is present - especially if you are shooting in the same spot - but at different times of the day. Be sure to do some good research into the best light equipment available for shooting in natural light.

Using Color and Contrast to Increase Lighting Effectiveness

Even with the best video lighting equipment and set up, there are still elements of lighting that can be customized to add that extra bit of accent to your photography and videos. One way to begin customizing the way you use light is to add colored gel sheets to your lights. These gels can easily change the coloring of the light splayed on the scene and can be used to add everything from drama to energy to what is captured. It may seem unusual to add cheap colored gels to your lighting, but it is a common technique used by professionals to make the scene fit the desired look - just don’t go overboard! Another method is to fine-tune the contrast. Using contrast allows you to have precise control of your lighting’s influence on the scene being captured. Lighten or darken various elements of the scene to highlight elements and bring to focus areas that the light may not quite hit. Like using color, contrast is a great option - until it isn't. Be sure to use contrast sparingly, leaning on your lighting set up to give you most of your highlighting. Affordable LED Lights for your Videos Check out the video below for some great and affordable LED lights all under $100. Armando Ferreira knows filmmaking and we highly trust his suggestions he gives in this video. [embed]https://youtu.be/PPsLudF_ipQ[/embed]

Check Out Gear Focus For The Latest In Lighting Equipment and Tips/Tricks

Being able to use lighting properly in your photography and videography is a learned art. Through experience, you can begin to put together a lighting system that will help you capture pictures and videos in brand new ways. If you are interested in learning more about lighting and checking out the kinds of lighting options available at any budget level, head over to Gear Focus. The experienced team of professionals at Gear Focus can help you learn more about the various lighting methods we have discussed in this article, as well as point you toward the types of lighting that would be best for your current equipment and shooting needs. From brand new equipment from the latest brand names to used camera equipment and used lighting gear, you’ll find a variety of equipment and expert advice online at Gear Focus. Check us out online today and see how the right equipment can help you capture your world in a brand new light!