Chapter 6

Lighting on Location

In its simplest role, light is necessary for exposing the image on your camera. But after this fundamental role, lighting becomes art. Even with natural available light, you can alter the look of lighting by choosing how your piece will interact technically with camera settings, what location you choose, and how you set up the shot. Using artificial light and a set provides a blank canvas to tell the story with light. Regardless of your lighting interactions, you will be having many discussions about lighting while on location.

On your shoot, you may have only one or two lighting people, or you may even be doing it all by yourself. On a large movie set there are entire teams of people responsible for the lighting. At the end of the day, the same issues and decisions will come up on blockbuster movie sets as one-person shoots. How can the lights tell the story? Do you have the proper lighting to technically be able to get the shot? What lights do you have? Where should you put them? What can you do with them?