diagram: filming in a uc boulder courtroom
Have you ever been asked to light to a reference photo?
summary
It’s a fun game, to analyze the lights in the original photo and then try to recreate that look with your own kit.
The reference photo for this shoot was a pretty recognizable image, as you can see in slide two lol
It’s probably just a bunch of overhead fluorescent tubes, but let’s pretend there might be more going on. The most obvious light to me is the overhead playing on the forehead and bridge of the nose. Can’t just be a single overhead though, he doesn’t have racoon eyes. It also looks like OJ is far side keyed, maybe a half to a full stop difference across his face, and his near shoulder is pretty dark? Could just be a guy in a darker suit on the near side of him, who knows. It also looks like he’s got a bit of a kicker on his back, since his suits got a highlight there too.
So let’s recreate that!
An Aputure 600d shoots over the talent, with a flag to block the inevitable rim light the spill would create. This fills in the room and gives me the beginnings of an overhead light.
An Aputure 300d lifts the shadows from camera right.
The amaran F22c is angled as a far side key, giving a bit of shape to the subject, mimicking that half stop or so across ojs face.
Lastly an Aputure infinibar PB6 provides the kicker and helps so that when our talent turns over his shoulder, he isn’t just totally dark.
write/dir: Cole Fisher
dp: Aaron Butwinick
1st ac: Gabby Jagoras
Gaff: Tyler Trepod
sound: Vicky Vien
hmu: Mariah Keirns
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