Filming when it's very sunny/bright...

K

kager

Active member
Okay so with spring and summer coming I finally will be able to take my camera out and start getting some nice footage. Where I live, in Vancouver,BC, the weather is usually very rainy and dark throughout winter but in the summer it's beautiful. So, my question is what is the best way to film when it is very bright and sunny. My thoughts would be to adjust the nd filter, set the iris, and maybe even change the shutter speed from say 1/48 to 1/60 or even 1/120. I'm filming at 24pa and want to try and have a nice rich blue sky. I can get this look after some adjustments I mentioned above;however, I was wondering if there could be more. Like is it okay to film at a higher shutter to achieve a bit of a darker picture? Thanks for any help.
 
A polarizing filter can give you some beautiful rich blue skies and vibrant colors . Search around you can see some screengrabs showing the difference, it can be pretty dramatic.
 
also look at graduated ND filters...great for getting a nice blue sky and keeping the buildings etc. clean and bright.
 
The best time to film outside, in the sun, is early in the morning or later towards sundown hours

The hours inbetween are a nightmare

Consider plenty of bounce and silks to diffuse hard harsh light
 
Alright thanks a lot for the help. Just a quick question, would I need a matte box to add say a polarize filter? Or does it just thread directly on? Also how much do they go for? Thanks again.
 
I'm also looking to film outdoors when it's bright.

Can anyone give more tips :D

The hours to shoot... like maybe 6am-11am? Or is 11am too harsh light?

Also, what are those screens that you can get that you place above the actors that will diffuse and soften/cut down the sunlight? so it will be more pleasant?

What about if shooting a large group on outdoor sunlight? Is there a homemade huge reflector type solution?

Thanks,

JM
 
there are 72mm filters that screw into the front and filters for matte boxes in varying sizes.

Like is it okay to film at a higher shutter to achieve a bit of a darker picture?
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yeah you can increase your shutter speed and have a darker picture, but it will affect more than just the exposure. it will also adjust the way movment is percieved (being very crisp with little motion blur) because of how little light is being introduced.
 
justmarvin said:
I'm also looking to film outdoors when it's bright.

Can anyone give more tips :D

The hours to shoot... like maybe 6am-11am? Or is 11am too harsh light?

Also, what are those screens that you can get that you place above the actors that will diffuse and soften/cut down the sunlight? so it will be more pleasant?

What about if shooting a large group on outdoor sunlight? Is there a homemade huge reflector type solution?

Thanks,

JM
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By 11:00 am, the light has already become too harsh.

Screens; something like this can be usefull

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/33023-REG/Matthews_319609_12x12_Overhead_Fabric_.html

Pricey; but rentable. One could probbaly make their own going to a fabric store for a fraction of the cost.

-

For large groups, I'd use as large as bounce material you could find. Even white bed sheets palced on the ground to reflect light back up under the talents faces and necks will work.
 
Ol23456789 said:
I found one at best buy that screws right into the dvx. I think it was under $20.
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As far a filters go, you are much much better off spending a little bit more for a good multicoated filter than a cheap one. The multicoating does a good job reducing lens flare and ghosting which happens anytime that you add more glass in front of a lens. The old saying "There's no point in having a $1000 lens when you put a $20 piece of glass in front of it." holds true. Cheap filters also have cheaper rings which causes them to crossthread and strip out easier.

B+W and Hoya filters are the ones to get if you don't want to pay too much but want a good quality filter. Granted, there are better ones but you will have to pay a lot more for them.

Here is a good polarizer to get: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/11373-REG/B_W_66044835_72mm_Top_Polarizer_Linear_.html. This will give you a few stops less of light and will give much more saturated color and nice blue defined skys.
 
Hey thanks for the responses. I have one final question(s), is it necessary to get a matte box and what filters are a must for the inspiring filmmaker. Also, I'm wanting quality and am willing to spend a bit more money if it means a better picture. So if someone could give me some pricing on those items and maybe quality brand names I would appreciate it.
 
a mattebox isn't absolutley necessary as far as starting out and getting good picture quality. not as important as getting some decent lights. although a good set of nd filters .3, .6, .9 along with a polarizing filter could be a start. try looking at:

bhphotovideo.com

formatt, schnieder, hoya make some of the best filters......

EDIT: sorry for the redundant post.....
 
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Yeah I really like it too. The first time I used it I was amazed at how the reflections just disappeared. Outside the sky is so much more rich looking to. The cool thing is that it acts as an ND filter too by reducing the overall brightnes.
 
When you say the midday hours in the sun are "too harsh" - for what kind of work are you referring to?

And, suppose you HAVE to film outdoors in the sun, for a live event. What are some tips to make things and people look best?
 
filmguy123 said:
When you say the midday hours in the sun are "too harsh" - for what kind of work are you referring to?
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The position of the sun, directly overhead, leads to ugly harsh shadows and unflattering lighting.

And, suppose you HAVE to film outdoors in the sun, for a live event. What are some tips to make things and people look best?
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Reflectors, overhead silks, HMIs, or just choose a better time of day if you can. Afternoon or morning looks better than midday. A polarizer filter can really help bring out great colors, depending on which direction you're facing in relationship to the sun (works great at 90 degrees, is ineffective at 0 or 180 degrees).
 
carrying around a small reflector can be really helpful to fill in some harsh shadows.. also there's 5 in 1 type reflectors which have white,silver,gold,black and diffusion. i have this one and its been great.
 
What are the hours to avoid? 11:30am-1:30pm or so? Lunchbreak?

Polarizer best at 90 degrees... so, facing the camera north or south, and the closer to east or west the more ineffective it gets?
 
if you must shoot mid-day and it's sunny, try to compose your shots at such an angle that the sun is your backlight and use a flexfill, shinyboards, or even white foamcore to bounce it back in as your fill. expose for the sky and the backlight and add as much bounce as you need to properly expose faces, etc and you will have a really nice look.
 
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