The point Doug makes here, particularly the last bit, is key.
Are you familiar with the concept of chiaroscuro? You should think carefully about the gradation between light and dark in your frame. Look at the great works of art especially from the Baroque period to see how the artist uses the...
Strongly disagree that you don't need to grade a doc. I've used the same colourist for the last 25 years, Andy Elliott at Director's Cut in London and he always adds so much value to every film.
As Doug suggests, offload your rushes after every day of filming which you should do anyway to be...