Critique My Lighting

Jeff Anderson

Jeff Anderson

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Trying to polish my interview lighting skills and would love some feedback on these grabs. Also am posting to show what zylights can do in this type of setting.

Key light is zylight z90 at camera right just out of frame. Edge light is another z90 almost 180 to key light. Back quite a bit. Over the kitchen island is a hanging flourescent fixture that I taped some 1/2 diffusion over to knock it down a hair.
The three windows have natural sun coming in making the white blinds quite hot. Additionally a 250w tungsten with a piece of foil with holes cut out (experimenting) is projecting 3 or 4 mottled bits of light on the back wall. The back wall looked better when I set it up, but then the sun came out... didnt realize it was going to bounce through those blinds like that...

Anyways let me know what you guys think, I'm open for any suggestions. Look wise I'm pretty happy with it though. It was lit for the first subject and I was in
a hurry so I didnt adjust for the second subject. In hindsight I would have flagged the edge light a bit so her hair wouldnt make shadows on her face. It periodically makes some stripey shadows on her nose that bother me. Anyways thanks for looking. For those curious about the zylights I'm using the z90's at 100% at f3.4 (i think) 24p 1/48th shutter. No levels adjustments made at all to the first two, just minor CC to remove some green.

ZylightGrab1.jpg


ZylightGrab2.jpg


here's a third one for the heck of it (not using zylights though)
Grab3.jpg

grab3.jpg
 
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The first thing that caught my eye as an issue was the strong shadows under the chin and cheeks. I would also avoid putting something white infront of something white (paper towels) and try to keep the surrounding area/background less cluttered so it doesn't draw attention quite so much.
 
Thanks for the feedback Victor. So you think a softer light for the key to soften the shadows some would be a good idea? Good call on the papertowels. They do kind of look odd with the white on white. I'll have to keep that in mind. Yeah I didnt think too much about what was in the background really. It was already there so I went with it. Could definitely be cleaned up some to still have a few things but not so much. I've been trying so hard to avoid plain boring walls, that clutter wasnt on my mind. There is definitely alot going on back there. Thanks again for the feedback - I really appreciate it and feel like I'm at a point where I really need it to keep getting better.
 
I think you've lit these pretty well, but I would put a little more distance between your subject and the background. I think that will force you to make your lighting schemes a little more interesting because you'll have to use a separate light for your background lighting. If you think of talent lighting and your background lighting as separate tasks, you might end up with a very interesting shot.
 
Looks good. First 2 are about a stop over for my taste, but content determines style so only you truly know what is right.

I also agree with horse and Victor watch that background. The first pic blocking is better than the second. In the second there is a burnt pan growing out of her head.

Nothing bad at all...These look good, just offering a few of my opininions.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys. I tried doing what your talking about Horse but my ambient light increased greatly as the sun moved after I set everything up and I didnt really notice until it was a tad late. Lesson learned to buy some duvetyne to keep handy and to look at all of the windows and think about what will come into play.

Jason yeah I purposely went a little bright with everything on the first two just to try something new and see how it turned out. Good call on the pot coming out of the head. I definitely think the background as a whole could be less cluttered and I shouldve reblocked for the second shot. Instead made the mistake of just swapping talent and going with what worked the first time.

Question - do you guys think a shallower depth of field would help solve some of the background issues? Kind of blur out some of the clutter to a point and create some greater seperation? At work alot of times we are pressed for time and arranging a background so it is perfect isnt always an option.

These are all part of a series of interviews I'm doing with family and friends of my granparents for their 60th anniversary. A fun way to look back at some old stories and for me to try some different things with lighting and hopefully hone my skills, without forcing a paying client to suffer my mistakes. Right now I'm not completely in charge of lighting at work, but the people that are, arent all that great at it. Boring generic lighting. Before I just start lighting my own projects though, I thought I would try to figure out what I was doing :)

Really appreciate the feedback though guys. Lately I feel like I'm at a plateau where things look "good" but not great, and I just am not seeing the obvious things I can change to make them "great". This stuff really helps alot though. Any small details anyone wants to take issue with go for it, I'm all ears.
 
Most of my thoughts were more about lens choice and composition.
In general, most people look best with a medium long lens. The background will blur a little more, as well. Adding space between subject and BG as suggested will have that effect too. Personally I would have shot the third composition from a slightly lower angle.

The key light in the eyes is nice. Lighting with glasses is tough, too, kudos on that. I'd bring up the fill level relative to the key in all the shots, unless you're going for an air of mystery or something ominous. Using a diffusion on the key might be enough.

Use the BG to support your subject. Find a line created by the BG and use it to lead our eye. Place the darkest parts of your subject (e.g. the purple shirt, dark hair) against brighter parts of the BG, and vice-versa.

The most flattering lighting considers the individual face. A softer key would help with both of the women, but particularly the second.
 
Thanks for the tips professorU! I love this place - always a bunch of good solid tips to make something better. That really makes great sense on the background leading your eye to the subject. I've got some more interviews coming up this weekend to do so I'll definitely be putting all of these tips to good use. THanks again!
 
Jeff, all in all, your doing a pretty good job.
Here,'s a couple of thoughts that I have.
I would agree that your background with the windows is a little overpowered, and that duvetyne, or perhaps some black tule or a 4x4 double net placed outside the window would have helped "Knock down" the window a bit. Duvetyne would have blocked the light almost entirely, so I would use "net" or ND to calm it a bit.
Definitely losing the paper towel roll, as suggested, would have made for better shot, as it is quite distracting.
I would find some OPAL gel or buy the Chimera attachment for your ZYlight. Your key and edge light look a little too hard for your subjects. I personally like a hard edges for SOME interviews, and your lighting ratio is too close together as well.
Back off your edge/hair light a foot or soften it with the gel I mentioned earlier. I too thought the overall lighting was a bit too bright, but I think it's successful for this assignment. I'm sure that with the different locations that your additional interviews will take place in, the lighting will vary somewhat given the space and the amount of available light you have to work with.

You might also consider changing the direction that your subjects are facing for additional interviews. Subjects facing the same direction over and over again can get quite dull for the viewer. Have some of your interviews face to screen left and right.
Sorry if I'm singing to the choir, perhaps you have already done this on subsequent interviews. Nice job overall.
 
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No not singing to the choir at all. Getting ready to do my next interview this afternoon. In a hotel room... I appreciate all the tips and totally agree with what you've said. Luckily I have a softbox for one of my zylights so I can use that. Didnt last time because I was competing with all of that annoying ambient light I didnt think to net down or just block out entirely in the case of the window you cant see. Luckily this hotel room has some very effective drapery I was playing with yesterday while the sun was pouring in. Uncontrolled ambient wont be a problem this time around. Thanks for the tip on varying angles as well. I've been trying to do that here and there but periodically forget. For some reason my instict is to frame the subject to the left. I'll make sure today's is to the right. And no more bright white paper towel rolls. Now everytime I look at it, it stands out. Not sure how I missed it before. Even went to the trouble of making sure it was a full roll of paper towels and not some wimpy half used roll... Live and learn. Thanks for the help guys, its greatly appreciated.
 
Nice.

I also learn from all the good suggestions.

Especially for women I'd bring the key around in front more and lower it. Look at the pretty faces on glamour mags and notice how flat but soft and flattering the lighting is. The nose carat is almost invariably short and centered below the nose.

Lowering the key would also help eliminate the shadow on the second woman's eyes from her bangs. In both cases it would improve the sparkle of the catchlights in their eyes.

A little glam light below the lens is an old Hollywood trick to make the neck and chin imperfections less prominent. Very useful on older subjects.

I would like more hairlight for a rim for my tastes. Not saying go all CSI Miami but let's see a bit more glow.

Look up short-side and broad-side keying in conventional still portraiture for examples of how much you can change the look with the same lighting setup but positioning the head differently. I recently watched a great old-time DP move only the subject a little bit but not the lights or camera (the background was dressed with different practicals and objet d'ar) to make a half dozen interviews look different and do it fast. (Time is money, no?)

Anyway, you asked for opinions on your already good work.
 
Well I am glad you think its already good work. And its not that I think its particularly bad, but all these little tips I'm hoping can give my shots that extra edge. I appreciate the comments on moving the key. I need to test some stuff with my wife and do some more experimenting with my key placement it sounds like. I'll definitely look into the short side and broad side keying. May have to play with using a bit of light below the camera and see what I can do with that as well. Glad you mentioned the fashion mags. I'll have to do some flipping through some of my wife's and take a look at what they are doing. I know its not everyone's cup of tea or always appropriate but I do like that soft flat lighting the do. Thanks again for the comments!
 
Great. I also meant to mention that I love the bit of shadow texture on the blank wall at camera left. At first I was going to praise you for using a cookie to break up the background but I'm guessing it's actually a reflection from a hanging pot or something. Looks nice.
 
Actually that is a cookie! I could pretend it was intended to mimic reflections from the pots... but thats just a happy accident. I have a 250w lowell prolight hitting the background. Clipped to the doors is some tin foil (hey I was already in the kitchen), with some random holes poked in it. The shot is balanced to daylight giving it that warm golden look on the highlights.
 
Excellent. Looks just right. I like its color too.

I rarely don't use a cuke in a deal like this and I use a Prolight as well, usually through a cucaloris cut from black foamcore. That light is good as a hairlight, backlight or kicker too.
 
Yeah for the price and size pro-lights are maybe my favorite light to use. I love my zylights but my little pro-light is just so versatile and has decent punch. Think I may have to get a few more! I may have to make me a cookie out of foamcore this weekend. I always love new toys, especially when they are free...
 
I'd definitely go the foamcore route. They work really well and they're disposable. Play around with both the distance from the fixture to the cookie and with the focus of the fixture. You can make the pattern as sharp or diffused as you want (full flood will make the shadows very distinct). It's pretty cool to mess around with.
 
what size is normal for a small light like the pro light? 12 x 12 or should I go larger? Also what are guys using to secure one in front of a light. I know an extra stand would be ideal but I'm aiming for a small travel solution. Any magic flexible arm things that work well?
 
I usually just use a full sheet of the stuff. I think they're like 3' x 2' or something like that, but you can always cut it smaller if you need to.

I guess you could just use a c-stand/grip arm combination and mount the light on one end of the arm and the foamcore on the other. That might work.
 
Hmm I'll have to do some testing and see what I can come up with as far as a suitable travel size and some sort of rigging to hold it up there. May just opt for another small light stand. Thanks for the help guys!
 
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