Filming under the sun

[timtorpedo]

Hello all,

I'm seeking some advices to shoot under the sun. I have shot in natural lighting outside before. But I would like to get better at my craft on my next project, and ask your advices on how to get a better control of that wild beast that is the biggest light in the world.

I have a good idea on how to use bounce boards, placing actors back to the sun, maybe using mirrors for back light, or maybe mirrors through frame of diffusions... but all that is theory and lots of maybes! I would greatly appreciate if some of you could share tricks you discovered that made the difference between "I did the best I could do" and the feeling of accomplishment after lighting and shooting one of those scene that you know what I'm talking about.

I though of 12x12 overhead silk frame, but never really used those, and not sure what complications I am facing (like what happens if I want to get a full body shot in the middle of the desert ? )

For this, no lighting fixture, but the sun...


Thank you!

 

[Paper_bag]

Here's $0.02:

-- Probably need at least one reflector (bring more if you have them). If you can't afford it, there's lots of cheap alternatives -- mirrors, foil, foamcore...
-- If you can get an overheard with a frame, that's brilliant. If not, maybe the handheld diffusion that comes bundled together with reflector kits. Or, if you can be bothered, build your own overhead.
-- If you need to do a wider shot and also want to use an overhead on backdrop support (or on human light stands), you probably have the option of cutting it out in post. Basically, you'll need to shoot a clean background plate against a background that doesn't move, preferably with a tripod. In your editing program, layer the shot with the actors on top of the background plate; use a "garbage matte" effect to delete the overhead. Make sure the actors don't move in front of the overhead, unless you feel like hours of fiddling.
-- I've never shot in the desert. I'd imagine matte box and ND filters would come in handy, as well as basic camera-cleaning equipment for the sand. Polarising filter for glare from the sand? For overheating issues, no idea; maybe an esky cooler to rest the camera in?

 

[remoteman]

So happy that you posted this, how to shootin full sun whilst still getting a nice looking image has been a query of mine for a long time.

 

[Paul Hudson]

Invest in a hot mirror filter for one.

 

[timtorpedo]

Invest in a hot mirror filter for one.

Hey Paul, What is a Hot mirror filter? Is that an appellation for the IR filter combined with ND ?

Is it to protect the sensor and treat the Uv's before it ends up on the sensor? Haven't hear of this...

Anyone used the AF100 in high temperature?


Thak for the inputs!

 

[gonzo_entertainment]

A grip truck full of silks and the gear to fly them would be very handy, but not in most of our budgets.

 

[Patryk_Rebisz]

NEVER shoot wide shots when the sun is dead over your head. Plan. If you are at the location you probably need more then just the wide shot so try to do all the CUs, then meds, the cut-away when the sun is nasty (but because the shots are relatively tight you can shape the sun with available resources such as small overhead etc) then when the time is right to shoot your wide, shoot it simple - just the sun at the right angle and maybe a bounce board giving some definition to the talent. And if indeed all you need is just one wide shot and nothing else then make sure the production knows that you need to get there really early (for sunrise) or relatively late (for sunset).