How did you learn how to light

Parsons Paris. Drawing Fundamentals. Ian Patterson. Still Life. Before I even knew what the hell a camera could do. One source, then two, then 3, then go nuts. That was the plan.

The trouble I have now of course is accounting for motion. It's a fun brain tease, but I would definitely take a course. There's something about hands-on, when coupled with readin a ton, that's unbeatable.
 
A year of film school in which I was taught essentially nothing about lighting (other than embracing natural light), followed by 2.5 years of working as a PA where I observed and mentally dissected the lighting like a hawk. Later, a few years at a small production company where I attempted to recreate what I had seen on bigger sets with a couple of Lowel kits (trial by fire!). All the time studying films, reading American Cinematographer magazine, and connecting the dots in my head.

In general it's a process of discovery by having a visual in your mind you want to achieve then trying different things until you get it. Eventually the myriad of variables become muscle memory and you can visualize exactly what it will take to create the look you want; a specific unit placed at a given location and height, with X type of diffusion, flagged just so...the whole setup just pops into your head at once.

In my mind, a DP should be able to adopt and create any look required for a given project. It's possible (and likely) to have a signature style, but it's good to be able to emulate looks from naturalistic to highly stylized, from raw and gritty to beautiful and glamorous.

The fascinating thing is that it is an evolving process. I have been doing it for decades now and I still push myself to experiment, to innovate, to come at things a different way when I can. It keeps things fresh.

Taking a course is fine, but unless it is a rudimentary one teaching the basics, I would recommend looking at the instructor's own work before committing to their class!
 
I haven't really, it always changes, and there's never only one way to light a scene, As far as three point lighting and basic setups sure, that's a simple set up. But for location lighting, with depth and style, it's never easy.
 
I like to think that lighting can't be learnt but has to be felt. I mean, you can learn the basics about lighting. From three point lighting, to pools of light, and all the other facets but at the end of the day you need to be able to feel the emotion from the lighting.

If that means a single source placed above an actors head to give a darker mood or interrogation type lighting then so be it. If a three point lighting set up with tungsten sources works for the interview you are conducting then by all means use that.

I think lighting is about feelings and emotion and if you have the time, then the best way to learn is to play around with different lights in different scenarios. Most of the time on shoots, I go in with an idea of what I want to accomplish and a plan to do it. But I usually tend to throw the plan out the window when I get behind the camera and see that it isn't working in the situation. Sometimes you need to just stop and look at the natural light coming into a room and what it is doing.

So in short, if you want to learn how to light, read books on cinematography and watch clips that show the basics like three point lighting. But to truly learn the art behind the method you need to just be aware of your surroundings and observe. Nature does things with light that we can only ever hope to imitate, so just be vigilant of what the sun is doing and how shadows fall and you will learn much more about lighting then you ever will from a book.
 
Work at a rental house and work under great DP's and gaffers as an electric or a grip. You'll be forced to anticipate the gaffer and DP's ideas to stay ahead of the game and as a result you'll learn how to light a scene. If you do this and then shoot on the side you'll have a chance to put a lot of the ideas you learn from their work into yours.
 
I think the best tip I can give is get a basic lighting book to understand 3pt lighting and all the different kind of sources and types of lighting there is, and then just start experimenting from there. Start using tungsten, and tungsten only. Then once you understand the dynamics of that well enough, if you really need to get a couple flourescent fixtures. I'd stay away from LED. Would be extremely tough to learn lighting using LED's. They are the least versitile of the bunch, and limit you greatly. Buy a diffusion pack and a gel pack and play around. How much light do you lose from a 1/2 diffusion? What do the highlights look like when you use a fresnel without any diffusion? How does tungsten light mix with sunlight? Keep asking yourself quesitons and keep figuring things out and you'll do fine!
 
RyanT said:
Work at a rental house and work under great DP's and gaffers as an electric or a grip. You'll be forced to anticipate the gaffer and DP's ideas to stay ahead of the game and as a result you'll learn how to light a scene. If you do this and then shoot on the side you'll have a chance to put a lot of the ideas you learn from their work into yours.
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That's solid advice, the old school method. I spent my first 2.5 years in the business as a PA on commercials and corporates etc. and studied the lighting process like a hawk. Actually getting one's hand's dirty, working as a grip or electric is quite good too. I stayed in camera dept. but always paid attention to lighting techniques, which I then applied to my own projects. I do feel it helps a lot to be around legit sets in whatever capacity, just to see how it all works. There's far more to being a DP than the literal part of the craft, i.e. lighting and shooting--a lot of it can't be learned from an online tutorial or book.
 
I first started in 1976 when I made my first film. I'm still learning as there is still mountains and mountains of stuff to explore and after over 30 years I'm still just scratching the surface. People who think they know all about lighting are deluding themselves.
 
Books, both artistic and technical, then doing it on a small scale, honing the skills as I went. Tackling bigger and bigger productions. Then I taught at a college, and passed it on to others. I think the combination of study and practice work brilliantly!
 
I never really had a background in lighting since my first production job was news (other than harsh on-camera lights. woof.). I returned to school to pursue my master's degree, I got a job in the marketing and communication department of the university I was at and my boss/mentor brought lights to our first shoot. Needless to say I stood there like an idiot trying to light that first day. Having learned a LITTLE in school I knew the theory behind what was needed but I never really had any practice outside of the news studio. After a few months I could see a noticeable difference and have been lighting every single chance I get since (shorts, films, commercials, documentaries, etc etc). I'm still learning and trying to pick up new tricks here and there, but I've been lucky enough to have a position that typically allows me the time and ability to experiment with lighting on projects. I think finding someone who does know and is willing to pass that information along and teach you not only how to light properly (technically) but how to think critically about the lighting (creatively) is an invaluable resource. I see so many of my peers never shooting with light, and it makes me cringe.

Adam
 
Working as an Art Director and hiring amazing still shooters in my 20's/30's, and being on set for every shoot. You can get the same education by being an assistant and keeping your eyes open.

From there, shoot, shoot, shoot. Emulate frames of stuff you love, read art magazines and fashion ads. Figure out how to match a look with the gear you own. I learned in the film days, and film and polaroid and lab costs made it very expensive to develop a unique look - I spent thousands of bucks over several years of experimenting. With a digital camera you can do a week of those experiments in a day, for free.

I did a BTS video of a national fashion shoot this spring and realized the shooter and I had the same taste in styles of lighting. Did learn a few new tricks though. It's amazing how on a good running set with a photog who's not a jerk, how much input/ideas a good assistant will have. A smart shooter keeps his ears open and says "great idea".
 
I learned lighting in theatre. On stage we do all sorts of crazy non-realistic lighting so constant experimentation is going on. Nearly every show calls for a totally new way of achieving a look. That background gave me a very solid understanding of light. I actually fell into film lighting by accident and I found it very easy to pick up. Once I learned the basic rules of exposure it was pretty simple to apply all I'd learned in theatre to film.
 
Lighting for me has always been more about observing.

First learn from people who know their stuff and see why they do what they do, second apply what you learn and finally observe - real life light / paintings - photos that inspire you. To be completely honest I love watching light.
 
Learn whar lighting instruments can do, experiment and watch what others do . . . and why. Study what lighting can do for mood, clariety, effects, but try not to be obvious.
 
Lighting is so great... it's an obsession with me now. I'm still really just learning though. There's so much to it.

I'm always noticing the light around me. Last evening after a dinner out on the Hudson River there was heavy cloud with hard sun slamming out underneath it, lighting the water, blown... but the hard shadows from that crazy beautiful sidelight with the cloud topper just knocked me out.

I was first introduced on sets as an actor. What's great is that I can get on better sets than my own shoots to see how experienced hands do it. So as everyone says, get on good sets in whatever capacity you can and observe. Don't bother anyone while they're working but on break you can talk to people. I do and I always find everyone pretty generous. The more you learn the better your questions. I learned how to build a coup from a great gaffer on a set where I was acting. I also learned a lot from graduate students on their films.

Now that I have my own small production company and a pretty good selection of elements, I practice. I shoot and I practice. I practice at my house all the time. I imagine shots and light them. My wife is sick of having to stand in all the time. Sometimes it's just me. I'll set up the camera. I'll shoot the setup wide, MCU, CU... just to see. I'll have my 'standin' walk in and out of the shot to see how the light falls off or changes. If I have a shoot coming up I'll practice setups I think will work and adapt them

I just did it again this evening with a hard 1.2K Par HMI, trying different lenses, diffusion, opal, 216, and a 4 bank inside for fill. My neighbors think I'm a little batty but I love to practice.

I also read American Cinematographer magazine and listened to all the podcasts. 80% of that stuff is out of my range but it's good to keep your head in it. I'll watch a movie 3 or 4 times for light and lately camera movement. The first time I just enjoy the movie. One important lesson I picked up from Barry's lighting DVD, which I recommend, is that big sources get you soft light, whether it's specular or not. bounce, use larger sources, then flag it where necessary. There's a great podcast from Fred Murphy ASC about his work on the Good Wife using big sources, his "poetic realism." Able Cine has a video with David Mullen talking about lighting that is really great too. A found it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHBwZT06zR8 Can't wait to watch it again.
 
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I only saw books mentioned once here. I think you meed that as a component of your learning to explain certain concepts. I liked ross lowell's "matters of light and depth" a lot for explaining basic principles.

There are probably also some dvd series that help get you over those first major stumbling blocks.

Other than that getting on REAL sets (no offense to amateurs/students etc. but unless theres a real pro DP using pro gear on set, you wouldnt be learning "real" techniques and therefore when you got on a legit set, someone might ask you to do something and youd say "i only know how to do that with home depot worklights". So real productions using professional crew and real gear. I include myself in the amateur category, btw. Ive worked on some short films but wouldnt ever offr those sets as a training experience because i know we're doing it "wrong.")

when youre on those real sets try to pay attention to the lighting without compromising whatever your actual set job is, and sneak in any questions to the dp/gaffer ("whyd you use that giant light for a that shot?") DURING DOWNTIME (not when everyones working their asses off).
 
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