How often do you motivate window/practicals that's in the frame?

V

Victor Nhat Nguyen

Well-known member
So I was helping out a woman and her friend doing a documentary shoot. When they were composing the shot. I saw that the window was in frame left. I thought to myself that we can maybe motivate a soft rim light either shooting through a window or move it as close as possible to the edge of frame left.

There were also a lamb on a table behind the subject that was in the shot. I thought to myself maybe we can turn it on and also use it as motivated lighting.

However, the woman and her friend took out the lamb and did not even discuss the window in the shot.
 
In an interview situation, it doesn't matter unless you want it to (which could be because it looks bad if you don't). Everyone understands that interviews are artificial situations.

In a narrative situation, if you want a realistic-looking lighting setup, then your light should be motivated. If it's not, it'll take the audience out of the scene, because it'll look staged . . . like an interview.
 
David Jimerson said:
In an interview situation, it doesn't matter unless you want it to (which could be because it looks bad if you don't). Everyone understands that interviews are artificial situations.

In a narrative situation, if you want a realistic-looking lighting setup, then your light should be motivated. If it's not, it'll take the audience out of the scene, because it'll look staged . . . like an interview.
Click to expand...

Hi David. So how would you light a situation base on the diagram above?
 
Well, I don't know, because I don't know anything about the nature of the documentary or the purpose of the interview, or about the subject, or about the room other than the window, etc.

But I wouldn't worry all that much about motivation of the light. A realistic lighting scheme isn't necessary. It could look good, but it wouldn't be a primary concern.
 
I hate to be "that guy", but I am, so maybe I don't really hate it at all? Um, anyway. . .even in narrative situation, everything doesn't have to be motivated and logical. TYPICALLY, yes. But, think about it. . .you see unmotivated nonsense all the time in narrative. Totally "dark" rooms or worse, closets and car trunks that still have mysterious pools of light or hair lights everywhere. Where's it coming from? Who cares! As long as it sells!
 
It won't sell if there's a visible light source in the room (like the window in the OP's example), but the light is apparently coming from a totally different direction. If there's no visible light source, it can come from anywhere.
 
I think you can do both. I think the idea of picking up a back light from the direction of the window is a good idea. I almost always use a hair light/kicker in an interview set up. Maybe because it's a documentary they wanted to keep the light "plain." Show us a frame grab if you can. You don't have to motivate all the time, especially in an interview as everyone said but if you have an opportunity, and a rim light or back light fits, then I'd do it
 
You have to think even more outside the box. Their lighting was still motivated....since it was an interview was the room established? Who's to say there wasn't a window to the camera left?

The great thing is as long as you don't see it, anything could be there! As long as it works for the story.
 
My approach is to use whatever I can to achieve the look that I want. This means if I place a window in shot I may not use it as a motivator because it doesnt enhance the look Im creating.

First and foremost for me however is to determine where I shoot something to begin with. In documentary / ENG its often this is the space and then you need to find the best spot in that space...quickly. Narrative is another story, but you referred to dock in this instance.
 
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