How to get this look??

[JPUSC]

Hey all, was wondering if you could help. I want to get an idea of what kind of lighting setup, equipment/gear, location I would need to achieve a similar look to the images below. I will be shooting with an HPX170 w/ Brevis.

If it makes any difference, I have 2 consumer-grade fog machines, this light kit and a softbox:



For the location, could this be done in a small location, such as a home backyard, garage...or perhaps a larger warehouse or an outdoor location?

Thanks a lot!!

 

[Andrew Luczenczyn]

Judging by the amount of back light, there were definitely some large wattage HMIs involved.

 

[sonofaresiii]

those are three very different looks. pick one (or tell us what you're trying to show us) and we can give advice.

however...

the lights you have... probably aren't going to do it.

that said, if what you're looking for is a nice shot of rain or fog, i think what you're looking for is to backlight it. If THAT'S your only goal, then you might get by with what you've got. notice how in each of those shots there's a major light source coming from BEHIND the rain/fog.

edit: and as andrew says, if that is what you're going for, it's going to have to be on a much smaller scale. two consumer-grade fog machines and that light kit isn't going to get what you see in those professional pics.

 

[nyvideo]

I too am not sure exactly what you're wanting from the photos, but in all but the first, the woman is not really a "part" of the background. I wonder if you might be able to shoot the background in a small, controlled (maybe miniature?) environment and use that as the background for the woman.

 

[JPUSC]

those are three very different looks. pick one (or tell us what you're trying to show us) and we can give advice.

Hmm, ok I'll go with the first picture with the two people sans the car.

 

[DaneCannon]

I could be wrong here but I swear I saw a video of Barry Green talking about a short where they didn't have the light necessary to light the whole fog, so they found a streetlight and set their scene in such a way so that the streetlight backlit the fog. After that, color correction to blue should be a fairly simple matter. The only other thing I can think of is possibly shooting day for night, but then the light source for the backlight would be more from the sky than the ground. Also, in general, I think day for night is a bad idea -- because it's hard to really sell.

 

[j1clark@ucsd.edu]

Hmm, ok I'll go with the first picture with the two people sans the car.

Near total back light, with just enough fill from behind the camera to soften the blank black silhouettes. Since there is no obvious camera lens flair, the illumination appears to be coming from up high and far to the rear, which in the case of 'with car'... gives shape to the car from the glossy glint, and for the silhouette, from the fogged area in the distant trees.

 

[John Alton Disciple]

As others have said, that combination of camera/adapter/lights might be problematic for the shot you're wanting. If so, either add light, choose a camera/lens combo that's more light sensitive, or frame the shot tighter (so there's less area to light).

As far as the locations, outside leaves you at the mercy of the wind - a steady breeze can easily overpower most fog machines, but an exterior shoot (weather permiting) could give you more creative options depending on what the script calls for. Interiors will give you more control over the fog, but the size of the room can dictate your blocking. Also, when indoors with foggers/hazers, remember that smoke alarms can go off and some sprinkler systems are air-particulate based.

It seems you already have access to the gear so is a trial run possible? Then you'd have a point of reference.

 

[JPUSC]

Thanks for all the feedback, I will try to test it out and experiment.

I'm leaning more now towards this look, as it seems easier to accomplish with my equipment. Would the two fog machines and the lights be sufficient? Also, any advice on filming against light with some details on the subject still showing...a reflector perhaps?

 

[Paul Hudson]

You are going to need an HMI and depending on the camera a big one.

 

[TheDingo]

As other members have mentioned, the background is lit separately from the foreground of the shot...

For the background you need to lay down a sufficient "wall" of fog or rain that you can then light with collimated light sources. ( Wikipedia Collimated Light )

This means that you are going to need either Tungsten or HMI fresnel lights that have a focusable lens. None of the lights from your Lowel kit are suitable for the job. You also might need a large generator/generator truck if you are shooting on location outside.

The shot of the guy in the studio was probably lit by natural sunlight, which will likely be a problem as natural light keeps changing, so you need to be ready to shoot quickly if this is the route you want to go with.

The foreground lighting for the girl in front of the car looks to be also lit by a fresnel light, above and close-ish to camera lens so that there are no big shadows on her face or neck.

The foreground lighting for the guy in the studio looks like a big white reflector on the left side of the camera, which softly fills his face.

For this type of shot to work, you have to get the background properly lit, as this is what sets the tone of the overall shot, the foreground light can be almost anything provided it does not effect how the background is lit.