Lighting Tutorial

Lighting Tutorial

  • Advanced Tutorials Only

    Votes: 11 25.6%

  • Comprehensive Tutorials (Absolute Beginner to Advanced)

    Votes: 32 74.4%
  • Total voters
    43
cardmaverick

cardmaverick

Well-known member
Hi, I recently posted a small tutorial online that delt with lighting.

Here is a link: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=82308

I got quite a large and positive response about this article, which has led me to consider making a comprehesive website devoted to these types of tutorials. My curious question though, is what are people looking for?

My first instinct was to make an all encompasing body of knowledge. It would start by methodically breaking down cameras (lenses, f/stops, ISO ratings, sampling, etc...) and would then move into exoposure (dynamic range, lighting ratios, SBR, etc....), and then into lighting, advanced metering and post processing techniques. Photometrics would also be covered. I woud also create whole tutorials centered on how a scene was shot. It would start with a video of the scene, then be followed by a detailed expose on how it was pre-produced, shot, and posted. On set VR would allow you explore the set.

My second instinct: just focus on advanced techniques, things like photometrics, zone system, advanced post processing, etc...

What do you want?

The first will take more time, maybe a year for me to complete. I could however just post as I go...

Please give me feedback and use the poll!

Thanks!
 
I am learning lighting from the ground up. I just checked out the tutorial and it was great. I'd love to see more from beginner through advanced.
Thanks,
Alex
 
It's a tough one.

Well worth it though, maybe a seperate site and get guest tutors in sorta thing? DOP's from all round... . .
 
optica said:
It's a tough one.

Well worth it though, maybe a seperate site and get guest tutors in sorta thing? DOP's from all round... . .
Click to expand...

Now thats interesting, never considered guest tutors...I'll make a note of that. Keep the comments rolling in!
 
When I first got into lighting (and still getting into it), I really wanted to know about lighting setups and the way they made the actors and set look.

For example: If you have the key light at X and then the fill at X, it looks like this. Or if you use a key as a back light and then this as that, it looks like this.
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In others words a basic tutorial of where to put lights for what application that includes pictures and diagrams of each setup would be great. And please not just an above lighting diagram of where the light is but also a side diagram, I think height can be just as important in trying to get certain looks and feels.

Also, I'm always confused on when to use Nets, or Flags, or Scrims, or this and that.

Then later on (different Chapters of the tutorial perhaps) you could talk more about metering (since you kinda have to talk about that when doing setups) and incidental and reflected readings in another chapter, etc.

Okay now I'm really rambling, but what also might be cool, is to take a screen shot from a movie and then show people how to create that lighting (or at least a best guess).

Anyway that is my 2cents, if you could do those things I would really appreciate it.
 
What would also be really cool is if you let, say once a month, let your users vote on a scene from a movie of a list out of five or something, and then fully explain the lighting going on in that specific scene... This way you are sure a lot of people, well, at least the ones that voted, will want to go through the tutorial.
And as you go you can start to build some kind of lighting glossary(do you spell it like that) and refer back to it and add new subjects to it as you explain more and more scenes...
Anyway, thats a way that i would really love, not sure if more people would like it that way...
Good luck, and thanks for the tutorial!
 
I think beginner to advanced techiques will get you a lot more visitors rather than just advanced. Sometimes, it's all about how much traffic you can get so you can make more money.... My $.02 (which will ultimately belong to you if you charge for the site). :P
 
I actually wasn't planning on charging any money. This site is going to be free. Why? Because, I wish I had a resource like that when I was learning....:)
 
I think the concept is great. But personally I was never the sort of person who could understand lighting techniques through reading. I much prefer to see a real life walk through on video so I can grasp the changes to lighting as they occur real time.
 
ncje said:
I think the concept is great. But personally I was never the sort of person who could understand lighting techniques through reading. I much prefer to see a real life walk through on video so I can grasp the changes to lighting as they occur real time.
Click to expand...

I'm actually planning on incorporating video demos into the site. I too love a more visual hands on approach to the concepts I'll be covering. After all, this is light were talking about...you can't be a DP without being able to see. :)

I'm interested in finding some other people who are very knowledgable about sensor technology and sampling though, as I really believe a good understanding of these issues is important to good lighting. I only know enough about sensors to be well enough off, but I always want to go as deep as I can, it only makes you better. As for lighting on set, exposure, and post processing, I'll be fine covering those areas, as they are my strong points. If you feel you can help, just shoot me an email!
 
cardmaverick said:
I actually wasn't planning on charging any money. This site is going to be free. Why? Because, I wish I had a resource like that when I was learning....:)
Click to expand...

And believe me it will be truly appreciated. Thanks so much.
 
Maybe a 3d tool (lightwave, maya, whatever) with accurate light rendition, would be a nice way to illustrate concepts and effects.
 
Spartacus said:
Just take the shots on your site to illustrate what your talking about, they´re excellent!
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'm actually working on some preproduction for a spec commercial, its a location deal, so I'm not sure if I can get to into documenting it (as I have to be quick with the setups...). But at any rate, I do plan on shooting things in a studio setting for the sole purpose of being demos for the site. Now I can clearly see people want a very comprehensive site, so I gotta get writing.

:)
 
You're first artical got me hooked, and I greatly appreciate whatever you can throw at us! Screengrabs to illustrate examples and points you're trying to make would be benificial also, thanks a LOT!
 
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