Sunrise look with filters or post?

djdougyfrsh

djdougyfrsh

Active member
Greetings and Salutations:

I am shooting a spec quiksilver commercial in a couple weeks and the concept is: early bird gets the waves. It focuses on the surfing community's ability to sacrifice sleep and wake up at the butt crack to get the best waves. So the shoot is obviously utilizing sunrise lighting- soft, pinks and purples ... you know. We'll have limited windows to get this quality light and I want to maximize/re-create it so I'm not having to shoot 1 hour windows over 5 days.

To get to my question (actually I have 2):

1. Does anyone have any experience "cheating" this look in camera utilizing filters? so i can shoot in brighter sun, once the sun has risen. (any specific gradient filters would be excellent) OR is it better to achieve this look in post? We'll be editing in Apple Color- specific settings/examples would be killer.

2. On another note: I need to grab a couple shots from the water- not anything intense: into my knees and I'm thinking I'll need to get a water housing. I'll be shooting in LA and I don't have any good leads on what brand, who to rent from (on a miniscule budget), ect. Anyone have any good suggestions.

Thanks in advance, appreciate any and all advice you could offer.
 
Color grad filters certainly have a more organic, natural feel. For years I used grads when shooting film. However, you a pretty much stuck with what you shot where as if you shoot it straight up you will have more options in post.
 
I'd do it half and half.

Use an ND grad to get a nicely exposed sky (preferably with some nice whispy high clouds, and then apply a sunrise grad in post.
 
My mantra is usually " lock the exposure in-camera, futz with color in post." Nailing exposure in-camera is your best bet to reduce apparent noise. pmark23's ND suggestion is a good one; I never, ever shoot outside without a ND and circular polarizer on-hand. With the water, especially, a circ pol would be a good idea.

Obviously there's no substitute for the real deal...hit that magic hour when you can. Plan your shots, maybe, so that establishing shots can be at the magi hour and your inserts can be more flexibility shot/scheduled? You might just find, though, that doing the hassle of the real magic hour shoots could save you hours or days in post.

If you just can't schedule shots and need to do it in post, play loose with the colors and do em up in poast. The problem with doing explicit color in-camera is the lack of flexibility you have in post. I paint the scene in broad strokes - like getting strong warms/cools going - and then dial in the final tones later. There's a pretty hot thread over at RebelsGuide.com on crazy Cokin color filters, but ya can't remove the effect once it's there. Remember to warm up the highlights but keep the shadows cool, all the while maintaining proper skintone.
 
Thanks a bunch you all: great advice.

Had definitely planned to get my wides done while I have the "real" tinted sky, then move in for the tighter shots and inserts. Hadn't thought about a polarizer- thats a rad idea... definitely gonna give it a go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top