Im supposed to shoot a commerical for a party where there will be multiple people facing all different types of directions in a small apartment. In the past Ive shot things like this and the conclusion is horrible. 1 or two people will be lit good but then others will look flat and dull or underexposed or there will be multiple shadows cast on the wall by using more than one light. I can never get it right. Can someone give me some suggestions on handling this scenario. Everybody always talks about three point lighting but that truly only works for a close up shot of one person.
Trouble lighting multiple people at once
- Thread starter dtjohns1
- Start date
It's not cheap or easy to light a large crowd at the same time. If you're on a budget, stick to medium or close up and light that as well as you can. If you have to have a wide shot, you should set up a grid system so that you can hang lights from above. This will get rid of the shadow problem since the lights are pointed downward, and everyone will have a nice hair light or rim light to reduce the flatness. A few Manfrotto Autopoles and 150w lights can work wonders if placed properly.
David G. Smith
Steak Knife Member
You may want to start with the art direction for the party/apartment. Get a design for what the lighting would be if it was just a party in an apartment, make that cool, then go from their. Once you have the design for the practical lighting, then augment that with your movie lights. Put higher wattage bulbs in the practicals and then set your lights to add umph to that. A nice bounce source, or soft box, off screen, simulating light from a practical with a lampshade can light a good part of the crowd. Then get some small, harder sources, from up high, or from down low, to add back and side lighting. If shooting people facing different directions then individual lights will some times need to do double duty and set up as cross lighting, that is one persons back light is also someone else's side light or kicker.
However, if it is a small apartment, a soft source, lower than eye level as a motivated source, can look great, and might only need light from some practicals strategically placed to add modeling/cross lighting. I would also set up a portable soft source, like a china ball that you can move around to bring up your light levels on individuals as you get into closer shots.
Just my two cents.
However, if it is a small apartment, a soft source, lower than eye level as a motivated source, can look great, and might only need light from some practicals strategically placed to add modeling/cross lighting. I would also set up a portable soft source, like a china ball that you can move around to bring up your light levels on individuals as you get into closer shots.
Just my two cents.