I'm going to shoot a low-budget music video and some of it is going to be shot at dusk/night. I can't afford renting a generator and lights and I thought about using car headlights as a light source, and some kind of a diffuser/reflector to make it shine where i want it to. Has anyone tried it? What would be the best option? It's not supposed to look 'natural' but as well lit as possible. Haven't had the opportunity to try it out yet, as I don't own a car and i have borrow the camera from a friend when i need it.
Using headlights with a diffuser?
- Thread starter renosreno
- Start date
HorseFilms
Look ma no hands
I've heard of people using shower curtain liners as a diffusion panel. Just remember to have another car along to jump start your lighting car after the battery dies.
rogar-BigGrin(DBG)
rogar-BigGrin(DBG)
ProfessorU
Veteran
Talk about low budget. Borrow a camera, then borrow a car to get there.
Having lights that are so low to the ground will look a little odd. Borrow a jeep with those lights mounted on the top and you'd be set. I could rig something up from sealed beam halogens and jumper cables, you'd have to raid a junkyard or hardware store for the lights, though.
Even high beams are only about 55 watts tungsten halogen. You'll have to be pretty close to have a satisfactory effect.
I would just get some of that press'n'seal wrap and put it on the headlights. Cheaper, faster.
Consider shooting for more days during sunset and dusk and twilight, it will look better than shooting for one day into the night with crummy lights.
Having lights that are so low to the ground will look a little odd. Borrow a jeep with those lights mounted on the top and you'd be set. I could rig something up from sealed beam halogens and jumper cables, you'd have to raid a junkyard or hardware store for the lights, though.
Even high beams are only about 55 watts tungsten halogen. You'll have to be pretty close to have a satisfactory effect.
I would just get some of that press'n'seal wrap and put it on the headlights. Cheaper, faster.
Consider shooting for more days during sunset and dusk and twilight, it will look better than shooting for one day into the night with crummy lights.
Thanks for all the tips guys, I think some silver reflectors would give better results than mirrors, I will check it out soon. And I will try to shoot it over a couple of evenings instead of doing it at night. I was also thinking of making a "ghetto" softbox (something like this http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/6236/inside17hd.jpg ), but as ProfessorU said, the headlights are probably not strong enough to give satisfactory results with something like that.