Using just HomeDepot worklights and reflectors, can I light an indoor scene?

Yardsale

Yardsale

Well-known member
I am going to go buy some worklights tomorrow, and I was wondering that if I used them stock, could I light a scene indoors with them? I think they would be hard to control, but perhaps if I used reflectors I could manage? If there is other stuff I need to buy to make your most basic lighting situation, please tell me! :dankk2:
 
that's what i have and i built a "silk" to diffuse if i had to...they are extremely hot so be careful. so other stuff to buy...gloves! i'm serious...or let them sit for awhile to cool off. if you've seen any of my clips or postings those are all worklights. i'm working on a new system though and will post when i have it all together.
 
I come from a still phtoography background where most of my lighting work was with strobe flashes. I grasp the 3-light setup, but do you guys bounce light when it's indoors? Or point it directly on the subject?

Trial and error will prove useful here, but you guys are so unbelievable knowledgeable :)
 
Whether or not I bounce light depends on the motivation of the light source. If I'm trying to simulate a softer light, then bouncing works great. If you want a more harsh look, then direct is probaby the way to go. It all depends on how you want it to look.
 
Hrm I got a 1000w worklight with two fixtures on it, halogen. How do I go about setting white balance? It's a bit too warm.
 
Set your white balance switch to either A or B. Take a white card and place it so that the light from the worklight is hitting the face of the white card. Zoom in on the white card until it fills your frame (or fills as much of it as you can get). Hit the AWB button (on the front of the camera, just below the lens). You'll see that orange-looking light turn white.
 
Awesome thanks!

Wow these lights are bright, they really flood a room with light. I need to pick up another set today to balance it all out.
 
I have had great results with 'reflector lights' in the past, some from Smith Victor and some from the depot! Regular bulbs, correct white balance and the look was very pleasing, easy & cheap.
 
Lake Films said:
I have had great results with 'reflector lights' in the past, some from Smith Victor and some from the depot! Regular bulbs, correct white balance and the look was very pleasing, easy & cheap.
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Yeah I believe the 500w acme lights I'm receiving are great for using with a reflector.

I think my plan is to use the work lights to bring the overall light in a room up to speed, then use the acme lights to set up high key low key stuff.
 
If the 500w lights are a little too powerful for what you're doing, check out some of the 150w clip-on worklights. They're pretty slick and cheap as hell. I've used them in past.
 
HorseFilms said:
If the 500w lights are a little too powerful for what you're doing, check out some of the 150w clip-on worklights. They're pretty slick and cheap as hell. I've used them in past.
Click to expand...
They're pretty nice because they can run at half power, and I can choose to have one off but not the other one :) Great value, but so hot!
 
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