Video Production Lighting Basics

For many novice video producers, lighting causes lots of worry and seems very complicated. Lighting for video production CAN be complicated, but it certainly doesn't HAVE to be.

I specialize in making video as easy as possible while still maintaining a professional look. I can sum up everything you need to know about lighting in just three bullet points:

1. Direct Light = Harsh
2. Diffused Light = Soft
3. What DIRECTION is the light coming from?

If you learn the meaning of these three concepts, I promise your lighting efforts will improve tremendously.

We'll start with the first two points. They are related.
Light comes in two forms, direct and diffused. Direct light is harsh and scary looking while diffused light is soft and flattering to the face.

If you remember elementary school physics, light rays always travel in a straight line. Imagine yourself outside at night with a flashlight. You can see the entire beam of light and it is straight. If you want to illuminate an object, you have to shine the flashlight directly on it. This is an example of direct light It travels in one direction, straight as an arrow.

Diffused light is when the straight light beams hit something reflective and then bounce off it. They bounce in straight lines but usually there are so many straight lines bouncing around that the effect is to have light rays bouncing around every-which-way.

A standard, incandescent light bulb is painted white on the inside in order to diffuse the light The light beams hit the white paint and bounce.

Another prime example of direct and diffused light is to think about being outside on a cloudy day or a sunny day. On a bright, sunny day you have direct light There are lots of deep shadows and the shadows have distinct edges.

On a cloudy day, the clouds diffuse the light If it's cloudy enough, there will not be any shadows at all. Since the light is bouncing around every-which-way, any potential shadow is filled in by the bouncing light and eliminated.

Generally speaking, you want DIFFUSED light in video production. Unless you are doing a monster movie, diffused light will look best.

Most of the gadgets that come in a professional light kit exist for the sole purpose of diffusing the light If you do not have a professional lighting kit, you can achieved a diffused effect by pointing your light toward the ceiling or wall and bouncing it. Do not point it at the on-camera talent. They will thank you for it. Not only will it make them look better, but it will keep them from squinting and being dreadfully uncomfortable.

Now let's talk about the third bullet point. What DIRECTION is the light coming from?

Is the source of light in front of your on-camera person? Behind them? To the side? Behind? What direction the light is coming from will have a huge impact on how it looks.

Generally speaking, you want the light source to be in front of, or to the side, of your on-camera talent. You do NOT want it behind them unless you are trying to hide their identity. Light coming from behind will create a silhouette. Video producers usually reserve that technique for sleazebags who want to remain anonymous.

This is a mistake I see frequently. People will stand right in front of the window thinking that the light coming from the window will add enough light to make their shot look good. It probably would, IF the on-camera person stands so the light falls on their face and not on their back.

There you have it, the basics of lighting for video production.

Lorraine Grula has been a well-respected award winning video professional for over twenty-five years. (Yeah, that makes her kind of old.) Lorraine has done virtually every kind of video production imaginable and now shares her expertise on the web. Her blog, http://www.VideoProductionTips.com is full of free information and video tutorials.

The Must-Know Basics of Digital Camera Repairing

Possessing a high-end and sophisticated gadget like digital camera can be a pride in itself, but repairing it can be daunting. A digital camera is a 100% electronic device with many delicate circuits inside it. Adequate knowledge about the delicate device is essential for the technician for repairing who must handle the device with extra care. It needs specialized testing equipments to diagnosis the very problem. That is, perhaps, the reason why repairing digital camera is expensive.

There are some minor defects in your digital camera that you can fix yourself. Of course, that depends on the type or the model of camera that you are using. Here, another noteworthy thing is you should have precise idea about what exactly is wrong with it.

Things You Can Fix Yourself:

The common problem that can be detected and fixed without much hassle is the digital camera lens. Most of the time it is due to careless handling or improper setting that the lens ceases to function leaving you baffled over the matter. Most of the time, it is due to the improper alignment of the lens. You will encounter system error messages on the LCD. In such circumstances the camera is not able to focus and the result is worse pictures. You can simply realign the lens or reset the zoom barrel guide pins and you will find your digital camera working as usual.

There are some other minor and common problems such as broken battery cover, broken hinges on memory card doors, cracked LCDs, etc. But if you are not sure about the problem, it is wise not to handle it. Rather you can take your digital camera to an authorized repairing center.

However, before visiting any repairing center or technician you must take check certain common things. There may be some minor problems that you can identify yourself such as:

1 - Sometimes, it is very likely that you might have hit the wrong button or have changed the menu for which the device does not work properly.

2 - If the battery of your digital camera is running out of power, it is most likely that the digital cameras will not work. Ensure if thing improves when a fully charged cell is inserted into the digital camera.

3 - Sometimes, it is necessary to reset the camera through the menu or by removing the battery for 24 hours.

4 - The camera may not turn on if the memory card is full.

These common problems can not be really considered as a serious problem for the digital camera. But a novice user of the gadget may find it difficult them troubleshoot.

Selecting Repairing Service Station:

If the small efforts are not enough to fix your camera, visit an authorized service station in stead of asking any ordinary technician. The technician in the service station should have experience of fixing several brands and models of digital camera.

Moreover, both the user and the technician should have the ability to distinguish between marginal repair and quality repair. A little bit of confusion in this regard may cause damage to your precious digital camera.

Each model of digital cameras requires special tools to fix the errors and reliable service centers have these specialized tools and skilled technicians to properly service and safeguard the digital camera. Efficient diagnosis and repairing of digital camera depends largely upon specialized tests, appropriate equipments and expert technician.

The high-end and sophisticated device like digital camera requires a lot of concern and careful handling which is of paramount importance for longevity of the digital camera. However, the repair process of digital camera also needs the same amount of care and attention. You need to have adequate knowledge of handling digital camera to avoid any kind of trouble.

If possible gather information from the Internet about handling and repairing. A digital camera is a valuable possession and worth caring.

Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for Polomercantil