Rosco
Day for night for color cinematography is an old shooting methodology that relies on a number of techniques regarding human perception, socially accepted convention, and technical qualities of film/sensors. There are a variety of reasons for shooting day for night, and understanding the whys and wherefores can help you create believable images.
Moonlight Is Blue
It isn’t really, any more than sunlight is blue. The reality is that moonlight is reflected sunlight, so why do people think moonlight is blue? Sunlight has a color temperature of
Grip, electric, swing, and “best boy”... who are these people and what is it that they do on a TV or film set? In this follow-up to my article Who Does What on the Camera Crew?, I outline the duties of some movie and TV crew positions that are not part of the camera crew but are nonetheless essential to the process of cinematography.
Above Image: Electric adjusting light
These on-set crew positions are given as a general outline, not a
Mastering studio lighting can feel like a Herculean feat when you’re just getting started. Like any aspect of photography, it requires patience, practice, and plenty of mistakes before it comes naturally. In an effort to shorten your learning curve, we’ve rounded up 10 common issues that beginners encounter and how to fix them.
Technical Issues
Lighting setups can be as simple or complicated as your heart desires—or your shot requires. However, before you can begin to think about how to use your lights creatively, you need to understand how
Over time I’ve been fortunate to have been able to shoot with almost every type of film and digital camera imaginable. The funny thing is, out of all of them, the camera that to this day amazes me the most is a pinhole camera I made out of a shoe box. Best part? I used it to photograph a magazine story and (thank goodness) the editors loved the results.
All Photographs © Allan Weitz 2020
Pinhole cameras are as basic as it gets. A darkened box with a pinhole on one side and a piece of photosensitive paper or film on the opposite side of the
Zoom, Hangouts, BlueJeans, Slack, and Teams. These are words that have taken on a whole new significance over the past few weeks. With so many of us now relying on livestreaming, video chat, and video conferences, the quality of connection and the quality of your image is increasingly important. It may be time to upgrade from the camera in your computer or the basic webcam that has been dangling off the side of your monitor for all these years. Joking aside, appearing clear, in focus, and well-lit is crucial when impressions are being made,
Portrait photographers take many forms, from casual household paparazzi to dedicated studio professionals. Whether the portraitist you are shopping for specializes in celebrity portraits or social media selfies, let me help you check them off your list.
Profoto A2 Monolight
Profoto's newest light is a jack-of-all-trades for portrait photographers. About the size of a soda can and weighing not much more, the A2 travels like an extra lens in
As a student, much of your life is about making choices and sacrifices. “Should I skip this class and sleep in?” or “Should I go to class even though I’m too tired to pay attention?” There are a lot of hard decisions to make as a student, especially if you’re a burgeoning photographer looking to attain professional status.
But, as a student, means are often limited and you need to be more conscious about what gear to add to your kit. What gear is critical and worth the investment versus what are some of the things you can ignore for now and
Looking for a “can’t leave home without it” gift for a video shooter? Look at the suggestions below and see if you could live without any of these useful gizmos and gadgets often found in a videographer or camera assistant’s kit bag.
1. Media Cases
Secure your SSD cards in a media case like the Pelican 0915 Memory Card Case, or loop the
Let us be serious here—the holidays are no time for fooling around, especially Halloween. If you are looking for that last-minute gift for the video maker in your life, party ideas, or just planning for next year, here are a few treats for you.
Atmosphere
Whether you are shooting a film, throwing a party, or just looking to make an entrance, nothing sets the mood quite like fog. While the thought of a fog machine may conjure images of someone in a bee-keeper outfit with some odd contraption that is a cross between a tea kettle, charcoal-fired
Looking through an on-set or kit bag, you never know what little surprises you may run into. For example, one Assistant Cameraman (A.C.) with whom I studied years ago, used to carry disposable razors. Why, you may ask? An actor with whom that AC once worked was always worried about his five-o’clock shadow, and the makeup person didn’t have a razor. I didn’t carry around disposable razors, but in my time as a camera assistant, gaffer, and D.P., I assembled a rather odd assortment of items. So, I took a stroll thought the B&H website in
LED lighting systems have only improved over the years and, as a result, they are being incorporated into a wide variety of lighting systems designed for shooting stills and video.
As small, lightweight, and portable light systems go, the new Rosco 8 x 8" LitePad Vector CCT LED Light goes a long way. Measuring 9.70 x 12.50 x 2.82" (246 x 318 x 72mm), including its yoke and receiver, Rosco’s Vector CCT LED lamp head outputs a color
After posing for a few gigabytes of formals in a hall, you can sense the wedding party’s palpable relief when, weather permitting, it’s time to take it outside. If you’re lucky enough to have nicely landscaped grounds, it’s a great opportunity to stop fighting with the tungsten light sources inside and take advantage of that flash-friendly sunlight.
Whether you’re just starting out as a wedding photographer or a friend asked you to shoot his or her wedding or you’re a seasoned professional, you’ll need some kind of help to maximize your