Every experienced videographer is no doubt aware of the importance of external lighting sources. Relying on lighting at the ceremony venue is a very dubious undertaking, which will significantly reduce the quality of the shooting. However, using your own lighting equipment, on the contrary, solves many problems. This approach will provide you with high-quality footage even in a dark room or when shooting in the evening in an open area.
Getting the most out of portable lights and projectors depends on several factors. First, you need to clarify the information about the venue in advance and develop a plan for the placement of lighting equipment. In addition, it is very important to have a good understanding of the quality and capabilities of your equipment.
We have prepared for you a small guide on how to make the most of outdoor lighting for wedding videography. We hope that our tips will be useful and will raise your quality to a new level.
Feel the difference between the types of light for wedding videography
Every professional wedding videographer should know the differences between types of ambient lighting. Such knowledge will greatly facilitate the selection of suitable equipment for a particular video shoot in certain conditions. Of course, you can experiment with lights and lighting accessories, but knowing the differences will make your task much easier.
Also, always think about the position of the sun in the equation, as this will give you an idea of how much natural light you can count on.
Reflectors and bounce boards are inexpensive equipment options that you should have in your arsenal. This type of equipment allows you to redirect existing light to places that you think should be better illuminated. They also allow you to balance the shadows.
An on-camera flash is a convenient and effective option. It will provide good lighting right in front of you. Having at least one flash compatible with your camera is also a must-have in your shooting gear arsenal.
Finally, you can use stand-up projectors at your wedding venue. Projectors are less versatile than other light sources, but they provide amazing lighting. They are perfect for dim places and outdoor parties. That being said, the projectors are quite bulky, so you need to place them in advance and make sure they don’t get in the way of the wedding party.
Three-point lighting rule
Now let’s move on to setting the light. The basic rule you need to know is the three-point lighting setup.
What is three-point lighting? This is a lighting equipment configuration that includes a key light, a fill light, and a backlight.
The key light is the main direct intense light source. The fill light is usually placed opposite the key light. It is much less powerful than the main source and is used to eliminate shadows.
The backlight is usually located above and behind the subject. It serves to add depth and three-dimensional effect to the footage captured.
About the importance of light color temperature
The intensity and location of the light is not the only thing you need to pay attention to when filming a wedding. The color temperature of projectors is also of great importance.
Color temperature is measured in Kelvin (K). Cool color tones, such as daylight, have a higher value (about 10,000K). Warm lights have a lower temperature. For example, the light of a candle has a temperature of about 1000K.
The main rule for this section of our guide is to avoid mixing cold and warm light temperatures for the best results.
Mixing these two types of temperatures will create problems with the color balance of your footage. Of course, an experienced wedding film editor can solve this problem, but it is a rather time-consuming and complicated process that can be avoided even at the shooting stage.
Use the lighting you feel most comfortable working with
In wedding videography, there are several ways to achieve almost the same result. There is no one correct textbook, the rules of which must be strictly followed. A lot depends on your comfort during the shooting.
When shooting a wedding, videographers need to pay attention to many things. You often need to move around lights, and maintaining the perfect setting is not always possible.
If you think you can get good results with an external flash attached to your camera, then, by all means, give it a try. If the result is suitable, then this technique can be used in the future. Sometimes it is better to trust your intuition and experience than any rules.
Also, a good wedding videographer needs to be flexible. For example, in a small room, it is simply impossible to install projectors, and then you need to navigate the situation and use the light that is in the room wisely.
It is a good decision to visit the wedding venue in advance and talk to the wedding planner about the types of lighting that will be used. Is there a projector that illuminates the place of the wedding ceremony, or is it possible to install it if necessary? Will there be candles or lanterns on the tables? Such preliminary information will help you to plan your actions and get good footage in almost any condition.
Beware of glares
And finally, the last thing we recommend paying attention to is glare.
Light tends to bounce off shiny surfaces. Therefore, glare is something you will encounter quite often. The best solution is to conduct a preliminary test to determine the most suitable location for shooting.
Things get a little more complicated when you use flashes attached to your camera. In this case, it is also worth moving around and experimenting with the settings. If possible, you can repeat some frames that show flare.
For even better results, you can invite second or even more videographers. Thus, you will receive shots of the same event from different places, and when editing the film, you can choose the best of them. By the way, this ensures not only quality but also diversity.
Conclusion
We have given you the basic rules for using lighting when filming a wedding. But as with any creative process, with experience, you can develop your own rules.
The main thing is not to be afraid to experiment and try new ideas. You can achieve a lot with creative light placement and camera adjustments.
Another important thing is to discuss these experiments with clients in advance and get their consent.
