There’s no doubt that taking pictures has never been easier, thanks to the availability of smartphones and affordable digital cameras. However, taking great photographs is an entirely different story. If you’re looking for high-quality photos for your business or personal use, then you should consider hiring a professional photographer. In this D&O Lighting article, we’ll explore some of the best reasons why hiring a professional is better than DIY and why you should consider it for your next photoshoot.
To put it simply, professional photographers know exactly what they’re doing. They have years of training and experience in photography, which enables them to produce high-quality photos. Although smartphones and cameras can produce decent images, they can't match the level of detail and quality that professional cameras and equipment can deliver.
Real estate can be a tricky industry to take photographs in since properties need to look both attractive and spacious. A professional photographer knows how to position the camera to showcase the best features of a property and can help create a warm and inviting atmosphere in photos. Listing a property with professional photography leads to more listings and a quicker turnaround.
Wedding photography is a unique art form, and only a skilled photographer can capture the essence of a perfect wedding. Moreover, during the hustle and bustle of a wedding day, it can be hard to capture memorable moments with an easy-to-use camera. Professional photographers know how to create beautiful wedding albumsthat tell a story and leave you with memories that will last a lifetime.
Can you take a great headshot of yourself with your smartphone? Maybe. But a professional portrait involves more than just snapping a picture. Professional portrait photographers know how to position you, how to use different lighting and camera angles to make you look your best, and how to use post-processing software to enhance your photos.
You might think that a family photo with a smartphone is perfectly fine, but a family portrait with a professional photographer is a lifetime memory. Professional family photographers know how to keep kids and adults engaged and comfortable, and how to capture the best moments from your family dynamic.
If you're serious about selling your property, then you can't afford not to invest in professional listing photos. A skilled photographer can capture the essence of your home or business and showcase its best features in a way that appeals to potential buyers. By highlighting its unique selling points with high-quality images, you're more likely to attract serious inquiries and make a faster sale. Don't leave the impression of your valuable property to chance; trust a professional to make it stand out in a crowded market with confidence.
Business owners often rely on their phone cameras for taking pictures of their products. However, product photography requires specific knowledge and skills to reveal the product's best features while highlighting the value it brings to the customer. Professional product photographers know how to create high-quality images that showcase your products in the best light.
Finding and hiring a professional photographer is easier than ever before. Start by looking at their online portfolio and reviews posted by previous clients to ensure you find someone who fits your style and taste. Consult with them about their services, and remember to ask about pricing, as it varies depending on the type of photography required.
There are a lot of good reasons why you should hire a professional photographer. From quality shots to beautiful memories, hiring a professional can bring to your life the results you dream of. If you are looking to create professional content for your business or to capture precious family moments, investing in professional photography is always worth it.
D&O Lighting provides batteries and professional-grade lighting equipment for your next project. Explore the site to see the products we offer.
]]>Both V-mount and Gold-mount camera batteries are popular choices for professional videographers and photographers due to their reliability, power capacity, and versatility. While V-mount batteries are characterized by their V-shaped mounting system, Gold-mount batteries utilize a three-stud configuration for secure attachment. Despite their differences, both systems offer excellent performance for various camera setups. To make the most out of your investment, it's crucial to follow some expert tips for maximizing their performance and longevity.
One of the essential aspects of maintaining your V-mount or Gold-mount camera batteries is proper storage and handling. By adhering to the following guidelines, you can significantly extend the life of your batteries:
Avoid exposing your batteries to extreme temperatures, as this can negatively impact their performance and lifespan. Store your V-mount and Gold-mount batteries in a cool, dry place, ideally at room temperature.
Before storing your batteries for an extended period, charge them to approximately 50-70% capacity. This practice helps prevent capacity loss and prolongs the overall life of your batteries.
Proper charging practices play a significant role in maximizing the performance and life of your camera batteries. Keep the following tips in mind when charging your V-mount or Gold-mount batteries:
Invest in a high-quality charger specifically designed for your battery type. A reliable charger can help ensure optimal charging performance and prevent potential damage to your batteries.
Charging your batteries at extreme temperatures can negatively impact their performance. Ensure that the charging environment is within the recommended temperature range specified by the battery manufacturer.
Regularly monitoring the health of your V-mount and Gold-mount batteries can help you identify potential issues and ensure optimal performance:
Periodically measure the voltage and capacity of your batteries using a multimeter or battery analyzer. This will help you identify if your batteries are holding their charge and if they need to be replaced.
Regularly inspect your batteries for any signs of physical damage, such as swelling, cracks, or leaks. Damaged batteries can pose a risk to your camera gear and should be replaced immediately.
Effective power management techniques can help prolong the life of your camera batteries while maximizing their performance:
When not in use, turn off any camera accessories that consume power, such as monitors, lights, or wireless transmitters. This will help conserve battery life and allow for longer shooting sessions.
Take advantage of your camera's built-in power-saving features, such as sleep mode or auto-off settings, to conserve battery life during periods of inactivity.
By following these expert tips, you can maximize the performance of your V-mount and Gold-mount camera batteries, ensuring a reliable and efficient power source for your camera setup.]]>Batteries can be divided up into three different sections that work together to produce electricity. This is called the battery cell. The middle section of the cell contains electrolytes. On either side of this are electrodes. The electrodes can be found on the outer side of your battery. When you pick up your battery you will notice the positive (+) and the negative (-). The positive side is known as the cathode and the negative as the anode.
When an electrical circuit is attached to either side of the battery an electrical current is produced. The anode reacts with the electrolyte causing electrons to flow through the circuit. This begins at the anode and it works its way around to the cathode. Once it’s back at the cathode it continues into the electrolyte which further reacts with the anode, producing a consistent flow of electricity through the circuit. This electrical flow shall continue until all of the electrolyte chemicals have been spent. At this point, you either need to replace or recharge your battery.
Not every battery needs to have a charger or power station to recharge them as some of them are single-time use. Primary cell batteries, otherwise known as lithium batteries, are non-rechargeable. Primary cell batteries use the metal, lithium as their anode. These batteries last a long time compared to their non-rechargeable counterparts and are commonly found in digital cameras, pacemakers, and digital watches. Lithium batteries are not as common as they once were due to not being chargeable. Additionally, they can be dangerous as lithium is a highly reactive metal, making any attempts to re-charge it difficult and problematic.
Lithium-ion batteries have secondary cells, which gives them the ability to be recharged easily. Our modern world is highly dependent on these types of batteries due to their rechargeable nature. Phones, laptops, and almost any portable electronic piece of kit that you own are powered by a secondary cell battery. They differentiate from primary cell batteries as the electrodes on either side are built from a combination of both lithium and carbon.
Although they don’t hold the electrical storage quite as good as primary cell batteries, lithium-ion batteries still hold electricity relatively well if they are well maintained and can be recharged quickly to continue its usage. They have a more complicated operating system than primary cell batteries. Inside the battery are several electrical producing lithium-ion cells and other segments such as a small computer that controls the voltage, temperature and the power levels of the battery. The computer system is essential for the lithium-ion battery to work, making it a more advanced system than a traditional lithium battery.
You should partially charge your battery. Leaving your battery to lose all of its power and then to recharge it fully shall work. But not for too long. It is a common myth that batteries should be fully worn out before recharging them to restore ‘battery memory’. Instead, it is better to charge your batteries in smaller doses and consistently maintaining an amount of electrical power inside them.
When secondary cell batteries are at the lower end of their charge scale, they start to draw constant current and begin to work on a low voltage. You may have noticed this on your mobile phone when it starts to reach the lower ends of the battery. A notification pops up, offering you to go to power-saving mode. When the power saving mode it does just that, and your phone operates at a lower voltage level.
When a battery is working at a low voltage it extends the batteries life, with the optimum power levels for prolonging it is between 30-80%. Try to keep your batteries in roughly this range if you wish to extend their lifespan. The most favorable way of keeping your battery living longer is to recharge it every time it drops by 20% of its capacity. Although this is not practical for most people it can extend your battery life by up to four times as much, compared to if you let it drop to 0% then fully recharge it every single time.
Many of you will charge your electronic devices overnight or all day and then either forget about them or don’t worry about them as you know that they will be fully charged when you return to them. This can cause a couple of problems for your batteries and devices. Firstly, a constant stream of electricity going into the battery may cause the lithium to plate. This can curtail the strength of the battery and cause your electronic device to be impaired in the future. It also causes your battery to undergo a high pressure of voltage and creates unnecessary heat from the excess electricity.
Once your battery is at its 100% capacity you should remove it from the charger or power station. After this, just top it up in small doses as required, making sure that it does not sit in the power outlet at 100% over a long time. Additionally, you should not use your device when you are charging its battery. This is known as a parasitic load when the battery is being drained at the same time as being charged. This is not good for the battery as it causes mini-cycles of electrical surges, when one piece of the battery is in a repeated loop, making it wear down at a faster rate than the rest of the battery. This applies mostly to doing heavy activities that use more power such as watching a movie on your phone - a few text messages won’t cause any harm.
Having your battery exposed to high temperatures will cause it to deteriorate quickly. High temperatures will cause stress to the cells and make it lose its power capabilities a lot faster than if it were to be kept in an environment that has lower temperatures. In general, a battery kept at temperatures below 30 degrees Celcius should still have approximately 80% of its electrical capacity after a year of regular use. When kept in the 30-40 degrees Celcius region this will diminish to between 60-70% of its capacity. Beyond 40 degrees, the battery shall be made redundant in the spae of just a few months.
If your battery is at full capacity and exposed to high heat this will cause the most damage. If it is an excessively hot day, then try to not maintain it at full capacity, and instead below 80%, o you can ensure that big damage is not done to it. A couple of other steps can also be made to stop this. Do not leave your battery charging in a covered area, such as under a pillow or blanket and likewise, don’t leave it exposed to the hot sun for long periods if you can help it. If you follow this, if you live in a hot area will mean fewer problems trying to get it replaced, saving you time and money.
With this in mind, be wary of long term use of quick charging chargers and power stations. These are particularly if you need to get power into your battery quickly, and by all means, use them for this. However, be careful not to leave them charging in these ports at full capacity for long periods. Fast charging devices bring forward higher currents and voltage levels, creating heat, which can impact the usefulness of your battery over the long term.
Hopefully after reading this short guide to the importance of chargers and power stations for your batteries you have a better understanding of how your battery function and how to charge it in a manner that is safe and maintains your battery life over the long term. Lithium-ion batteries are now the standard use batteries throughout the world, however they are often used in a manner that is detrimental to the condition to the battery.
By making smaller and more frequent charges and not leaving your battery plugged into its charger or power station once it has hit 100% capacity you can prolong your battery's life to the maximum effect. Also, keeping your battery at a lower temperature shall extend its life span and prevent damage being extended into the device that you use your battery for. Likewise, using your device whilst its charging and overuse of power chargers should be avoided. A few simple changes to your charging habits shall help to ensure that your battery and electronic appliance lasts as long as possible.
The Importance of Lithium Batteries in Air Travel
Lithium batteries are indispensable for modern air travelers, powering a variety of electronic devices that keep passengers connected, entertained, and productive during flights. The convenience of having access to these gadgets has made lithium batteries an essential part of air travel.
Benefits of Carrying Lithium Batteries on Planes
The transportation of lithium batteries on planes offers several advantages, including:
Enhanced Connectivity and Productivity
Travelers often rely on their electronic devices for communication, work, and entertainment during flights. By allowing lithium batteries on planes, airlines enable passengers to stay connected and productive throughout their journey.
Emergency Power Supply
Lithium batteries can serve as an emergency power source for essential electronic devices in case of unforeseen circumstances. In this capacity, they provide a valuable backup resource during travel.
Despite their undeniable benefits, lithium batteries also pose potential risks when transported on airplanes, such as:
Lithium batteries can overheat and ignite under certain conditions, posing a fire hazard on aircraft. These fires can be challenging to extinguish and may cause severe damage to the airplane and its passengers.
Improper handling or storage of lithium batteries can result in damage or leakage, leading to potential short-circuiting and increased fire risk. This highlights the importance of proper transportation and storage procedures.
To minimize the risks associated with carrying lithium batteries on planes, travelers should follow these safety guidelines:
Airlines and regulatory authorities, such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), have established guidelines for transporting lithium batteries on planes. Travelers should familiarize themselves with these policies to ensure compliance.
When transporting lithium batteries, they should be securely packed in their original packaging or a protective case to prevent damage. Batteries should be isolated from metal objects to avoid short-circuiting, and any loose terminals should be covered with insulating tape.
Lithium batteries should be transported in carry-on luggage whenever possible to minimize the risk of fire spreading in the cargo hold. Most airlines prohibit lithium ion batteries in checked luggage, those batteries must be put into carry on and screened through security before the departure gate.
lithium batteries, air travel, electronic devices, smartphones, laptops, cameras, convenience, connectivity, connectivity, productivity, communication, work, entertainment, flights, emergency power supply, essential electronic devices, unforeseen circumstances, backup resource, fire hazards, lithium batteries, overheating, ignition, aircraft, extinguishing, damage, damage, leakage, lithium batteries, short-circuiting, fire risk, transportation, storage procedures, airline policies, regulatory authorities, International Air Transport Association (IATA), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), guidelines, compliance, proper packaging, storage, protective case, damage prevention, short-circuiting, insulating tape
]]>
Understanding AI and Its Role in Film Production
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that deals with the development of intelligent machines that can perform tasks that would typically require human intelligence. AI is becoming increasingly popular in various industries, including film production.
AI can help film production companies in several ways. For example, it can be used to automate tedious and time-consuming tasks, such as editing and post-production. AI can also be used to enhance the visual effects of films, making them more engaging and visually appealing. Additionally, AI can be used to analyze data and provide valuable insights that can be used to improve the quality of films and optimize production processes.
Using AI to Automate Tasks
One of the main advantages of AI is its ability to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks. Film production companies can use AI to automate tasks such as data entry, file organization, and transcription. By automating these tasks, production companies can save a significant amount of time and reduce the risk of errors.
For example, AI-powered transcription software can transcribe audio and video recordings in real-time. This can save editors a significant amount of time and allow them to focus on more critical tasks, such as storytelling and creative editing.
Using AI to Enhance Visual Effects
AI can be used to enhance the visual effects of films, making them more engaging and visually appealing. For example, AI can be used to create realistic and complex 3D animations, which would typically require a significant amount of time and expertise.
AI can also be used to enhance the quality of visual effects by improving the lighting, color grading, and composition of scenes. By using AI-powered tools, production companies can achieve a higher level of realism and create more immersive and engaging films.
Using AI to Analyze Data and Improve Film Quality
AI can be used to analyze data and provide valuable insights that can be used to improve the quality of films and optimize production processes. For example, AI can be used to analyze audience data and identify trends and patterns that can be used to create more engaging and relevant films.
AI can also be used to analyze production data, such as shooting schedules and budgets, to identify areas where production processes can be optimized. By using AI-powered tools, production companies can make data-driven decisions and improve the overall efficiency of their operations.
Implementing AI in your film production company can be challenging, but it is essential if you want to stay ahead of the competition. Here are some steps you can take to implement AI in your production processes:
AI in Pre-Production
Pre-production is the planning stage of filmmaking, where the script is written, cast is selected, and locations are scouted. AI can help film production companies in several ways during this stage:
Script Analysis
AI-powered software can analyze the script and provide insights on the plot, characters, dialogue, and pacing. This can help screenwriters and directors identify areas that need improvement and optimize the story for maximum impact.
Casting
AI can help casting directors find the right actors for a role by analyzing their performance history, physical appearance, and social media presence. This can save time and money spent on auditions and ensure that the right actor is chosen for the role.
Location Scouting
AI-powered tools can analyze a script and suggest suitable locations based on the story's requirements, weather conditions, and logistical feasibility. This can save time and money spent on scouting locations and ensure that the right location is chosen for the scene.
AI in Production
Production is the stage where the film is actually shot. AI can help film production companies in several ways during this stage:
Camera Tracking
AI can help cinematographers track the movement of the camera and ensure that shots are perfectly aligned. This can save time spent on reshoots and post-production.
Automated Lighting
AI-powered lighting systems can adjust the lighting automatically based on the scene's requirements, saving time and money spent on manual adjustments.
Image Analysis
AI-powered software can analyze the footage and provide insights on color grading, contrast, and saturation. This can help post-production teams make better decisions and save time spent on revisions.
AI in Post-Production
Post-production is the stage where the film is edited, sound is added, and visual effects are created. AI can help film production companies in several ways during this stage:
Automated Editing
AI-powered editing software can analyze the footage and suggest edits based on the story's requirements, pacing, and style. This can save time spent on manual editing and ensure that the final product meets the director's vision.
Sound Analysis
AI-powered tools can analyze the audio and suggest adjustments to the sound levels, equalization, and effects. This can save time spent on manual adjustments and ensure that the audio is optimized for maximum impact.
Visual Effects
AI-powered software can create stunning visual effects, such as CGI characters, explosions, and weather effects. This can save time and money spent on manual effects creation and ensure that the effects are realistic and seamless.
AI in Distribution
Distribution is the stage where the film is marketed and released to the public. AI can help film production companies in several ways during this stage:
Targeted Marketing
AI-powered marketing tools can analyze the audience's preferences and suggest the best marketing strategies to reach them. This can save time and money spent on ineffective marketing campaigns and ensure that the film reaches the right audience.
Release Planning
AI can help film production companies plan the release of their film by analyzing the competition, market trends, and audience preferences. This can save time and money spent on ineffective release strategies and ensure that the film has the best chance of success.
Piracy Protection
AI-powered anti-piracy software can detect and prevent piracy of the film, ensuring that the film's revenue is protected.
Lithium-ion batteries revolutionized battery technology and are essential to the growing electric vehicle market. At a pedestrian level, lithium-ion technology enables impossibly thin and light laptops, tablets, and smartphones while ensuring screens stay bright for a full day's work or more.
Mobile scooters for the disabled can transport people further and faster without the excessive weight of traditional lead-acid batteries slowing them down. Photographers can happily snap away without stressing about where the closest power outlet is.
Batteries don't weigh as much or take up as much space in their kit as they used to, which means more versatility because no lens gets left behind.
Lithium-ion batteries changed the world, but how did it all start? Where do the materials come from? And how are lithium-ion batteries created? Read on to learn about the history of lithium-ion batteries and how they came to dominate in a world craving portable energy.
The first experiments with lithium as a power storage medium happened as far back as 1912, but the oil crisis of the 1970s inspired the work for a new battery type.
An English chemist named Stanly Whittingham dreamed of a fossil fuel-free future and started working on a new idea he had for a high-density battery with a fast charge rate.
The first lithium batteries used a combination of lithium metal and titanium disulfide at the electrodes. Unfortunately, the early prototypes’ propensity for catching fire soon put them out of contention.
A physicist and engineering professor at the University of Texas named John Goodenough expanded on Whittingham's work in the 1980s. Goodenough used lithium cobalt oxide as the cathode, which doubled the battery's energy potential.
Five years later, Akira Yoshino, a Japanese chemist at Meijo University in Nagoya, Japan, took the idea further by experimenting with petroleum coke, a carbonaceous material that enhanced stability for a better-performing battery. It was Yoshino's work that led to a viable lithium-ion battery prototype.
Lithium-ion batteries grew in popularity during the 1990s, showing up in more and more devices because of their lightweight, high-density energy storage, and excellent safety record.
Lithium is an extremely light metal with excellent electrochemical potential and high energy density compared to nickel-cadmium batteries. Lithium-ion also has a higher energy potential of 3.6 volts (compared to a Ni-Cad’s 1.25V per cell), so a battery with a single cell can easily power a smartphone.
A lithium-ion battery does not need priming and only requires a standard charge before use. Another standout feature is that lithium-ion batteries have a much lower discharge rate than nickel-cadmium batteries, making them much easier to store and manage.
Ni-Cad batteries and their dreaded memory effect require extra diligence in battery management to ensure they can always carry a full charge. Lithium-ion batteries have no such limitations.
As the demand for lithium batteries grows, largely fueled by the expanding electric vehicle market, the world will continue to need increasing amounts of lithium. So, where does lithium come from, and what processes does it go through before it reaches your camera battery or electric vehicle?
Lithium is a naturally occurring element (Li) and a malleable and lightweight metal. It possesses such a low density that it will float on water and is soft enough to cut with a knife. However, it's such a highly reactive alkali that it will burst into a bright red flame if you do try to float a piece.
Lithium mining extracts the metal from hard rock and brine, with the largest sources found in aquifers under salt lake deserts. Brine harvesting is the most common extraction method, but the extracted lithium is a lower grade than that sourced from hard rock mining.
Higher grade lithium from hard rock increases expenses because you need geological surveys and expensive mining equipment to extract it.
Lithium is found in trace amounts in challenging terrains, making it a challenging and costly metal to mine regardless of the method and location.
The world produces around 85,000 tons of lithium annually, and almost 60% goes into battery production. The volume of lithium production has increased by 335% from 2008 to 2018, and the estimated quantity of lithium stores is around 14 million tons [source].
In the salt deserts of South America, brine is pumped from underground aquifers into a holding pond. As the water evaporates under the sun, it leaves a salty residue that is shipped off to the processing facility to extract the lithium.
More traditional ore mining methods are used in hard rock mining, where the lithium ore is dug out from open pits before the extracted rock is crushed and processed. Lithium ore mining is common in Australia, while places like Chile and Argentina extract the metal from salt deserts called salars.
All batteries, including your favorite V-mount camera battery, work by moving electrons between anodes and cathodes. The anode loses electrons while the cathode gains them. In lithium batteries, electrons are freed from lithium ions to create voltage.
Batteries are created from four components: an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte, and a separator. The battery generates electricity through chemical reactions in lithium. Because lithium is so active in its natural form, a combination of lithium and oxygen is used to create lithium oxide for the cathode.
The cathode where the lithium oxide is stored is the active compound of the battery and plays the most important role in defining the characteristics of the battery, such as its capacity, energy density, and voltage.
When a conducting circuit connects the anode and cathode, the battery enters a discharge state. Positively charged lithium ions flow through the electrolyte from the anode back to the cathode while the electrons move through the circuit before joining the ions back at the cathode.
The electrolyte plays a critical role because without it, you would not have a usable battery. Electrons have a negative charge, and as they move through the circuit, you need a way to balance the negative charge movement with positively charged ions.
So, while negatively charged electrons move through the wire, a corresponding volume of positively charged lithium ions must travel through the electrolyte. This transfer is handled by the cathode, with the chemical reaction pulling in positively charged ions from the electrolyte.
You still need a way to prevent all the released ions from moving freely through the electrolyte, so a semi-permeable barrier is installed between the two electrodes. Without this barrier, ions would end up covering both electrodes and preventing the flow of electricity.
In non-rechargeable batteries, the flow of electrons from the anode to the cathode is one-way. The battery is done when the build-up of reaction products stops the process from continuing and rendering the battery useless.
Lithium-ion batteries use electrode materials that allow the chemical reaction to be reversed, sending positive ions and electrons back into the anode to give it a new lease on life.
Your battery gauge will show a minor reduction in capacity if there is some time between recharging your V-mount battery and its next use. This loss is because of a lithium battery's self-discharge rate, which is around 2 - 3 percent per month. Still, it’s a significant improvement from the 10% self-discharge typical with Ni-Cad batteries.
A lithium-ion V-mount battery will have enough juice to keep you productive after three months in storage. In comparison, a Ni-Cad will have lost almost half its capacity and will be slow to recharge as well.
While lithium-ion camera batteries offer significant improvements in self-discharge rates, there is currently no way to entirely eliminate the chemical reaction, even when they are not in use. It's the internal reactions that cause the electrical density of the battery to deplete while in storage.
You can get more mileage and safety out of a lithium-ion camera battery by managing its storage. Monitor your stored V-mount battery’s charge and make sure it maintains at least a 40 percent charge. Develop a battery management procedure that ensures batteries stored for 6 months or more are checked regularly and topped up as needed.
The voltage of the cells of a lithium-ion camera battery that drops below 40 percent will reduce to around 2 volts. This state can cause the battery to overheat, become unstable, and suffer further degradation from electromechanical stress. Fortunately, lithium-ions can be stored for around ten years without impacting their storage capacity, provided you don’t expose them to temperature extremes.
Do you need professional advice on your V-mount camera batteries, or are you after high-quality camera batteries that will last the distance and keep you productive all day? Get in touch or visit our website today to learn more.
If photography is defined as a painting work, lighting will then the painting brush. Because without lighting technique, photography is totally useless and incomplete.
Lighting can make a photograph accurate and attractive, which is mandatory for taking any shot. In this article, you can take valuable ideas about the lighting in photography, its different types, and when they should be used as well as how they affect your photography.
Photography lighting refers to the technique that determines the point of light source. It can be natural or manmade. Everything, including brightness, color, and attitude, could be influenced mostly by the angle and quality of lighting in the ultimate photograph.
Photography lighting is a broad term that encompasses many different types of equipment and techniques. To truly master your photography lighting setup, you should have a good understanding of all the different system components available.
Lighting is defined as the most important ingredient in the field of Photography. As a matter of fact, the two words of the Greek language ‘lighting and painting’ were combined to make the term photography.
Photographers capture light waves on a light-sensitive material to produce a picture. Because it is impossible to take a proper shot without lighting.
You would be a great photographer by the two techniques:
Because through these processes, you'll begin to understand the best way to utilize the light source for just any specific project and configuration.
Whether you are going to make portrait photographs, landscapes, or still life photographs, the fact is that your lighting decisions will be influenced by these two things.
The first thing is the features and characteristics of your subject, and the second thing is how you wish them to make an appearance in your photograph.
For example, hard light is sharper, and it will highlight curves and any surfaces that's not totally leveled, like a seashore wave or a supermodel with skin problems. However, soft light will soothe comparable imperfections.
Lighting plays a key role in the making of flourishing photos. Because it affects the tone, mode, and environment in addition to the brightness and darkness.
You must have effective knowledge to control and regulate lighting to achieve the best appearance, color vibrancy, and luminosity. By utilizing shadows and highlights, you can make a lot of professional photographs.
It is necessary to have affluent knowledge about the use of lighting, such as shaping, positioning, and manipulating light in photography. Because a good lighting sense plays the most important role in the making of remarkable and outstanding photos.
In positioning light, the source of your light has such a significant influence on the fact that it drops on the subject. Light coming from the lens and staring right at the subject produces extremely flat lighting.
In the context of shaping light, applying a diffusion to the source of light can help to decrease glaring and sharp shadows, as well as blur flaws on the object.
It makes the artificial light appear smoother and more organic. This can be done by making use of softboxes, parasols, and so on.
In photography, there are various kinds of lights, which produce diverse results. You should have proficient knowledge about when and how to use what sorts of lights.
Natural light means the sort of light that creates illumination instead of any human intervention. It could be the light melted directly from the sun in the daytime and from the moon at nightfall. Also, it could be the light diffused by clouds or fog.
What is meant by natural light in Photography?
In photography, there are mainly two types of lighting: natural light and artificial light. Natural light is described as a lighting that would be created naturally without any manual interference.
In addition, this organic lighting could be perfect for taking a photographic shot, and there is no need to create any artificial light.
Flat light means when the source of light directly throws illumination in front of the subject. It usually happens when there are no shadows in the bright light, also in the shadows, when no straight dazzling light is available. Flat light is distinct from soft or harsh light.
What is flat light in photography?
The type of illumination which originates directly on the front side of the object instead of variations is commonly known as flat light. This kind of lighting usually necessitates the use of artificial lighting to keep it more delightful.
It is widely utilized in the photography of everyday life, like portraits and product pictures.
When should you use flat lighting?
If you want to use flat light during photography you must have an appropriate sense of when this kind of lighting should be utilized.
Backlighting in photography refers to a recognized light technique in which the source of light spreads illumination behind any subject in order to create deep effects like separating the subject from its background.
What is backlighting in photography?
Backlit photography occurs when the source of light focuses directly behind your object, and the object is precisely between both your camera and light.
It is an excellent time to start playing with lengthy shadows and silhouettes in any photography.
When should you use a backlight?
In photography, backlighting could be a great option in some cases:
Short lighting is defined as a lighting process in which the distant part of an object’s face would be bright. In this context, the closest side of the camera will be in shadow and darkness, and the distant side will be in the light.
What is short lighting in photography?
When light shines from behind and illuminates only one side of the face of a person, it is called short light. Short lighting is totally different from broad lighting.
It is fundamentally utilized in making classic portrait photography.
When should you use Short Lighting?
Short lighting would be helpful in some contexts:
Broad light refers to a sort of illuminating technique in which one side of the face would be more brightened being closest to the camera. In addition to this, it also creates shadows in the further side of the face.
What is Broad Lighting in Photography?
Board light means a pattern of photographic illumination approach wherein the illumination is slanted down only the closest side of the camera from a broad source of light.
In photography, the broad lighting process is almost different from short light.
When should you use Broad Lighting?
There are numerous moments when you can use broad lighting:
Split lighting could be defined as a photographic lighting approach in which one part of the face would be lighted in contrast to the other part would be left in dark and shadows.
It usually happens when the main light is set up far from one side of the object as well as when fill light is abolished entirely.
What is split lighting in Photography?
In photography, when the light falls upon the object at a 90 ° angle, it is called split lighting. This type of lighting draws a direct line across the face of an object, wherever you can find one side entirely delighted and the other side almost darkened.
When should you use split lighting?
Split light is used for some reasons:
Rim lighting means a technique when a light is positioned at the back of a subject and illuminates the outline of it. This lighting process emphasizes a subject's outlines and makes a stunning and ominous impact.
What is Rim light in Photography?
In photography, the rim light is created by backlighting from the subject at a certain position. According to your direction, this lighting will strike your subject and create a brilliant highlight across it.
When should you use a rim light?
You can use rim light in a number of ways:
Loop lighting is a lighting technique that forms a round shade on the face of a subject immediately around the nose, neck and chin. A smooth, diffusing light source is frequently utilized to make loop lighting in photographic work.
What is loop lighting?
Loop lighting technique is indeed considered in making portrait photography. Photographers usually consider this technique less dramatic than the other lighting method. Loop lighting helps to make a portrait stunning.
In order to create a portrait photograph, loop lighting plays a mandatory role. You can make loop lighting with just a single source of light.
It flatters the loop lights and makes it more interesting for portraiture shooting.
Why do photographers use loop lighting?
Loop light includes a simple setup.
A fill light in photography refers to a lighting process which reveals the features and shapes of a subject that are hidden by the main beam's shadow. In a typical three-point luminaire system, fill light is the secondary source.
What is fill lighting in Photography?
The term fill light is usually known for a technique that uses a lighting source to enlighten any shadows of a subject.
In the typical three-point illuminating configuration, fill light is really a single source. It could be a deciding factor in any illumination setup.
When should you use Fill Lighting?
Fill light could be used at any time, such as during daytime or sunset. But it could be best for use in some contexts.
Butterfly lighting is a portrait lighting technique in which the primary light is positioned above and focused downward on the face of the subject. It makes a stunning shadow beneath the chin and nose of a subject.
What is Butterfly Lighting?
In photography, butterfly lighting means when the key light is placed above and gives attention to the face of a subject, especially to make portrait photography.
For molding face shape, butterfly lighting is the most appealing illumination approach.
When should you use Butterfly Lighting?
As an attractive lighting method, butterfly lighting is used in some special sectors.
Rembrandt lighting is a sort of side lighting that reflects with a rectangle of illumination under the eye side of the face, and produces attractive light with less equipment, and which is in some cases similar to split lighting.
What is Rembrandt Lighting in Photography?
Rembrandt lighting refers to a technique that generates perfectly natural and captivating photographs with less item. It could be made with only one light and reflector.
In studio portrait photography and filmmaking, Rembrandt lighting is a standard lighting method.
When should you use Rembrandt Lighting?
This sort of lighting is helpful:
Soft lighting is a light source that is warm but harmonious, with little strong edges. In the process of soft lighting, the movement among shadows and lights seems more like a spectrum and considerably softer.
What is Soft Light Photography?
Soft lighting happens when a source of light is diffused, resulting in a more subtle effect than with a straight light source.
Soft light will result in fewer, if any, dramatic shadows and a smaller distinction between both the darks and lights in your photograph.
When should you use Soft Light?
Soft light is indeed more authentic and indigenous than hard light.
Hard light refers to a strong lighting technique which spreads dazzling shadows and focuses on the exact part of the subject. In this process, the adaptation between light and shadow could be hard and clarified.
What is Hard Light Photography?
In photography, hard lighting is a process which provides harsh shadows and effective contrast, and produces dramatic and edgy visuals. It is the absolute opposite of soft light.
In this process, the shift between light and shadow in hard illumination is particularly sharp as well as distinct. Your subject's outline would create a clear, sharp shade when illuminated in hard light.
When should you use Hard light?
Hard light has numerous variety of dimensions:
Side lighting means a lighting process of side illumination is applied to give the object more contour and dimension. The light is coming from the side of the subject, giving it a multi appearance.
What is side lighting?
Side lighting is an illumination method that focuses on the one edge of an object. The angle of side lighting is determined by the subject's position or the light's position but is ultimately characterized by exposing only one side of a subject.
Why do photographers use side lighting?
Side light could be used for several purposes:
When planning to set up a photography studio you need to keep in mind the light of photography. Studio lights are any type of luminaires used by shooters to improve the photography, usually in a studio. There are several different types of studio lighting that you can use, but it is important to know what each type is and how they're used.
Below we will try to give you a brief rundown of the common types of lights used in photography studios and the situations you might use them for.
Key Light
Key light is usually a one-directed illumination. It can also be multi-dimensional, with numerous lights arriving from distinct shapes on either part of the object, confirming that they are luminous from every viewpoint.
Fill Light
A fill light in photography refers to a lighting process which reveals the features and shapes of a subject that are hidden by the main beam's shadow. In a typical three-point luminaire system, fill light is the secondary source.
Hair Light / Separation Light / Kicker
Kicker light is a light that highlights the edges of a subject. This light should just drop on a tiny segment of the body, such as the hairline. The light will be made limited to avoid hitting a significant portion of the object.
Background light
The background light is an illumination process in which the source of light focuses directly behind the subject. In this lighting, the subject takes place precisely between both the camera and light.
Camera Mounted Flash
A Camera Mounted flash is just a form of flashing light that could be connected straightly to the camera. It's great that all modern cameras have built in pop-up flashes, but there are times when you'll want more control over your light. This is when a camera-mounted flash becomes useful!
What is the best light for taking pictures?
If you utilize proper lighting in taking pictures, you should have a proficient lighting sense of photography. Because the best lighting option will vary according to your photograph’s type and the environment.
How many types of lights are there in photography?
There are more than fifty types of photography lighting, such as backlighting, flat lighting, soft lighting, hard lighting, and so on.
What are the two types of lighting in photography?
The main two types of lighting in photography are natural lighting and artificial lighting.
Natural lighting means when there is no human interference to create any lighting for photography.
In contrast, artificial lighting refers to the lighting technique which is created by human intervention by using various equipment.
Which types of light should you use for a portrait?
Photographers mostly use some effective lighting techniques for a portrait. They are Flat lighting, Loop lighting, Rembrandt lighting, Short lighting, Broad lighting, Butterfly lighting, etc.
What are the types of natural photography light?
There are different kinds of natural photography lights available, such as backlighting, shade lighting, side lighting, direct lighting, etc.
What is the top light in photography?
Top lighting in photography refers to a strong beam shining straight down on the subject to make a dramatic and mysterious scene.
How important is studio lighting in photography?
Studio lighting plays an important role in photography. Because in some cases, there is no way to take a photoshoot outdoors.
Lighting is essential for making any photograph. Good photography is all about working with light, so having a better grasp on this aspect of the craft can benefit you. Having a proficient lighting sense, a photographer can achieve professional-level results.
Hope this article has helped you understand the types of lighting and their usage.
When you have a naturally creative mindset, you want to be surrounded by your art. And, if you’re no longer happy with your nine-to-five grind, you might be wondering if you can use your artistic talents to support yourself. The answer: yes.
People Pay for Creativity
Something that many artists don’t realize is that not everyone is born with the creative gene. For example, while everyone has access to cameras, not everyone has the time, money, or eye for photography or videography. This is partly why these services are so popular for events, such as weddings and corporate functions. However, it is not simply enough to have talent, you must also have a mind for business.
Setting Up Your New Business
Still using the photography/videography example from above, it’s time to think about getting your new business set up and running. A few tips here that can also be translated across many different creative endeavors include:
Once you get up and running, you can think about transitioning from a part-time role into using your creative talents for a full-time income. But, until then, take it slow, and give yourself the time to refine how you operate so that you have it down and won’t have to skip a beat jumping from one project to the next.
Call D&O Lighting today for your battery and lighting needs. 331.701.1692]]>
There’s a good and a bad thing about starting a filmmaking business - there’s a low barrier to entry. All you reallyneed is a decent camera, a tripod and some lighting equipment. But because that’s all you need there’s a ton of competition so I want to help you find a way to differentiate yourself from the pack.
Let’s start with the essential gear you’ll need to get started:
The Camera
Let’s start with the best camera is the one you have on you - your smartphone. Certainly a capable tool for shooting TikTok or Instagram Reels, some individuals have a made a career out of shooting almost exclusively with an iPhone, such as @jordi.koalitic on Instagram, who has 5.6+ million followers on that platform (and that doesn’t include YouTube, TikTok, etc.).
Realistically though, if you’re ready to make the plunge to starting a filmmaking business, I would start with the camera most appropriate for your niche. If it’s wedding films, perhaps you want a good hybrid - such as a full frame Sony mirrorless camera such as the Sony A7 III. Or if you’ll be shooting a lot of run-and-gun, and you want something with the best in-class stabilization with less rolling shutter, perhaps the Panasonic GH5 is your best bet. Or perhaps you’ve been in the business for quite some time and you’re ready to start a high-end filmmaking business, then perhaps one of the RED cameras is what you’re after. Whatever it is, remember that your main goal of a business is to generate a profit. So if you want to spend $54,000 on a brand new RED camera, be sure to have a solid plan on how to generate at least $100,000 worth of net income in year one.
The Lighting
Whatever niche you decide to focus on in video, you’ll need lighting, and this is something you won’t want to skimp on. A lot of the cheap LED lights you’ll see on Amazon have a low CRI rating, which means you’ll see an undesirable quality of light leading to a flat washed out image with a tint of green (think cheap fluorescent lighting).
I’d recommend this bundle of lighting from D&O Lighting:
Equipment
The last piece of essential equipment I would recommend is a good solid video tripod. Manfrotto is one of my personal favorites for tripods, but there’s a lot of good brands out there.
I would start there as far as gear goes and then focus on generating revenue. From there you can consider special tools such as gimbals, sliders, etc.
Choosing Your Niche
There are many different types of video production, what suits you is often personal preference.
However, I would recommend specializing in a niche (at least getting started). Now, we all want to be the next Steven Speilberg, but if you want to be on his level you’ll have to make a little money to fund some of your projects.
The most popular niche to start in video production is without a doubt, wedding filmmaking. It’s lucrative because your clients aren’t quite price sensitive, with the average cost of a wedding film ringing in at $1799. If you shot just one wedding film a week at $1799, you’d be at about $86,000 for the year. If you shot just a few business videos, you could easily top $100k a year as a one-man shop.
Speaking of, short business videos are one of the best money makers for a filmmaking business. Whether it’s a short video for a local businesses website, a few videos for their social media, or a full on commercial, the demand for video is at an all time high and shooting business videos can potentially lead to…
Commercial Video Production. Often spanning multiple days, you’ll likely have to graduate from the one-man shop to a full-on video production company to handle big commercial productions.
There’s plenty of other areas in video, social media, once it’s own niche, is now actually pretty broad. For example, you could specialize in just shooting Instagram Reels and TikTok videos, the demand for that is insanely high because that’s what sells right now. Or you could shoot real estate videos, it can be potentially lucrative, just look at this video of this $70 million dollar house just purchased by the owner of Minecraft (oh and he outbid Jay-Z and Beyonce). There’s documentary filmmaking, music videos, product and food videos, anything you see a video for, there’s a potential market there.
Marketing Your Business
Alright, so you’re set on your gear and you know what niche you’re going to focus on, now’s the hard part - marketing your business.
Personally, I’d focus most of your efforts on SEO, but that takes time, so in the meantime you’ll acquire leads via PPC on Google or Facebook, or Pay Per Lead on sites like Thumbtack.
Arguably, the strongest ranking factor for local SEO is an optimized Google My Business profile. I would start there and get 10 reviews as fast as you can. You can also start a Yelp Business account, a Facebook Business page and fill them out as consistently as you can, as a consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) is another ranking factor.
Next you’ll want to focus on On-Page SEO. If you want to focus on wedding films, and you’re located in Hawaii, the title tag of your homepage should be something like “Wedding Filmmaker in Maui, Hawaii - Your Company”
From there, you’ll want to create content, this helps Google understand what your website is about. Google crawls your website and if it sees blog post after blog post about wedding filmmaking, then naturally, that’s what they’ll think your website is about. The content you create should be better than anything else that’s come before you, after all, you’ll eventually want people to link to your blog posts, which helps your SEO.
SEO takes time though, so I’ll show you how to start getting leads immediately. It’s location dependent, but Thumbtack is a great source for pay-per-lead. Essentially, you’ll only have to pay when a customer directly contacts you. Yelp is starting to copy this model as well, but it isn’t quite effective. I’d focus on the organic side of Yelp (getting reviews) for the free leads.
Facebook ads can be another great source of leads. For example, let’s go back to the example of shooting wedding films in Hawaii. Did you know you can target engaged couples? Not only that, but let’s target who’s often the real decision maker - the woman. And then we can target a household income of $150k+. We can further narrow that targeting of people interested in getting married on the island of Maui in Hawaii. All of a sudden, if you’re in the US, you’re narrowing an audience of 350+ million down to a few thousand highly qualified leads.
]]>
Video Camera
Depending on which video camera you decide to use, make sure that you are within your budget. There is a saying that the “money makes the man,” or is it that the “man makes the money?” Anyway, you are using your camera to make money, but you are also using your skills. As a full time filmmaker, you need to attract clients and keep them. If you are using a RED Digital Cinema Camera, used for high budget films, or a Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera, popular with indie films you better have the filmmaking chops to make it happen. There is an age-old dispute in the film making community that the camera you use matters more to your client than your finished product. While we don’t discredit the amazing technology out there today, we do believe you can make cinematic quality films using just an iPhone and excellent lighting.
Lighting Equipment
The most popular lighting equipment in the industry tend to be the most commonly used. There are the behemoths of the lighting industry which makes huge, expensive lighting fixtures worth tens of thousands of dollars. I’m looking at you ARRI. There are also more budget friendly LED lights made for teams with less budget to play with such as the ever more expensive Aputure, D&O Lighting (our company), and many Chinese companies with interesting LED stage lighting equipment coming to the market. Let’s just say, you’re spoiled for choice. LED lighting quality is often measured using a Color Rendering Index Scale (CRI), the score is a numerical number ranging from 0-100. Good quality LED lights are given scores between 90-95 CRI. Extremely good quality LED lights can even surpass 95 CRI as the brighter a light gets the harder is to maintain accurate color temperature. Poor color quality from the lights can be corrected with a proper white balance before your shoot, or edited in post. May we add that our D&O Lighting LED lights have 97+ CRI, an excellent collapsible grid, and a beautiful carrying case that fits two (2) LED lights and four (4) V Mount lithium ion battery packs?
Power Equipment
What do you truly need to power your setup? Will Sony NPF batteries do the trick? Have you heard of V Mount batteries? Are you crazy enough to try a super power generator like this one from Anton Bauer, or this one from D&O Lighting? Many full time filmmakers want to get the most out of their cameras & lighting fixtures so that they can bill more hours from their clients. Imagine this, your camera is rolling for hours, your clients are paying you per hour, more time spent = more money made. But not so fast! Maybe you didn’t think about the cost of the batteries, or maybe you did. How can you guarantee you get the right power setup for your budget and your needs? You need to ask yourself a few questions;
A couple words about the different options you have for powering your cameras and lights.
No matter what power options you choose, you always want to keep in mind your budget, your need, and your current stock. If you’re in the market for higher capacity v mount, gold mount, or super power options you may always contact our team at colin@dandolighting.com for more information about what products may be right for you.
Accessories
There are plenty of accessories out there to make your rig as pimped out as a supercharged Honda civic… but take a step back and determine what you actually need for your comfort, ease of use, and yes looks do count.
Smallrig is by far the most extensive and useful company for camera rig accessories on the market. Go crazy with your imagination and yes, points for creativity. But some people take it too far…
You really only need to know a couple things about how to make sure your camera works with any of the power systems mentioned above, get yourself the right power adapter for the battery that you buy. V mount adapters will fit v mount batteries, gold mount adapters will fit gold mount batteries, and many adapters have external inputs that you can use to power peripheral units such as a monitor, and a follow focus. Install the adapter properly to the back of your camera, and make sure the connection is stable before starting to shoot. Please beware that the v mount adapters that fit best with our D&O Lighting batteries require a custom installation method.
Don’t forget to have fun.
When your work involves high-end camera equipment powered by a large capacity v mount battery, there will be times when you need to jump on an airplane with all your gear in-tow, which will include v mount batteries as your go-to portable power source.
Unfortunately, due to circumstances brought on by faulty lithium-ion batteries in a popular brand of smartphone, transport authorities around the world look upon lithium-ions with a critical eye, and the debacle has caused problems for traveling with lithium-ion batteries ever since.
Here is what you can and can't take on an airplane when you are traveling with v mount batteries.
Is Traveling with a V Mount Battery Dangerous?
D&O Lighting v mount batteries are lithium-ion types using the same type of battery that powers just about every electronic gadget you care to list, from drones to smartphones, and cameras to lighting equipment.
Inside every D&O Lighting lithium v mount power pack are two banks of 18650 lithium-ion battery cells. There is a thin sheet of plastic separating the two banks, and this is where most of the concerns lie.
Should the plastic separator be compromised in some way, the batteries can short out, overheat, and explode into flame. However, the risk of a lithium-ion battery causing a fire is incredibly small.
So, what's the source for all the paranoia about exploding lithium-ion batteries? We can blame Samsung and their fire prone Galaxy smartphones for most of the bad rap that lithium-ions receive.
Since a few of these phones expired in a blaze of flame and smoke (some of them while flying) a few years ago, the transport industry and the FAA have been extremely cautious about allowing lithium-ion batteries onto an airplane.
According to consumer reports, the failure rate of lithium-ions is about one in a million, which is probably why it's perfectly okay to walk around with a lithium-ion powered smartphone in your pocket. By comparison, the chance of getting struck by lightning is about one in 13,000.
The TSA and FAA can't control the weather, but they can control what gets stowed on an airplane. Even a small risk of fire is not one worth taking when you're thirty-thousand feet up in the air.
Despite all the caution, traveling with a v mount battery is perfectly safe. By following a few simple guidelines, and preparing your batteries for airplane travel beforehand, you won't have any problems powering your cameras and LED lights when you get to your destination.
What V Mount Battery Can You fly With?
There are three different categories to classify lithium-ion batteries when traveling by airplane:
Batteries in Components
Any lithium-ion battery contained in the equipment it powers is perfectly fine for airplane transport. The secret ingredient is that these batteries are almost always under 100 WH (watt hours).
Batteries rated at anything less than 100 WH are not an issue with TSA or airlines. You can transport them as carry-on luggage, put them in your pocket, or stow them away in your check-in luggage.
Carry-on Batteries
Of course, you can't get through a full day of shooting without carrying spare power. Fortunately, you are allowed to take spare lithium batteries as carry-ons, but there are limits.
Spare batteries that are not in the components cannot be checked in. You will need to carry them in your carry-on luggage. The reason for this is because there is a risk (a very slight one) of the terminals touching, or something else shorting out the battery to cause it to explode.
If batteries in the stowage area catch alight or explode there isn't anyone there to see it and contain the problem. However, if a fire starts in the cabin, then people and airline staff will be able to react very quickly and put out the fire before it can do any damage.
You can carry on as many spare lithium-ion batteries as you want, within reason of course, because they are heavy when transported in quantities.
Battery terminals must also be protected from a short circuit, which is easy to do. You have three options for ensuring your terminals can't short out your battery.
Carry them in their original packaging - If you have kept the original boxes of your v mounts you can store the batteries in them for travel. The boxes will usually display exactly what type of v mount battery you are carrying, and the TSA staff will be satisfied that the terminals can't short circuit.
Electrical tape - A little piece of electrical tape is all you need to cover the terminals so there is now way they can come into contact with anything that will short out the battery. It's a quick and simple method to help you get through check-in quickly.
Plastic bag - Pop the batteries in a zip-loc plastic bag. Doing this will keep the TSA staff happy that your batteries can't short circuit, plus they can instantly see what's being transported, so check-in will go a lot smoother.
Size Limits for V Mount Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries like the D&O Lighting v mount battery are limited to 100 WH as carry-ons, which accounts for almost all batteries that power laptops and cameras. But what about when you need more power for high-end equipment and LED lighting?
Even though you can purchase large capacity v mount batteries of up to 190 WH, and beyond, you can't travel with these on an airplane. It's unfortunate, because 190 WH will keep your lights and cameras going for most of the day, if not all of it.
You do have options though, because you can travel with up to two 101-160 WH lithium ion batteries, which is a reasonable compromise for most power requirements.
Quantity Limits for V Mount Batteries
Other than the larger capacity batteries for 101 to 160 WH or more ( for which you can carry up to two), there are no quantity limits for carrying batteries on airplanes, provided you are in accordance with the regulations and you protect the terminals from shorting. You also can't transport batteries if you are selling or distributing them for sale.
There are conditions where you can travel with larger capacity batteries, but they are only approved for scooters, wheelchairs, or other mobility aids.
Damaged Batteries
Battery powered devices that have been recalled or damaged batteries cannot be carried on an airplane under any circumstances. Damaged batteries can cause sparks or overheat and cause fires. Check with your airline for further assistance on damaged batteries or recalled electrical items powered by lithium-ion batteries.
How to Know Your V Mount Battery's Wattage
It's very easy to check the WH rating on your battery, because most will have it prominently displayed on the case.
If the WH figure is not displayed, then check for a voltage x amp/hour rating. This simple calculation will give you the WH rating. For example, if you see 14.8V and 12.8 Amps (or 12800mAh), multiplying the two figures will give you 190 WH.
Controlling Your Weight Limits
Even though you can carry on as many batteries under 100 WH as you need, there will be a cap on how much weight you can carry. You aren't likely to be allowed to stow 500 1bs worth of batteries in the cabin.
The fact that whatever you carry on your body isn't weighed can work to your advantage when you are trying to bring down the weight of your hand luggage. If you are travelling with a laptop, keep it in a small bag on your person. This should allow you to add an extra battery or two to your carry-on luggage. You can also keep smaller batteries in your jacket and pants pockets.
Check the Regulations on Camera Equipment
Small camera rigs aren't going to raise any eyebrows, but if you travel with more high-end gear, then you are going to be perceived as the media. Always check with your airline on the number of cameras you can carry to your destination, because some countries will limit the amount of photography equipment you can bring. It's also a good idea to declare your equipment if you are traveling to a commercial job.
More Tips for Carrying and Stowing Camera Gear and Batteries
No doubt you've heard horror stories about porters’ rough handling and throwing luggage around that contains expensive equipment. When you have a lot of gear, it won't be possible for you to carry everything with you in the cabin; some will have to be stowed in the hold.
Most camera crews travel with very expensive and delicate equipment. You want to use only the highest quality camera storage bags to keep your equipment safe, even with the roughest of handling. And don't forget camera insurance.
Also, always travel with a backup of photos and footage. One storage device can go in the hold, but another should travel with you in the cabin. This way, even if you end up back home without one of your bags, you will still have all your work.
]]>
V mount, or v lock, batteries, are large capacity batteries used to power high-end cameras, LED lighting, monitors, microphones, and other compatible equipment.
-The v mount term describes the mounting system the batteries use to attach to the devices they power. Internally, V-mount battery packs contain a series of smaller lithium-ion cells wired together to produce the power capacity stated on the label.
A v mount battery / batteries are usually larger and heavier than the typical portable battery setup and take longer to charge. However, these are minor sacrifices considering that a high capacity V-mount system will deliver power for an entire day from just a few batteries.
D&O Lighting v mount batteries are available at competitive prices, but even so, they are not an insignificant investment for your kit. Making sure you squeeze every last drop of power out of them before a replacement can significantly reduce your overall ownership cost.
Lithium ion batteries are a widely adopted technology for portable power and power everything from smartphones to LED lighting. However, despite their widespread use, there is some confusion about how best to care for them to prolong their service life. Read on to find out how you can get the most out of your lithium-ion battery pack.
What's in a D&O Lighting v mount Battery?
The plastic case of your v mount battery from D&O lighting hides a bank, or banks of 18650 lithium ion battery cells arranged in series and parallel to achieve the desired power requirements.
The 18650 lithium ion battery is somewhat of a standard in the portable power supply industry, with millions of these units found in lithium ion battery / battery packs of all shapes and sizes, including our d&o lighting v mount battery. The first four digits of the number indicate the physical dimensions (18mm by 65mm), while the 0 at the end shows that it is a cylinder cell. The 18650 lithium ion battery is available in a few different variations, including a button top and an internal protection circuit.
Advantages for getting the most out of your v mount batteries
The most significant advantage you will receive from caring for your lithium ion battery pack is a financial one. A typical v mount system can add anywhere between 5% and 50% to the equipment's overall cost. Anything that prolongs the batteries' lives will reduce the total cost of ownership and increase profit margins for professionals.
There are also advantages to the environment. While lithium-ion batteries are among the most eco-friendly portable power solutions, there is still an environmental cost from mining materials, greenhouse gas emissions, and disposal.
Factors Affecting the battery Health level and how to keep your lithium ion battery health
There are three main variables related to lithium-ion batteries' health and longevity: state of charge, current, and temperature.
Charging speed, depth of discharge, and loading will also affect our d&o lighting v mount battery / batteries’ useful life. When you exercise some care over these variables, you can significantly increase your lithium ion battery/s lifespan.
How Lithium ion Batteries Degrade
Degradation in a battery's performance occurs in two different ways: capacity and power. Capacity refers to the amount of energy a battery can store, and power refers to the level of power it can output.
Internal discharge and resistance also play a role in a battery's performance, even though they have less of an impact when predicting how long a battery will last.
Lithium ion battery / batteries degrade with use but can still be useful even with reduced energy storage and power outputs. Eventually, though, the degradation will reach a point where the batteries will no longer be an efficient source of power and need replacing. A battery that won't charge to more than 70% capacity is considered by many manufacturers to be the point of no return.
How Long Do Lithium-Ion Batteries Last?
A battery generates power through the flow of ions from the positive electrode to the negative. This system would never degrade in a perfect world, but battery cycles, temperatures, and age combine to diminish battery performance over time.
Most manufacturers will measure the life of a battery in cycles. One cycle refers to the time it takes to go from 100% to 0% charge. If you deplete a battery's capacity by 20% for each use, it will take five such uses to complete one cycle. We should note that counting the usable life in cycles is not accurate due to the many other variables that can affect their performance.
Because cycles are so difficult to predict for a battery out in the wild, most manufacturers err on the conservative side when stating how long they will last, with lithium-ion batteries generally falling into the range of between 300 and 500 cycles of charge and discharge.
Some suppliers may also use a date stamp when suggesting a battery's end of life. This system fails to take cycles into account, and light usage and careful battery management can see the batteries last well beyond this date.
Caring for your V Mount Battery
A good quality battery will deliver 100%, or close to it, in its first year of life. However, just like mechanical devices, the more you use a battery, the faster it will approach its end of life. Use these tips to get the most out of your v mount investment.
Don't Completely Discharge a Lithium Ion Battery
In lithium ion batteries, the depth of discharge (DoD) is critical in how long it will last. If you can manage smaller discharges and keep some charge in the battery between uses, you will significantly increase your battery's lifespan.
Li-On batteries do not develop a 'memory,' and small discharges are perfectly fine. Nor do you need to drain the battery entirely between discharge cycles.
When you discharge lithium-ion batteries to between 2.5 and 2.9 volts per cell, an inbuilt safety circuit flicks on, and the battery will appear to be dead and unusable. This state is known as the sleep state and is designed to safeguard the battery against abuse.
A lithium-ion battery in a sleep state will not be available for immediate use, and the standard lithium-ion battery charger will not be able to reverse it. You will need to use a battery analyzer with a boost or 'wake-up' function for a chance to bring the battery back to a usable state.
Consider Purchasing Higher Capacity Batteries
As you know, the harder a battery works, the quicker it will degrade. Even batteries you are not using regularly need careful maintenance between uses to ensure their long-life. This is why you should consider your battery health maximum capacity, or how much you should use it, switch it out, and recharge it.
It may be worthwhile investing in larger capacity batteries rather than spare batteries of equal capacity. The additional expense will be more than made up with the extra life you will get out of them.
When calculating your power usage, add in all the equipment that will be drawing from the battery to ensure you do not exceed its rated power capacity.
V-Mount Battery Storage
Even when not in use, a battery will slowly self-discharge over time, so carefully storing your V-mount batteries will help you get more service out of them. Use a V-mount powered device with a gauge to determine the level of charge before you place any of your batteries in storage.
A quality lithium-ion battery charger from D&O lighting may also have a handy state of discharge indicator to help you store your batteries safely with the necessary charge level. If you have a battery that has been stored with a charge lower than 1.5V for more than a week, you should discard it.
The level of charge is not the only issue you will contend with when storing your V-mount batteries, as temperature and humidity can also play a role.
Temperature - You may not have as much control over the ambient temperature as you would like, but the ideal storage temperature for a lithium-ion is around 50°F (10°C). Higher temperatures will cause the battery to self-discharge faster.
Excessively high temperatures will also cause lithium-ion cells to deteriorate much faster, which is the main reason why you should never leave your V-mount batteries (or mobile phone) out in the sun or on the dash of your vehicle.
If the battery manages to fall into the sleep state range, they will not be immediately usable when bringing them out of storage. You can get around this issue by ensuring you maintain the correct state of charge.
Humidity – Lithium ion battery / batteries prefer a humidity of around 50%. The biggest concern with high humidity is that moisture in the air can condense between the terminals. If the area gets too wet, it could create conditions where the battery could short and overheat. In extreme circumstances, the battery may smoke as the terminal buns out. You can prevent this scenario by ensuring you always cover your battery terminals.
In general, for short-term day-to-day or week-to-week storage, store the batteries in a fully charged state. For long-term storage of anything over a month, you should maintain a charge of around 20% to 40% (approximately 3.8 volts per cell) in a cool, dry room. Your battery management routine should include periodic checking of any batteries in storage to ensure they have an adequate charge.
Transporting V Mount Batteries
Not only do v mount lithium ion store better with a partial charge, but it's also a requirement for you to discharge them to around 30% of their capacity to render them safe for transport.
It can be difficult to accurately represent the SoC (State of Charge) for a battery, but an SoC lower than 50% is considered acceptable by transport authorities. You may also safely deplete the charge to low-battery levels, provided you immediately place the battery on a lithium ion battery charger when arriving at your destination.
V mount batteries represent a not insignificant cost for powering your setup when the mains isn't accessible. Because they have such a high capacity, they tend to be a little more expensive than your garden variety lithium-ion batteries. If you use the above tips to care for your v mount battery, you will increase the time between replacement and reduce your total cost of ownership.
]]>
The desire to create the most reliable and longest-lasting batteries in their class has given us the D&O Lighting batteries – capable of delivering a sustained 12A current to even the most demanding of LED lighting and cameras running on 14.4V.
Running the Alexa Mini from a Gold Mount or V-mount is a straightforward procedure with D&O Lighting batteries, when using D&O Lighting’s dedicated brackets for camera batteries.
The V-mount solution requires a V-mount adapter
The Gold Mount Solution uses a V-Mount to Gold adapter
D&O Lighting chargers provide the perfect charging solution. These deliver fast charging for two to four batteries simultaneously. Energy wastage is kept to a minimum and battery life is extended to reduce the total cost of ownership.
Flowtech’s ™ award-winning tripod technology helps to create a seamless workflow with quick release brakes for almost instant adjustments. An ergonomic carbon fiber leg makes the unit easy to transport while also delivering superb torsional stiffness. Capturing extreme low and high shots is a breeze with Flowtech’s ™ unique and versatile hinge lock mechanism. Extensive endurance and environmental testing mean that the Flowtech ™ 100 is a tripod you can rely on for precision, even under heavier payloads of up to 30kg (66lb).
D&O Lighting 180W
Enjoy a pleasingly wide soft source for accurate color illumination from the D&O Lighting 180W LED panel. 180Ws are known for delivering full-spectrum Daylight and Tungsten lighting and the Gemini doesn’t disappoint.
Easily switch between full-featured lighting modes to get the effects you need. Full-color hue and saturation allow for precision intensity control from anywhere between 100%-0 whenever you need it.
Creating a larger source of light has never been easier than with the D&O Lighting Dual Frame allowing giving you the ability to connect two light sources together as one. It’s the quality you’re used to, over a much wider area.
We hope this article helps! Subscribe and comment if you find this blog helpful.
]]>The brand RED Camera has manufactured a number of popular power-sucking cameras, including the RED Epic-W, RED Scarlet-W, RED Weapon. While the Red Bricks are a decent, V-mount option, we endeavor to offer some other V-Mount solutions, ones that concentrate on both electrical and mechanical design. The D&O Lighting series’ was developed specifically for RED Cameras (BP-95S). It was designed to be compact and sleek. It also leverages the power capability of D&O Lighting’s Batteries in a reliable way and does so in a way that makes it safe for air travel.
We will begin with a short description describing what every D&O Lighting battery pack is comprised of. The Samsung ICR18650-22V found in D&O Lighting’s battery packs are considered to be one of (if not) the industry’s best Li-Ion Cells. They are strong enough to power an electric BMW vehicle. As such, powering a camera won’t be an issue! The D&O Lighting Cell was designed to sustain and handle power draws that are significantly high. The cells contained in BP-95S is able to endure as much as 8A (10A Peak) for prolonged durations, but not at the expense of service life. Also, the cells contained in the D&O Lighting’s larger BP-190S is able to withstand as much as a 12A draw. The cells in each pack are encased in a high-tech, non-slip, and over-molded polymer/rubber case to safeguard them from certain impacts, accidental or otherwise.
Are you concerned about a self-discharge during downtime? Inside each battery pack is a clocking algorithm, one that is impressively smart. As such, the battery will either hibernate or sleep when motion isn’t detected or the battery isn’t being used after a certain amount of time. Also, the D&O Lighting brick goes into a “storage mode” automatically, preventing batteries from being drained when placed in storage. Customers are encouraged to deplete batteries to a level of 2 bars, as indicated on its power indicator if they are putting them away for longer than a month.
Each model has a power tap integrated into them, which are unregulated. You’ll be able to power up any kind of 12-16.8vdc device.
You may be wondering how the D&O Lighting battery packs communicate with the DSMC2 RED Camera. Well, the new DSMC2 cameras; RED Weapon, RED Raven, RED Scarlet-W, RED Epic-W… is able to communicate with just about all of the V-Mount D&O Lighting models. Best of all, the battery packs don’t just communicate with cameras directly – they also display the specific percentage of capacity that remains for the camera’s VF/LCD.
If you own a DSMC/DSMC2 camera; RED Epic Dragon, RED Scarlet Dragon, be mindful that each battery pack will be compatible (assuming you own the right battery plate and 4-Pin XLR cable to power up a DSMC/DSMC2 camera). If weight, and compact form are important (Gimbal, UAV) to you, pick an option from the D&O Lighting 95Wh series, as they are air travel-friendly.
Do you require more power? Have a look at the D&O Lighting 190Wh series, which pairs two 95Wh, two-part design. Many D&O Lighting Packs come in V-mount and Gold-Mount. Therefore, no matter what type of mount plate* your battery has, you will be covered by D&O Lighting!
*Based on the wiring your mount plate has, you might see the percentage of battery life on the EVF/LCD of the RED Camera. However, if the mounting plate isn’t wired to communicate with a smart battery, the voltage readings are the only things you will receive.
Don’t worry if you lack the correct wiring for your mount plate. You can still get whatever battery percentage remains from the DSMC/DSMC2 Camera, as that is the purpose of the D&O Lighting Battery series. This is particularly true when a D&O Lighting battery (BP-190S, BP-190A, BP-95S) battery communicates the remaining battery percentage to both the DSMC and DSMC2 camera’s LCD/VF.
All D&O Lighting battery V-mount packs are compatible with all sorts of chargers, letting you optimize a charger’s service life if you’re already the owner of a V-mount or D-Tap charger.
If you don’t already own a RED charger, a D&O Lighting charger is an excellent choice. If you are looking for a nice and compact travel charger, the D&O Lighting Dual D-Tap Travel Charger will do the trick. It will charge up to two 95Wh packs in about 5 hours.
]]>
Blackmagic is a name that is synonymous with power-hungry beasts of cameras. Just a small part of its line-up includes such notables as:
IDX bricks are listed as a compatible V-mount solution, but we wanted to highlight the fact that there are alternate solutions from both a mechanical and electrical design viewpoint.
D&O Lighting series’batteries, like the BP-95S, have been developed with the power considerations of Blackmagic cameras in mind. The sleek, compact designs deliver a convenient solution suitable for safe air travel, while staying true to D&O Lighting's reputation for reliable power delivery.
Let's take a peek at the high level of detail that goes into the design of each and every D&O Lighting battery pack and find out what makes them such a reliable solution.
At the heart of each pack is the superb Samsung ICR18650-22V, which is consistently ranked as the world's most reliable Li-ion cell on the market. These cells are used to power Electric vehicles, so they won't even break a sweat keeping the power flowing to your camera.
The D&O Lighting cell was designed from the ground up to deliver high levels of power when you need it and for as long as you need it. The BP-95S, can deliver a sustained 8A power draw (with a peak of 10A), over extended periods of use, and without compromising the service life of the battery. The cells inside the BP-190Scan handle a 12A power draw for sustained periods.
Each battery is enclosed in a non-slip, over-molded case created from the latest rubber-polymer housing for the ultimate in protection against bumps and drops. An integrated unregulated power tap extends the batteries' capabilities as they can be used on any 12-16.8vdc device.
You can store your D&O Lighting battery packs with confidence. A sophisticated algorithm detects active use, and when none is detected after 48-hours, the battery will automatically slip into hibernation. Downtime from being caught unawares with a self-discharged battery will be a thing of the past.
Also, each battery has a storage mode that prevents self-draining and ensures the long life of your power source. Simply drain the battery down to 2 bars on the power indicator before putting them into long-term storage.
All D&O V-Mount D&O Lighting models have been created with the capacity to communicate with Blackmagic cameras such as the new Blackmagic Ursa Mini 4K EF and Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2, will communicate with all V-Mount D&O Lighting models. Not only can they communicate, but they also can clearly indicate how much power is remaining via the VF/LCD.
If you use Blackmagic cameras like the Blackmagic Ursa Mini 4K EFor Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2, all battery packs will assist, provided you have the proper battery plate to 4-Pin XLR used to supply power to the Ursa Mini cameras.
When you need a compact, lightweight solution such as when your work requires a gimbal and UAV, then you won't go wrong with the D&O Lighting 95Wh. Not only are they easy travel companions, they are also rated safe for air travel.
For even more power, the D&O Lighting 190Wh series, will suit. This power source is created by coupling two 95 Wh packs in a 2-part design. Regardless of what battery mount pack plate* you have, most D&O Lighting packs are available in either V-mount and Gold-Mount.
*This will depend on the mount plate wiring. If smart communication is not wired, you will not see a battery percentage in the EVF/LCD of the Blackmagic camera. However, you will still have a voltage reading.
Don't stress too much if you don't have the proper mount plate wiring for being able to see the battery percentage of your Blackmagic camera, because the D&O Lighting series has you covered. When you use a battery from D&O Lighting, it will display the remaining power levels of the battery for the Ursa Mini 4K EF and the Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2 LCD/VF.
All D&O Lighting battery V-mount packs are charger compatible with a multitude of available chargers, allowing you to maximize the service life of your charger if you already own a V-mount or D-Tap charger.
If you don’t already own a D&O Lighting charger and are looking into a nice compact, travel charger, the D&O Lighting Dual D-Tap Travel Charger will do the trick. It will charge up to two 95Wh packs in about 5 hours.
D&O Lighting V-mount battery packs have been designed to be versatile and are compatible with a wide range of chargers, which negates the need for you to purchase more if you already own a V-mount or D-Tap charger.
If you don't yet own a D&O Lighting charger and are after a compact charging solution, then the D&O Lighting Dual D-Tap Travel Charger will deliver a full charge to two 95Wh packs in around 5 hours.
The way a scene is lit dictates so much to the audience, the job of lighting in video production is to communicate the mood, the atmosphere, and to help in telling a story. If you see a film that is poorly lit, it doesn’t matter how good the story is; lighting is vital in showing the audience a narrative. Proper lighting is one of the key elements of good cinematography, essential to ensuring a successful outcome.
Arguably the most crucial role of lighting in film is to communicate with the audience. Imagine a film lit purely with plain white light, like the inside of a hospital; there’s no ambiance, no mood, nothing to tell the watcher how they should feel at that moment. Bright and colorful lighting brings a cheerful mood, whereas dark and shadowy images invoke feelings of mystery and foreboding. Light brings many characteristics to your set and helps to set the scene, showing the difference between an airy park or a dirty alley.
Lighting is also heavily utilized in building your characters, and can easily communicate the difference between hero and villain. Simple brightness and shadow, when utilized well, can make the audience feel intensely about the actors in a shot. Cast your subject in bright and shining light, and the audience will see them as good, clean, and positive in the story. Shadowy figures are easily interpreted as sinister and mysterious.
Different genres in film can be interpreted in endless different ways, however, lighting is one of the most obvious channels through which to present genre in your film. Lighting in ratios is a measurable way to observe the use of lighting in the genre. A low lighting ratio, one which doesn’t offer too much shadow where most of the scene is well lit, shows the audience a scene or production is lighthearted, perhaps a comedy or a romance. On the other hand, genres like film noir have made excellent use of high light ratios, where your subject is shot half in bright light, and half in dark shadow.
Using light by ratios in this way creates a dramatic image, and gives more depth to your shot. The way you light a set also determines where the eye of the audience is drawn, so it’s imperative that your lighting doesn’t make the audience miss critical details. All other elements of film production boil down to the contents of a shot, the individual elements which make up the film as a whole. The importance of lighting in film production is that it defines how we see this shot, and this can make a huge difference.
While the human eye can pick up tiny details and make adjustments so that an image makes sense, cameras aren’t quite as advanced as this yet. That’s why lighting must be set up perfectly, down to the tiniest alteration; so that the image comes across without flaw to the audience. For example, when adjusting for color temperature as explained in our article on how to mix daylight and tungsten, our eyes will interpret a white surface as white even when the hue of light shone upon it makes it appear differently. However, cameras can only record the reality, and the surface won’t come across as white on film. This shows how imperative proper lighting is, as when done correctly your lighting setup should eliminate this issue.
Natural light, or daylight, was long the primary source of illumination for filmmakers years ago. However, all the limitations of using light from the sun lead to the creation of an alternative; studio lighting. Without relying on daylight to shoot films, we can now artificially create any sort of lighting inside studios, with complete creative freedom. Without this lighting, filmmakers would still be constrained to filming in daylight, and wouldn’t be able to express their stories in the same way.
When it’s time for the post-production process, the quality of your film's lighting plays an important role once again. Any mistakes and errors from the original shoot need to be corrected at this point, and often this is where the lighting setup will either cost you or save you money. A shot that has been correctly lit can have digital alterations easily completed, whereas errors in lighting can lead to an entire expensive reshoot.
From the dawn of cinema, lighting has been used to paint a picture on the set, however, modern advancements in lighting technology have made this job much easier. Stanley McCandless is credited for creating the modern stage lighting which forms the basis of what we still use today, way back in 1958. Back when lighting was first becoming an important art in cinema, daylight and candles were the only tools available. Later, oil lamps and gas lights became more accessible, and eventually, electricity became the most versatile way to light a set.
Modern cinematographers use mostly artificial light in today's film production, instead of trying to work around waning daylight and flickering candles. LED panels with barn doors give you full control over the brightness, color, and direction of your light, allowing for many creative decisions and adjustments in order to achieve the perfect outcome. Natural light can still be used to great success, however, the availability of more versatile lighting has brought cinematography to where it is today.
The color, or hue, of a light source, is measured on the Kelvin scale, a tool you can use to perfectly set the tone of your scene. Modern set lighting can be adjusted to a particular measure on the kelvin scale to emulate a different source of light artificially. For example, the color temperature of daylight is around 5600K, but you might need to shoot on an overcast day. Using artificial lighting, you can recreate the appearance of a sunny day without having to wait for the right weather, making film production easier and less expensive.
Shadow is the opposite of light, and the contrast between the two is where lighting truly becomes an art form. However, shadow isn’t just darkness, the role it has to play is much more complex than that. In film production, we rely on shadows to not only add to the mood and atmosphere but to create depth and texture, giving more dimension to a shot.
There are two different types of shadow: hard and soft. Hard shadow shows much more detail and is ideal to highlight the face of an actor. It makes your subject stand out from the background and brings them forward in the scene. Soft shadow is much less harsh and can be used to blend your subject into the image. This kind of shadow is also much more flattering, and won’t expose small flaws and details you may want to remain hidden.
Shadow is highly effective for creating depth in your image and can build a distinction between the foreground and background of an image. This way, you ensure the audience is paying attention to the right things; a background in shadow is less likely to call the eye away from more important elements of a shot.
Color is a highly effective tool in invoking an emotional response in the viewer, outside of all the other changeable elements. The hue of your lighting should be carefully considered, as this small detail can make a world of difference to the finished product. Different colors can convey specific emotions, such as blue for sadness, however, it’s important to remember people may interpret colors in different ways. A scene shot with monochromatic light, with just a single color, can create a certain atmosphere in a very effective way. A combination of primary colors can come across as playful and surreal, giving your scene a dreamy quality. On the other hand, analog color lighting is easy on the eyes and natural-looking.
We rely on lighting not only to observe a given shot but to lead us to the correct interpretation. Without the proper lighting setup, it can be next to impossible to convey all the mood and emotion in your film. Brightness, shadow, and color are all vital elements in the way a scene comes across to the audience, they offer a way to control the viewer's emotions, as well as directing them in the story. Without well thought out lighting in film production, you risk flat, lifeless images, whereas properly setup studio light can communicate all of the drama and emotion that filmmakers need for their craft.
Here’s a quick rundown of some terms you need to know, so you can fully understand our explanation of these lighting setups. For a more comprehensive guide, check out Lighting 101; our guide for cinematographers.
A three-point lighting setup is the most basic and the most important for every cinematographer to know. It’s a standard method of lighting for any production, one which you can always turn to, to form the basis of your lighting setup. A three-point lighting setup will bring out the details of your scene, eliminating the darkest shadows and giving depth and dimension to the shot. This simple setup requires three lights as the name suggests; a key, fill and backlight.
In a three-point lighting setup, the key light is placed beside the camera and shines directly on the subject of your shot. The fill light should be placed on the opposite side of the camera, at an angle of about 45 degrees. Remember to make the fill dimmer than the key light; it should soften the shadows and illuminate the other side of your subject, without overpowering the key.
The backlight is placed behind the subject, generally at a higher angle as well. This will bring your subject forward from the background, and help to create depth in the image. Using a key and fill light in this setup, without adding a backlight, will leave the image without dimension, and the scene will look flat on the screen.
A low-key lighting setup can help you to achieve a very dramatic appearance for your scene, this technique leaves most of the image in shadow and sheds light on only a few details. Unlike a three-point lighting setup, low-key lighting can require a bit more practice to master, as you’ll achieve the effect using only one light source.
To create a low-key lighting setup, use a key light that isn’t too bright. You may want to select a studio light with barn doors, so you can narrow the beam of light. This may be necessary if your set is still too well lit when reduced to one light, as a low-key setup relies on the majority sitting in the shadow. Set up your primary light across from or next to your subject, at a relatively neutral angle. Then, you can use a bounce behind the subject to reflect back some of the light, creating a distinction between subject and background.
Use a low-key lighting setup to create drama and mystery on a set; simply use your key light to highlight the most important details, and then utilize the bounce to ensure your image has depth and won’t appear flat. A set lit with low-key lighting is mostly in shadow, but the audience still sees enough detail to follow the story.
In the film industry, high-key lighting is all about bright white light, with little to no shadows and dark tones. A high-key lighting setup can be used to portray flashback scenes and other bright and cheerful shots. It’s the opposite of low key lighting, but can be just as difficult to execute properly. High-key shots can simply look overexposed without the touch of an experienced hand, so ensure you have plenty of practice before employing this technique on set.
The key and fill light can sit on either side of the camera for this setup, illuminating clearly all sides of your subject. Then, instead of pointing the backlight towards the camera, direct it towards the back wall of your set instead. The result of this setup is an image lit brightly from all sides, with almost no shadow or dark areas. There won’t be much depth to your image using this technique, however, with small adjustments in real time you should be able to achieve the desired effect.
Reverse key lighting features the fill light behind the subject rather than behind the camera, meaning the best lit portions of your subject actually won’t be visible to the camera at all. Also called short lighting, or narrow lighting, this technique produces soft shadows and can be very emotive. The side of your subject facing the camera will be very softly lit, the effect is almost like a silhouette.
The key light should be set up behind and to the side of your subject, while the fill light stays in normal position beside the camera. When using a reverse key lighting setup, you can replace the fill light with a bounce, as your key will be on the opposite side. This will soften further the side of your subject which is facing the camera. Using a backlight is optional for this setup, as the key is already placed behind the subject.
However, if you want to use one, place the backlight behind the subject on the other side to the key. A reverse key light setup can be done easily with only a single source of light, which makes it one of the most accessible and versatile in a cinematographer's toolbox.
Any beginner cinematographer needs to effectively create dramatic silhouettes, as this lighting technique is a sure way to create drama and mystery in a shot. Place your key light (which in this case is the backlight) directly behind your subject. Using this technique, there’s no reason your key light needs to be artificial. Available light like the sun, or practical light, can both be used in place of a key, to create a combination of tungsten and daylight. This setup alone would definitely create a silhouette, however, you may still need to make out some details in the shot.
Secondly, use a bounce directly in front of the subject (below the camera) to reflect some light back on your subject. If this isn’t enough, you can use fill light in the place of a bounce. This secondary light source will provide just enough illumination so that your subject isn’t completely blacked out; sufficient to make out a few details or facial expressions. It also changes the light in the scene from hard light (strong and dark shadows) to soft light.
This technique can be very effective when presenting a mysterious character; your subject will be clearly visible while their identity may still be hidden. When employing a backlight and bounce setup, we suggest experimenting with the angle of your bounce or reflector. Don’t be afraid to keep making adjustments until the image seems just right.
You can employ these five basic lighting techniques to take your cinematography to the next level, and build the visuals of your film production. When lighting a scene, pay attention to the mood and emotion as directed by the script, so the atmosphere you create reflects the story. Lighting a scene correctly can add so much to the finished product, but be careful you don’t alter the emotion of the audience in the wrong way.
The three-point lighting technique is used in professional film productions all the time, even though it’s a simple method. This shows that anyone can master the art of lighting given a little study, so why not try out one of these five techniques on your next shoot? There’s no limit to the artful and emotive lighting you can produce, all it takes is a little imagination, and these fantastic lighting setups are a great place to start. Another excellent technique for beginner cinematographers to learn is lighting by ratios, so check out our guide to find out more.
]]>There are a lot of different terminologies used when talking about set lighting, so we’ll break down all the key terms that you need to know in this article. We’re also going to explain a few important lighting techniques which make up the backbone of your cinematic lighting arsenal.
Lighting a movie set isn’t just about ensuring you can see everything that’s going on; it’s used to create depth, enhance the image, and support the atmosphere and themes of the production. As well as controlling the direction and brightness of your chosen lighting, you can also bounce, diffuse, color, and make all sorts of adjustments to the light of any given scene. All in all, lighting is one of the single most important tools used to portray the mood and emotion in a scene.
You might not think straight away that lighting is important to the outcome of a scene, but it’s truly a fundamental element. The way you light a set creates the visual mood, setting the atmosphere and communicating with the audience. Lighting affects every step of the cinematic process and is interconnected with many other elements, so it’s vital to get it right. For example, if you’re working with a green or blue screen, lighting the set correctly makes it possible to key out the background later on.
Cinematographers need to direct the eye of their audience, to make sure they’re focusing on the right things and don’t miss important details. Your lighting setup will guide the eyes of your audience to specific parts of the scene, to ensure the point gets across. Lighting is also a huge factor in reflecting the psychology of characters in a story. You control the color, size, amount, and harshness of the light upon an actor, and can use this to build their character. Villains can be shed in low light, conveying a mystery and seriousness which plain bright light would not. On the other hand, bright and colorful lights can make a certain character come across and friendly and even dream-like. The possibilities are endless, as a successful cinematographer should be able to use light to portray any emotion or mood.
Genre in film relies on lighting heavily, as a cinematographer you have to be able to support and define the genre of your film using your lighting setup. Light is a clear indicator of mood and tone in film and is often the clearest way to express the atmosphere in a scene. Contrast, shadow, color, and angle; there are plenty of elements you can use to get certain emotions across to the audience.
The three primary types of light a cinematographer uses are key light, fill light, and background light. These elements provide the backbone of any lighting setup and are the base that you need to perfect before moving onto cinematic tricks to enhance your setup.
The key, fill, and backlight are the basis of most lighting setups and create the three-point lighting setup which we’ll explain later on. However, these aren’t the only terms you need to be familiar with in order to be a successful cinematographer; let’s dive deeper into some more useful lighting terminology.
A three-Point lighting setup is a basic tool for cinematographers, one which can be used as a starting point to build around. Lighting from three directions will clearly define your actor or subject, separating them from the background and creating depth in the image. In most cases, one light each is used for the back, front, and side of the subject; the key, fill, and backlight.
Use a key to light your subject from the front, usually off to one side. This is the primary light source and should clearly illuminate the most important parts of the image. Secondly, a fill light should be positioned at an opposite angle to the key, to soften shadows and provide secondary illumination. Fill lights should be bright enough to show detail, while still being darker than the key. Finally, set your backlight at a high angle facing roughly towards the camera. This will help define your subject from the background, so your scene is now lit from three angles.
This basic lighting setup is a great starting point when setting out to light a film scene. Then, you can use the other tools and techniques we’ve mentioned to elevate your lighting style and convey all the emotion you need, and successfully light your set.
]]>The main issue with using both tungsten and daylight in your shoot is the difference between the colors. Daylight has a blue tone, whereas tungsten offers warm orange light. When done incorrectly, using these two together can result in strange-looking colors in your finished image. Rather than aiming for a neutral white balanced light, eliminating the colors which your light sources emit, we’re going to teach you how to use these two great elements together, to achieve a perfectly lit image.
Tungsten was, for a long time, the most common sort of indoor artificial lighting. Nowadays, cheaper and more economical LED lights are more popular, however, the warm hue of tungsten has never lost its appeal. Tungsten lights get their name from the tungsten filament inside the bulb, which glows bright orange when a current is passed through. The color temperature of tungsten light is usually around 3200K, which we’ll explain in more detail later.
Tungsten lights and other incandescent bulbs are used by photographers because they give off continuous light and can be adjusted in real-time. They allow you to see shadows and colors, and make adjustments to your scene. Indoor tungsten lighting can pose a problem given the heat these light bulbs emit when turned on. The tungsten filament inside reaches high temperatures when used for an extended period of time.
Given the inefficiency of tungsten light bulbs, many households and businesses prefer to use fluorescent lighting or LED’s, as they use much less energy and tend to last longer as well. However, the white color of this lighting can make your subjects look washed out and lifeless, which is why tungsten lights are still used by cinematographers and photographers across the world today.
Obviously, daylight is natural light which stems from the sun, however, from the standpoint of a Director of Photography, daylight is a resource that should be used and controlled. If you’re shooting outside during the day, then natural light will provide almost all of the brightness in your images. Daylight also comes into play when shining through studio windows, and refers to any ambient light not produced by electricity. Daylight has a color temperature of between 5400 and 5600 K, a much cooler hue than the result we get when using tungsten.
One very inconvenient attribute of daylight is that it’s uncontrollable, and changes constantly. There’s no way to turn the sun up or down as you can with studio lighting, so instead you have to adjust other elements of your shoot in tune with the sun. Weather also has a huge impact on the brightness and color of light from the sun, and this can be to your advantage or demise. Using daylight can also cause some continuity problems on a film shoot, as the sun won’t emit the same light day to day. Daylight is broken down into several main periods when the sun gives off certain shades and different types of light.
Color temperature is an often misunderstood but vital element in the final outcome of your shot. It has a huge impact on the way color and brightness comes across, so it’s important to get it right. Like measuring light in ratios, setting your color temperature is a skill every cinematographer should learn. Take the time to learn about proper white balance and color grading your shots, and achieving the correct end result is easy. Get it wrong, and your whole shoot could have to be redone.
When setting your color temperature, it’s the whites you need to pay attention to. If a white surface is white in your recorded images, then the other colors should appear correctly as well. However, white surfaces can easily reflect a slightly blue light of a cloudy day or an orange tint from the setting sun. Our eyes adjust automatically to allow us to see the surface as white, however, a camera will not. You can use a color temperature chart to accurately measure the warmth of your light.
You need to set your camera white balance (or color temperature) setting according to light conditions and adjust it as the light of the day changes. If you’re recording in any format other than RAW, your camera white balance determines the color of everything recorded permanently. If you make a mistake while filming, it’s very difficult to correct color balance in post-production. This is a huge benefit of recording in a RAW format, as your camera white balance only affects how you see the image in real-time and has no impact on the recorded data. If you record in RAW, then all-white balance and color temperature levels are set during post.
Most cameras have an automatic light balance setting, however, it’s imperative to use a manual white balance when mixing light sources. Set your white balance according to your strongest light source, which in this case is either tungsten or daylight. Most instances using this combination feature daylight as the primary source of brightness, so you can set your balance focused on that. As we went over earlier, there are several different types and colors of daylight, so make sure you take this into account.
One simple way to ensure that your tungsten lighting doesn’t clash with the natural light is to use a blue gel over the tungsten light. This will alter the color of your tungsten bulb to more accurately match the daylight in your image. You should be able to monitor the results of your efforts through your camera, don’t be afraid to keep making adjustments until the image looks perfect. Reposition your subject, change the angle of your studio lights to get the result you desire, and always make sure that whether it’s 95Wh or 190Wh lithium-ion batteries, you’ve always got some backup batteries for your lighting equipment.
Using color to create depth is a simple but very effective technique, one that translates beautifully to the screen. If a window is the source of your daylight, try positioning so that it’s slightly to one side behind your subject. If the natural light isn’t bright enough, you can add an LED to give more blue-tinted light to the scene. Then, use tungsten to light your subject from the front, or from the opposite side as the window. This will result in a warmly lit subject with a blue-white background, a highly effective image overall, perfect for both portrait photography and film.
Another way to use tungsten and daylight in the same image, without worrying about color differences, is to simply use a source of light that will appear on film. Sure, the colors will look different, but if the viewer can see both a window and a table lamp, for example, then the difference in color warmth isn’t a problem. This goes for any everyday light source which will make your lighting seem more believable; a street lamp, a candle, even a TV screen.
Mixing tungsten with daylight can be a challenging but very rewarding way to light your scenes. There some fantastic effects to be achieved with this combination, and the most important thing you need to remember is to white balance your camera every time the light changes. Remember, our eyes will adjust automatically to show a white image no matter what, however, cameras need to be manually set in order to result in a satisfactory image. Get your white balance right, ensure your lighting gear is powered properly, and the rest will follow.
If you are looking to take your photos up a notch, shooting during the golden hour can make a big difference to your outdoor photography. Here's another resource on golden hour photography to read.
]]>To get the most out of your batteries, it’s a good idea to have some knowledge about Lithium and Lithium-ion batteries which come in all shapes and sizes like 95Wh batteries and 190Wh batteries. We’ll explain everything you need to know about Lithium batteries and their Lithium-ion cousins, including how they work, what they’re made from, and even how to recycle your old used batteries. Then, we’ll lay out the important differences between Lithium and Lithium-ion batteries, so you can make an informed decision about which to use.
To understand the similarities and differences between Lithium and Lithium-ion batteries, you need a basic understanding of what constitutes a battery, and how they work. All batteries are made up of the same three basic components; the anode (negative - side), the cathode (positive + side), and some sort of electrolyte. When the cathode and anode of a battery are connected to an electrical circuit, a chemical reaction occurs between the anode and electrolyte.
Electrons flow through the circuit from the anode, and then enter back through the cathode and prompt another chemical reaction. These reactions continue until the materials are consumed, at which point no more electricity is produced by the battery. Both Lithium and Lithium-ion batteries produce portable electricity in this manner and can be used to power all sorts of different devices and electrical circuits. Batteries are incredibly useful components that allow us all sorts of luxuries, without them we would have to start cars by hand, and phones would still all be attached to the wall.
Lithium batteries are primary cell batteries, which means they cannot be recharged once empty. They use the metal lithium as an anode. Lithium batteries have a high charge density, meaning they last longer than other batteries and can hold more power. Depending on their design, lithium batteries can produce electricity with a voltage of between 1.5 and 3.7 V. The metal used in lithium batteries is very reactive, pure lithium will instantly react with water, and even moisture in the air.
Lithium batteries are used in many electronic devices, from electric toy cars to full-sized vehicles. Although their high power capacity makes them very useful, the fact that they cannot be easily or even safely recharged meant that many companies began to look for other alternatives. The disposable batteries many of us have around our homes are not very good for the environment, which is why many people and companies decide to use Lithium-ion batteries like this beautiful 900W Lithium Polymer Battery instead.
Lithium-ion batteries are secondary cells, meaning that they can be recharged and reused. These batteries are incredibly popular today, and our everyday lives would be quite different without them. Your laptop, cell phone, tablet, and camera all depend on Lithium-ion batteries to keep them working, as these rechargeable batteries are highly effective. The electrodes of Lithium-ion batteries are made from lithium and carbon, making them much lighter in weight than other rechargeable batteries.
Lithium-ion batteries are also great at holding their charge, losing only around 5% of their power every month they aren’t used. Another benefit of Lithium-ion batteries is that they have no memory effect. Ever remember being told that you need to completely discharge your batteries before plugging them in to recharge? That doesn’t apply to Lithium-ion batteries. These excellent rechargeable batteries can handle being charged and emptied hundreds of times before deteriorating.
Lithium-ion batteries are quite complex in nature, unlike the simplicity of a plain old Lithium battery. Within a lithium-ion battery, you would find multiple lithium-ion cells which store and provide the power. However, Li-ion batteries have other components too. A small computer within the battery monitors and regulates the temperature, voltage, and the state of battery charge, all from within the unit. This tiny system is necessary to keep your battery functioning as it should and is also responsible for the 5% power loss per month these rechargeable batteries experience.
The biggest difference between Lithium batteries and Lithium-ion batteries is that Lithium batteries feature a single cell construction, meaning that they are single-use and cannot be recharged once empty. On the other hand, Lithium-ion batteries can be used time after time, they are rechargeable and can be charged and emptied hundreds of times.
If they’re sitting on a shelf unused, then Lithium batteries actually last much longer. A lithium battery can last for 10 to 12 years while retaining its charge, whilst Lithium-ion batteries only last from 2 to 3 years. You might not know that these two aren’t actually the only types of Lithium batteries you can get; check out our article on the difference between Lithium-ion and Lithium-polymer batteries.
Although Lithium-ion batteries might seem much better, especially from a waste point of view, there are still some properties that make Lithium batteries incredibly useful. They have a much higher energy density than lithium-ion batteries, meaning they hold more charge in comparison to their size. Lithium batteries can provide power from a single charge, even if it’s the only charge they’ll ever have. Unfortunately, there is no safe or effective way to recharge Lithium batteries, which is why Lithium-ion batteries were invented in the first place. Additionally, Lithium batteries are cheaper and easier to manufacture, meaning they cost less to purchase.
There are many different uses for batteries, as anything which needs a portable power source uses them. The kind of battery which is better depends entirely on your use, that’s why both types of battery are still produced and used all over the world today. Modern life depends heavily on batteries for portable power, they’re vital to our personal electronics, cars and transport, even our medical care.
Lithium batteries are the better choice for powering devices where long battery life is imperative. Examples include watches, film cameras, pacemakers, hearing aids, remote controls, calculators, and smoke detectors. All of these items need a long-lasting source of power without needing to be plugged into mains electricity all of the time, so a Lithium battery is an ideal choice.
The cases where Lithium-ion batteries are much more favorable require frequent recharging to be convenient. The Lithium-ion battery in your mobile phone generally lasts around a day, but you can recharge it every day for years without losing too much function. Devices like laptops, digital cameras, solar power storage, portable power packs, and any sort of wireless technology all rely on rechargeable Lithium-ion batteries to function. They need the ability to recharge without replacing parts because of their incredibly frequent use.
Neither type of battery should be exposed to hot temperatures, as this could risk permanent damage and can even be dangerous. Store your batteries in a cool, dry place at regular room temperature. For more information, read our article on how to store your Lithium-ion battery properly.
Lithium and lithium-ion batteries are both incredibly useful and make huge contributions to most people’s daily lives. Their applications are endless, from lifesaving medical technology to remote control toy cars, it’s hard to imagine a modern world without them. Both these types of batteries provide a form of portable power, they will provide charge to a compatible electric circuit no matter where you are.
The difference between lithium and lithium-ion batteries is that one is not rechargeable (primary cell) and the other can be recharged (secondary cell). In addition to this, Lithium batteries have a shelf life up to four times longer than lithium-ion batteries and are also much cheaper and easier to make. Until some new power technology comes about, Lithium-ion batteries will always be the best choice for the electronics we use every day. This goes for your cell phone, your digital camera, and even your electric toothbrush.
Conversely, the items we rely on to hold their charge for extended periods of time are best powered using Lithium batteries. Whether it’s a medical pacemaker or safety features like a smoke alarm, Lithium batteries are preferred as they last for so much longer. And, although we’d like to point out that it’s very rare, Lithium-ion batteries have been known to catch fire and explode, a feature we thankfully don’t see from Lithium batteries.
Modern filmmaking has been completely revolutionized by the use of green screens. Using chroma key compositing can help you create amazing effects in cinema, however, which equipment is best for you? Let’s get into some of the differences between green screens and blue screens, so you can make the right choice.
When you use a green screen, you’re creating a solid color background that can be edited out in post-production and replaced with anything you choose. This means you aren’t limited as much by location or budget, Chroma Key compositing allows for a lot of creativity. Green and blue are the colors we typically use because they’re furthest from human skin tones. This makes them the most obvious choices for a background, as they’re least likely to be confused with actors who you don’t want to key out.
Blue screens are used in film because they typically result in a better quality image, with smaller grain and cleaner edges. Blue also shows up white when exposed to black and white film under blue light, which makes color composite easier. With older technology, blue screens were a more common choice, however, modern filmmakers prefer green.
With the rise of post-production and VFX, green screens are becoming more popular. Unlike film cameras, digital cameras are much better at capturing green than blue or red, making it much easier to key out digitally in post-production. Green also reflects more light, which makes it a cheaper option. Additionally, bright green is much less likely to make an appearance in a character wardrobe than bright blue, for example, another element that makes green screens easier in post-production.
It might seem like green screens are the most obvious choice, and they definitely are the most popular. They tend to save filmmakers time and money, as post-production is much easier when keying out green. However, one of the benefits of using a green screen is also a disadvantage.
The light bouncing properties of the color green can cause a lot of color spill in your takes. Green colored light naturally bounces onto actors and props, which can be more difficult to remove post-production. The bright nature of a green screen makes it ideal for daytime shots, but at night the additional brightness can feel unnatural.
Blue screens feature significantly reduced color spill, making it much easier to pick up smaller details in your shots. When keying out blue screen post-production, it might be more difficult, but the results can be much sharper and more detailed. However, in return for this detail, blue screens require much better lighting. This can be a barrier when it comes to your budget, as powerful lighting is expensive.
Blue screens are ideal for nighttime scenes as the reduced light reflection looks more natural. However, you have to be more careful regarding blue clothing and other blue items on set, as common costume items like blue jeans can be a hassle to key in later.
When choosing either a blue screen or a green screen, consider the following elements. Green screens are cheaper to fully light, however, blue screens work much better for nighttime scenes. Blue will also pick up much finer details if necessary, however, this can make them much more complicated than green screens post-production. Both green and blue screens can be a huge asset to your filmmaking whichever way you decide, so make the most of chroma key composting by selecting the right background today.
Modern cinematographers most popularly light by eye, simply adjusting lights and angles until the scene “looks right”. However, there is a more technical method you can use to light film sets, one that reaches back to the earliest days of cinematography. Measuring light in ratios can be a more specific way to light film scenes, using specific numbers to determine brightness and shadow.
Lighting ratios are an entirely relative way to measure the amount of light in a scene. Rather than being measured by the number or type of lights, ratios compare how light falls in two different areas. Understanding this element of cinematography will make you a much better storyteller, as light ratios can be used to convey emotion in a film like no other single element.
Instead of using a numerical measurement like an F stop, light ratios only compare how one part of a scene is lit in relation to another. Light ratios are almost written as two numbers, like 2:1; in this example, one light measurement is twice as bright as the other. These can be used to compare different elements of an image (for example key light vs background light) or simply two sides of an actor’s face.
When measuring the light in an image or scene, the key light, fill light, backlight, and background are the most important elements. It can be complicated trying to maintain the right balance between these measures by eye, however, using ratios can seriously simplify it. When lighting by ratios, you first decide on the numerical ratio and its appliance to a single one of these elements (usually the key light) and then from there you can adjust the remaining lights to suit.
Depending on what element you decide to measure, there are hundreds of different light ratios you can use in a single film scene. The key to fill ratio is the most commonly used measure among cinematographers. The key light refers to the light used on the main subject of the scene, for example, an actor. This provides the main illumination for a given shot and is generally the measure used for setting exposure on your camera lens. The fill light is the general light level in a scene and doesn’t have to come from an actual studio light.
Fill light is made up of the bounce of other lights, general ambient light, or negative fill. The term fill light as used here is simply the opposite of key light: the key illuminates your main subject, where the fill is simply the general light level. In film, the key to fill light ratio is most popularly utilized when lighting people. The key light will provide good illumination of one side of your actor’s face, where the fill determines how well we see the other. To determine the light ratio, in this case, you would simply measure each side of your subject's face.
The key to background ratio is the second major ratio which cinematographers use. The key light is your main scene light as explained previously, however, the second measure is much broader than fill light. The key to background light ratio works in the same way as key to fill, however, it has a more noticeable impact on the scene.
Instead of measuring just the fill light, you measure the background as a whole. Usually, dramatic cinema uses the key to background light ratio to set the mood of the scene, and also to focus the attention of the audience. The background light can be dimmed so all eyes are on the subject, or the light levels raised to elevate the general feeling of a scene.
Light ratios are incredibly important in genre, as they have a huge effect on the feeling and emotions of a scene. Lighting ratios can be manipulated to make the same scene look bright and happy, or dramatic and foreboding. Different film genres use light ratios to convey their message, carefully measured to allow the perfect levels of detail and shadow.
Lighthearted comedy shows often use a key to fill ratio of around 2:1, meaning the key light shed upon your subject is twice as bright as the fill, or the side of your actor’s face in shadow. A light ratio of 2:1 is bright and shows color well, without much shadow or darkness. This lighting ratio is ideal if you need to reveal a lot of detail in your shots, and want to maintain a bright and happy effect.
A light ratio such as 8:1 is used in very different genres, such as film noir. In an 8:1 key to fill ratio, one side of the actor's face is dark and almost completely in shadow, with the other side brightly lit in white. Higher light ratios can make shots much more dramatic, and give more depth to your image.
There are two different methods that most filmmakers use to measure light ratios. If you want to maintain a specific ratio throughout, then getting accurate measurements is important. A light meter is the simplest way to measure light readings, you simply use it to record different light levels around the set and actors, and from these, you can figure out the ratio. This is the most cost-effective method as a light meter can be obtained for around $50, however, it can be time-consuming to collect all the readings you need.
To use a light meter to measure the key to fill ratio in your shot, simply measure the key side and the fill side of your subject. It’s worth noting that in using this method, measurements have to be done at the moment. There’s no way to measure the light ratio of a scene after it’s been shot, once it’s on a tv screen. This means you have to experiment and make adjustments in real-time, another time-consuming task.
A false-color monitor can provide a much quicker way to measure light ratios. A monitor showing false-color images converts light levels into colors based on brightness, similar to how a thermal camera works. This way, you can clearly and instantly see which areas are most and least lit based on color. Not only is a false-color monitor less time consuming, but it can also be more accurate. Light meters do provide accurate readings, however, a false-color monitor can measure light bouncing off other objects and provide a more accurate measure of relative brightness. Unfortunately, false color monitors are many times more expensive than light meters, easily costing thousands of dollars.
Although measuring light in ratios is an excellent technique for cinematographers to master, there are a few areas where this method isn’t adequate. You can still use light ratios to illuminate your scene, but these additional elements need to be considered outside of this method. Light ratios are incredibly useful for setting the mood, but other lighting factors still need to be taken into account:
Measuring light in ratios is an advanced technical skill that every cinematographer should master. This basis of set lighting in film is a powerful tool that can be used to really connect with your audience. Using a low light ratio (for example fill to key) helps scenes to maintain a light-spirited and happy appearance, where there is less shadow on the subjects and most details are clearly visible. A much higher light ratio will cast your subject in bright light on one side, leaving the other in much darker shadow.
This technique can help convey more mystery and intrigue, and present a more dramatic image. You can also use light ratios in film to help draw the audience’s attention to specific things, like when using the key to background ratio. This way, you can direct the eyes of your viewer more effectively, and ensure they’re focusing on the right part of the scene.
Remember, light ratios aren’t the be-all and end-all of scene lighting. They’re a great place to start, but it’s important to keep in mind the other elements of lighting which aren’t as easily meters or controlled. The type, color, and direction of your lighting all work completely independently of light ratios and have an equally important impact on the end result.
However, we recommend that every cinematographer learn the theory behind light ratios and put it into practice, to gain a better-rounded knowledge of the craft.
The Dolly Shot is one of the most powerful tools in a cinematographer's arsenal, and a very important element if you’re using film to tell a story. It’s a very common technique amongst filmmakers, and one you’ve likely seen used in your favorite movie. Setting up a dolly shot can be quite the technical challenge, and on top of that, perfecting the take to convey your message can take a lot of practice and experience.
A dolly shot is a certain type of tracking shot where the camera is mounted on a wheeled cart (a dolly), which is in turn set on tracks. The camera moves along smoothly on the dolly to create a steady and controlled shot. Other movements can be used in combination with the dolly to better convey your theme or message. Any clip shot with a camera dolly could be considered a tracking shot, however, following a single subject or actor isn’t the only thing a dolly is used for. In many dolly shots, visible rail tracks need to be removed post-production, so remember this element when setting up.
When using a camera dolly, you can also utilize other camera movements to accentuate your themes, creating some very compelling effects. Different types of dolly shots have been used very successfully in cinema to draw the audience’s attention and make them feel a certain way, it’s much more complicated than a simple tracking shot. Here are a few examples of some dolly shot types you can try out:
1. Standard Dolly (Dolly In and Dolly Out): Moving the camera smoothly towards or away from your subject (dolly in or out) is what is commonly referred to as a standard dolly shot. There is little secondary camera movement when doing a standard dolly shot, you might only need to tilt the camera slightly to keep your subject the center of attention. Additionally, you might need to adjust the camera focus distance to keep your subject sharp.
2. Dolly Zoom (Zolly): The dolly zoom is one of the most popular and visually effective styles of dolly shots. It works the same as a dolly in or dolly out, however, the camera zoom is also adjusted in the opposite direction while the dolly rolls. This creates a striking shot where the subject will stay the same size, while the background appears to open up or narrow down.
3. Dolly with Additional Movement: Combining a dolly shot with additional camera movements can also create great cinematic effects. Whether you’re tilting, rolling, or any other movement, the use of a secondary movement with a dolly shot can help you draw specific attention to your subject.
4. Tracking Dolly Shot: The tracking shot is another huge deal in cinema, one that has helped produce some of the most impressive and effective storytelling in the films we see today. Usually, a dolly tracking shot uses a camera which rolls alongside your actors or subject, taking them through the scene or from one location to another.
5. One Take Dolly Shot: A long tracking shot, or “one take”, often involves a dolly camera moving through a scene for extended periods of time. These are especially effective for storytelling and drawing the audience in, as they usually follow an actor without any noticeable cuts for a length of time. These are the most difficult to achieve dolly shots, as of course completing the shot in a single take is very challenging. However, if you have enough rail length, then they can be incredibly effective.
Lithium ion batteries use a liquid electrolyte to hold the charge, which leaves them open to leakage problems that can damage equipment. A lithium polymer block battery arrangement consists of colloidal solids, so there is no chance the battery will leak.
Shrinking the size of batteries is a key factor in creating smaller form factors for electronic devices, as well making them lighter and more portable. A Lithium polymer block battery can be designed to accommodate a variety of shapes, as well as be made incredibly thin. For instance, a lithium polymer battery with a capacity of 3.6V and 400mAh can be made as thin as 0.5mm.
Lithium ion batteries with liquid electrolytes are limited to rectangular shapes only - making them the popular option for mobile phones. Also, to achieve higher voltages you must connect several lithium ion batteries in series. Lithium polymer batteries can be created as a single high voltage battery.
When comparing similar size batteries from the two versions of lithium battery, the lithium polymer will have twice the capacity of the lithium ion.
Artist's Instagram: @sugar.bro Email: seanmacdesign@gmail.com
]]>It's Friday, January 18th, and D&O Lighting is proud to announce a new partnership between D&O Lighting and a training video studio in Bangkok, Thailand. D&O Lighting collaborated with this studio to outfit all of their lighting needs entirely with D&O Lighting 180W Pro Bi Color LED Panels
You can look at a few shots we got of the place with our 180W Pro Bi Color LED Panels being proudly displayed! Do you see the new LCD screens? Yeah, we did that. If you're not impressed yet, look all the way down to the bottom and you'll get a treat.
Fig. 1; As you can see here, our lights are able to be utilized as multifunctional fill in lights for a small studio space.
Fig. 2; Does your studio have a larger space? We got you covered.
Fig. 3; All 25 of these guys do.
Fig. 4; Ditto
Fig. 5; Do you frequently host a show? These lights will perfectly light up your studio (and all its contents) with a beautiful/accurate cool white or warm tungsten light.
Fig. 6; This guy knows what's up
At D&O Lighting we believe that quality technology should be available to small and large studios alike, and with our 180W Bi Color LED Panels, what could go wrong? Oh and a spec sheet? Yeah... we got that.
Fig. 7 You'll see here that we still have our older version in stock, "When might you get the new ones in stock?" You might ask... We will have a firm date soon, for now only specialty orders (10+ lights), but be sure to look out for it on YouTube soon. For a limited time, we have our current 180W Pro Bi Color LED Panels (with knobs, no LED Screens) for Buy One Get One Half Off! Scroll down for more.
Click here to buy our 180W LED Panel.
Insert this Buy One Get One Half Off Code Upon Checkout: HALF OFF LIGHT
---
Thank you from the D&O Lighting Team!
Colin & John
]]>D&O Lighting, in collaboration with photographytalk.com, wants to give you some useful tips on the six classic portrait photography lighting setups.
We really love how their article, '6 Classic Portrait Photography Lighting Setups' elaborate on our previous post regarding here.
Taking a high-quality portrait isn't just a matter of having a nice camera, a good lens, and a pretty model.
If only it were that easy!
Instead, there are all sorts of other considerations to make.
You have to think about the setting of the photo shoot and how it might help (or hinder) your ability to create a nice portrait.
There's the background to worry about, too: Is it too busy? Does it distract the viewer's eye? Is it too plain and boring?
Of course, one crucial aspect of portrait photography hasn't been listed yet...
Lighting.
But there's more to lighting a portrait than simply having light. You need to think about the pattern of light as well.
In this tutorial, we take a look at six classic lighting patterns, each of which can help you create a distinctive portrait.
Before we dive into the six different options for lighting patterns, we need to come to an agreement regarding what a lighting pattern is in the first place.
If we're going for a quick and easy definition, a lighting pattern can be described as the manner in which light interacts with a model's facial features to create areas of light and shadow.
The key feature that differentiates each pattern is the shape of the shadow that's created on the model's face. In each instance, the shapes of those shadows are unique and completely change the look and feel of the portrait depending on which one is used.
There are two styles of lighting of which to be aware - short and broad.
There are also four patterns of lighting you need to be familiar with: butterfly, split, loop, and Rembrandt.
Let's examine each in more detail.
When using short lighting, the light source is used to cast a shadow on the side of the model's face that's nearest the camera, as seen in the image above.
In this case, the model has turned her face toward the light source, which is to her right.
As a result, her right cheek is illuminated while her left cheek is in shadow.
That large area of shadowing on her left cheek is the hallmark of short lighting - with this lighting style, the largest area of the face will appear in shadow.
A great way to achieve this look is to use an off-camera hot-shoe flash mounted to a tripod.
For the image above, the flash would be positioned to the model's right. However, because the light needs to be softened, it's a good idea to soften that light with a diffuser.
Unlike short lighting, broad lighting is a style of lighting that results in the shadow appearing on the model's far cheek, as seen above.
You can see how the subject is now looking away from the light, which is positioned to her right, our left.
As a result of this, there is a large area of light on the right side of her face and a shadowed area on the left side of her face.
Note as well that with broad lighting, the area that's illuminated is typically larger and the shadowed area is usually smaller than if narrow lighting is used, though that isn't always the case.
Broad lighting also has the effect of widening a subject's face. This makes it a useful tool when photographing people that have an especially slim face.
But just as was seen in the example of short lighting previously, in broad lighting, the light is still very soft and diffused.
When you look at the portrait above, you can see why butterfly lighting is named as such.
If you look closely, there is a butterfly-shaped shadow under the model's nose.
This is achieved by positioning the primary light above and behind the camera, such that it is placed directly above the photographer.
With the light falling on the model from slightly above, the butterfly shadow appears under her nose, with some shadows present under her chin as well. But because the light is also positioned directly in front of her, most other shadows are minimized for a clean, even look.
This type of lighting style is typically used for glamor and fashion portraits. It's also a popular option for older models because the front lighting helps to minimize the appearance of wrinkles.
Split lighting is named as such because the lighting splits the face into two equal sides, one illuminated and the other in shadow.
This lighting pattern is typically used to create portraits that are dramatic with a lot of depth, like the one seen above.
Split lighting is easy to set up - just put the light at a 90-degree angle to the subject. In the case of the image above, the light is 90-degrees to the model's right.
When placing the light, be sure to think about how the model's face is structured. To be true split lighting, the eye on the shadowed side of the face should actually be illuminated.
However, not everyone's nose allows for this. Try turning the model's head more toward the light, but if the light illuminates more than the eye on the shadowed side (i.e., their cheek), split lighting in its purest form won't work with that particular model.
The beauty of split lighting is that you can simply use natural lighting to get a great effect. Even if it's slightly overcast out, there should be enough sunlight if you position the model at a 90-degree angle to the sun to get enough shadowing on the far side of their face to get a nice split lighting effect.
When using loop lighting, you'll notice small shadows from the model's nose on his or her cheek.
To create these shadows, the light source is placed just above eye level and at around 45-degrees from the camera.
In the image above, you can see how the shadow from her nose extends onto her left cheek. However, note that the shadow from her nose does not touch the shadow created by her cheek.
By keeping the nose shadow small, you create the nice loop-sized area of light on the model's upper cheek.
Naturally, since everyone has a different nose and cheek structure, you'll have to play with the angle of light and the manner in which the model is posed to get the precise loop lighting you want.
To get this type of look, try an outdoor photo shoot in which the sun is behind your subject, and your subject is in the shade. Then, use a reflector to bounce light onto the subject's faces from a slightly higher position than their eyes. Remember also to try to maintain the positioning of the reflector at a 45-degree angle to the camera.
Rembrandt lighting involves a triangle of light on the model's cheek.
This is similar in look to loop lighting, but in this case, the shadow of the nose and the shadow of the cheek touch to create the triangle of light you see on the model's left cheek above.
When setting up a Rembrandt lighting pattern, pay close attention to the eye on the shadowed side of the face as it actually needs to catch the light. If it doesn't, the eye will look deep and dark, and that's not a good look!
To setup Rembrandt lighting, place the light source above the model's head such that the shadow of their nose comes downward toward their cheek. Manipulate the model's pose until you see the hallmark triangle of light on the off-side of their face.
Like other lighting patterns, Rembrandt lighting is not ideally suited for everyone. For example, models with very high cheekbones of very small noses typically won't work for this particular pattern of lighting.
Like just about everything else in photography, when it comes to using these lighting patterns and styles, there are exceptions to the rule.
If you can't achieve the precise look as prescribed by these lighting schemes, that's okay!
Be willing to experiment with the placement of the light source, the angle to which your model is looking at the light, and the angle from which you take the portrait.
Nothing says you have to replicate these lighting patterns exactly. In the end, what's important is that you have these lighting patterns and styles at your disposal; if you have to tweak them to meet your needs, do so!
Many of the best photographs in the world were taken by breaking or bending one rule or another. Don't be afraid to be a rule breaker as well. Your photos can benefit from that just as much as they can from following the rules.
Furthermore, remember that you can use just about any type of lighting to achieve any of these looks.
As noted throughout the article, natural lighting, natural lighting plus reflectors, and diffused light are all options for many of the lighting schemes discussed above.
All that's left now is for you to experiment with each one!
References:
For more information on master portrait photography by pixpa.com, please click link here.
]]>
Photographers rely a great deal on the lithium-ion batteries which power the equipment essential for running a set, but they can make air travel problematic, so here’s the skinny on what you can and can’t carry with you. Lithium-ion batteries with no more than 2g lithium content and capacity less than 100Wh can be transported in carry-on baggage or checked in at the terminal, provided the batteries are stored in the equipment.
Photographers can carry on a maximum of 15 portable electronic devices with lithium-ion batteries stored in the equipment up to a maximum capacity of 100Wh, while spare batteries (a maximum of 20) of this capacity are relegated to checked-in baggage only.
Traveling overseas means you need to be especially cautious about the capacity of the batteries you take with you. Fortunately, lithium-ion batteries are contained in hard-plastic shells which makes them less of a challenge when traveling overseas – provided they fall within the guidelines. All operators will allow capacities of less than 100Wh batteries to be stored in carry-on baggage provided they are stored in the equipment or checked in if they are spare batteries.
Spare lithium batteries should be protected against short-circuits by being transported in the original retail packaging, or by placing tape over the terminals. Batteries may also be carried in separate plastic bags or protective pouches.
The TSA allows batteries between 100 and 160Wh to be transported in checked-in baggage, with up to 2 spare batteries falling within this capacity permitted in carry-on luggage. Photographers who travel the world will want to ensure they are up to speed with the regulations of the carrier they are flying with to ensure they won’t have to leave any equipment behind.
If you’re traveling with a device which requires large amounts of power, such as the 180W Pro Bi-Color LED Panel from D & O Lighting, then you will need large capacity batteries. If you know you’re shooting at a location without mains power, then traveling with batteries of 160Wh and beyond is essential. These capacities will be subjected to IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations so checking with your carrier before showing up at the terminal will be your best option.
|
|
|
|
|
|
In equipment (PED or PMED) |
Yes (max 15 PED/PMED1) |
Yes |
No1 |
Spare Battery (ies) |
Yes (max 20 spare batteries2) |
No |
No2 |
|
>100 to ≤160Wh
|
In Equipment (PED or PMED) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Spare battery (ies) |
Yes (Max 2 spare batteries) |
No |
Yes |
|
|
|
|||
|
In equipment (PMED only) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Spare batteries for PMED |
Yes (Max 2 spare batteries) |
No |
Yes |
* 15 PED (portable electronic devices).
*2 Each passenger is allowed a maximum of 20 spare batteries of any type. The operator may approve a greater number of batteries.
]]>
Always store your batteries at the correct battery charge percentage
When it comes to storing lithium-ion batteries, battery charge is incredibly important. The only time that it would be safe to store your 14.8v lithium-ion battery fully charged would be if you are storing it short term, as in day-to-day. For all other times, lithium-ion batteries should be kept at 40% battery charge. By keeping your batteries charged at 40%, you will keep its protection circuit operational and in stable condition
Never store your lithium-ion battery in extreme temperatures
Most 14.8v lithium-ion battery distributors store their batteries in temperatures around 60 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature drops significantly below 60 degrees, electrolytes within the battery will be activated, which can result in your battery charging slower and dying quicker. On the other hand, when storage temperatures are too hot, the battery’s cell deterioration will accelerate, resulting in a shorter lifespan and charge capacity.
Avoid overcharging and undercharging your batteries
This tip is crucial for the storage of lithium-ion batteries particularly. Overcharging a lithium-ion battery can lead to the battery becoming unstable at an accelerated rate. Lithium-ion batteries should last 2 years- or around 300 charges- but this timeframe will decrease drastically if batteries are overcharged. Similarly, fully discharging a 14.8v lithium-ion battery can also be dangerous it will put a strain on the battery. Unlike other professional batteries, lithium-ion batteries have no memory. This means that the battery functions at its full capacity for much longer if it is charged slowly and frequently.
By storing your lithium-ion batteries properly, you could not only extend its lifespan but also keep it in prime condition. If you neglect to follow this how-to guide on storing your 14.8v lithium-ion batteries, chances are you won’t get your money’s worth out of your purchase. As proud retailers of lighting and battery equipment, D&O Lighting is passionate about not only selling high-quality products to customers but also providing our customers with the knowledge necessary to operate and preserve their equipment. If you have any further questions regarding our 14.8v lithium-ion batteries, don’t hesitate to contact us.
]]>
For many people, responsible disposal of their batteries simply means they get discarded with the regular garbage. It’s quick, simple, and painless but with the increasing numbers of batteries making it into our landfills every week, it’s time we gave some thought as to how we deal with these potentially deadly little power packs.
Batteries are firmly entrenched in our lives; they power our TV remotes, flashlights, cameras, and children’s toys. In the average gadget-centric house of the 21st century, they can be found in every room of the house. All this adds up to billions of little toxic waste dumps being disposed of worldwide every year – with a mountain’s worth making it into our landfills.
There are more than 3 billion batteries thrown out every year in the US alone, with most discarded without a second thought once they run out of fizzle. While not all batteries contain harmful chemicals, many will leach toxic substances into the soil once the weight of the landfill starts to crush down on the protective casing.
Once a containment breach occurs, toxic chemicals start to make their way into the groundwater and soil. From there they can make their way into the food chain, into our water supply, and eventually onto our dinner plate. While they may be out of sight and out of mind, discarded batteries are quietly damaging the environment and affecting our health. One component of many batteries, cadmium, is really bad news for the environment once it gets free of the battery’s casing, as it’s harmful to fish and damages plant roots. Contact with humans may result in skin irritation or nausea, but there are also some concerns that prolonged exposure to cadmium may lead to cancer.
While batteries buried in our landfill are bad enough, in certain circumstances the harmful chemicals may also make it into our atmosphere. Batteries which haven’t been disposed of properly may be set on fire, which will allow their toxic components to become airborne. Plus, there is also the risk of injury as batteries often explode from the intense heat.
Fortunately, it’s not all bad news, as Lithium-Ion batteries are considered safe to throw into your regular garbage. However, this doesn’t mean you should, as it’s always much better to take your old worn out batteries to the recycling center, where their components can be separated to find new life elsewhere. Many countries also regulate the disposal of Lithium batteries, so it’s always a good idea to check.
Photographers who use rechargeable batteries to earn their bread and butter will be happy to know that their favorite Lithium Ion batteries, namely the BP-130S and the BP-190S, are not as toxic to the environment as their other rechargeable brethren, but if there is a recycling facility in your area, then you should use it. Legislation has been forcing retailers to be more conscientious about the environment and collect old batteries, so they can be sent off and recycled responsibly.
So, before you decide to chuck your tired old batteries in the bin, give a thought about the environment and consider how your actions may eventually be detrimental to the health and well-being of yourself and those around you. It also pays to bear in mind that to manufacture a battery requires fifty times more energy than what it contains. Isn’t this even more of a reason to pay attention to how we dispose of our old batteries?
]]>