Lighting for interview

[John Sharaf]

Bona,

While you might never have lit and shot an interview before, you have probably watched tens of thousands on tv and in the movies. What was it about any particular interview that you noticed about the lighting? Was there any relationship between the subject and the backround that you found pleasing? What about the portraiture on the face; was there anything about the quality of the light you can remember or describe?

Think about these things when you have the opportunity to express yourself by photographing an interview. The techniques can all be learned but the inspiration must come from inside of you.

Obviously you’ll need some equipment, although much can be done with the proper stageing and use of natural light. Alternately an artificial light can be used to key, or fill or backlight to suppliment the natural light or you might begin in total darkness, where your lighting creates the entire picture.

This is just the beginning….

[Ditha Angraini]

Hello,

Thank you for your reply. The interview I would be doing is relating to public spaces and the use of it. I will know whether the interview would be shot or not and exactly which topic the interview would cover at a later date, but I thought I’d better prepare myself for it anyway. So I don’t panic not knowing which gear to take on the day (there are a wide selection of gear to choose from).

The interview scene I had in mind based on what I have gathered so far is to be done in an indoor public space (but with static background as I noticed that having people walking around in the background can be distratcting), and with a warm atmosphere and soft light. How can this be achieved? I would be shooting with a sony PD150.

Thank you.

to learn the true meaning of victory, go and ask the defeated warrior

[Nino Giannotti]

Try this

http://www.EFPlighting.com

[Bob Cole]

[Nino Giannotti] “www.EFPlighting.com”

Very nice, Nino. Great website, well laid-out.

In terms of lighting and rigging, it’s a big leap from the one-camera, one-subject, one-angle interview to the two-camera, two subject interview, especially where the space between the two people has to be “clean” and the keys have to be boomed.

What, in your opinion, is the ideal location equipment rig for that situation? The best trade-of of great results and portability?

John Sharaf has given this forum some great tips about how to handle the two-camera situation. John has shown the use of boomed HMIs, I suppose in part because the greater output of the HMIs is really helpful, when the key has to be that much further away from the subject.

Two-camera is a challenging situation, beautifully handled by John and Nino, and something I would like to try. I’ve noticed that even on top-line shows, almost every time that the lighting has been subpar, it has been in a two-camera situation.

— Bob C

[Randall Raymond]

Bravo, Nino! Really nice!