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Wheres the best spot for the hair light when trying to avoid reflections?
Hi,
I’ve watched numerous tutorials on lighting and they seem to have the hair light directly above at a 45 degree angle.
I”m recording interviews both with a black background/screen and natural surroundings (kitchen, porch etc) . Where is the best place to put the hair light in each scenario in order to avoid reflections from bald heads and white hair? How far to the left or right can it go before it loses its effect? I’m using 300 LED with soft box – could that be to bright even at its lowest? Should I always use a defuser?
With only a key light and hair light I’ve been following the instructions in the image but turning the key light around toward the talent a bit more.. Getting the reflector in the right place to work can be difficult. Plus its hard to keep it there – does any one have a good solution for a stand? How does using white and mirror differ.
Any advice would be appreciated!
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47 Replies
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I don’t think it’s the brightness of the light that’s the issue, it’s the controllability of the light. I would think that you want to use a directional light with barn doors (and maybe a diffuser). LED panels are like shotguns – they light goes where it will – even with barn doors, you often get stepped shadows because you’re dealing with many point lights with LEDs. I would think that a small, focusable fixture would be the trick for the hair light. What you want with a hair light is a small rim of light which helps define the contours of the subject, and kicks them out from the background. As for bald heads, just remember “angle of incidence equals angle of reflection”, and adjust that as needed. You may also need some light powder on the offending head.
Joe Bourke
Owner/Creative Director
Bourke Media
http://www.bourkemedia.com -
Patrick –
Here’s a link to a bit more technical information which discusses the various lighting rations. As you can see from the variables, there is never going to be one lighting setup which works for every situation – unless it’s a studio with people who have the same flesh tones, hair tones, and clothing on:
Joe Bourke
Owner/Creative Director
Bourke Media
http://www.bourkemedia.com -
“Where is the best place to put the hair light in each scenario in order to avoid reflections from bald heads and white hair?” The best solutions to bald heads and white hair I’ve found are:
- make the hair light as large as possible by flying diffusion in the path of the light
- scrim or dim down the light until it is just visible — reduce the intensity
“How far to the left or right can it go before it loses its effect?”
- I always prefer to fly it directly behind the subject. Because the head is a round surface, you can never remove that sheen by moving the light left or right
“does any one have a good solution for a stand?”
- A c-stand is the tool for this job, combined with a quaker/quacker/platypus clamp that grabs the foamcore in its large “lips”; with the c-stand you grab the clamp with its baby stud
“How does using white and mirror differ.”
- White is a soft reflection, a mirror hard. Each has its place. If the key light is soft, the mirror will simply reflect the soft light, but if it’s a hard light, the mirror bounce will be hard as well. In general, use white foamcore unless it doesn’t kick back enough light
Rick Wise
Cinematographer
San Francisco Bay Area
https://www.RickWiseDP.com -
This is a classic dilemma; backlight for white, thinning or bald heads.
The simplest solution is to turn the backlight off. This works without issue if you don’t really need a backlight to separate the subject from the background, such as a white cyc.
Another solution is to lower the light and bring it from the opposite side of the key, making it more of a “scratch” light.
Another choice, especially if the subject has dark clothing the “needs” seperation, is to flag the backlight off the head and just light the shoulders.
Finally, the suggestion to “waste” the backlight by cutting it down, or just even tipping it up until it’s barely noticeable works.
Finally, if all else fails, create the separation by lighting the background with a complementary color or contrast.
I’m sure you thought of all these solutions already!
JS
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[john sharaf] “Another solution is to lower the light and bring it from the opposite side of the key, making it more of a “scratch” light.”
I do this all the time and it works well.
I think that’s actually something I did years ago by accident, not knowing any better or having been taught that it was an actual “technique” that people do. I’ll now often put the backlight lower and much more to one side (and yes, opposite the key). Not only does it really soften the rim and help deal with white or bald heads, but often times that hint of a splash across the side of the face is really interesting and a good look… definitely not the flat and über-perfect “Sears Portrait Studio” look you get with strict and traditional three-point lighting.
On stage I’ll usually use a small tungsten fresnel for that (maybe a Pepper 200 or so)… but these days when out of the studio I’m usually predominantly using LEDs on location, especially for quick-n-dirty stuff. In those cases my backlight of choice is usually a little Switronix TorchLED, which despite being one of the most uncontrollable instruments you can imagine, can still give a great look if positioned correctly.
That’s a great little fixture, actually… by “uncontrollable” I just mean that like most all LEDs things like barndoors are pretty much useless. It’s a little bi-color head that will let you dial in the exact color temp you need, and will run for hours off its on-board battery.
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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Cheers Todd, John & Rick!
I just wanted to clarify a couple of things you’ve all touched on:
If I’m using a screen or natural BG can I move the rim light over (to the right if its going to be opposite the key) so it’s not quite directly above the talents head but still at the same height? Todd mentioned lowering it but in the case of using a black screen I can’t lower it to much for the screens boom pole will stop it. That idea does sound appealing though for that “splash” of light on the talents face would look good.
I’m definitely going to put a diffuser on the rim/hair light as my light is pretty bright even at its lowest. I think I need a light like Todds but I’m trying to work with what I have.
Thanks again. Now its time to find a c-stand + clamp and start experimenting.
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To echo what John said in part, I often prefer lighting the background behind the person, sometimes with color, sometimes not, as opposed to using a traditional backlight. Indeed, with your desire to avoid reflections on a balding head that might be the way to go. Especially if you find yourself in a location where the background has texture to it which often looks very nice and creates a good profile.
Like with anything else, traditional backlight is an aesthetic choice! There’s no rule that says you must use it.
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Cheers Erik!
Todd, you mentioned to me that lighting can be more forgiving when using a natural background. Well summers on its way over here in NZ which is when I’ll be doing most of my interviews. I’m keen to take that advice you’ve given me about going with a natural background because when I turn up at the talents home I don’t want to completely take over by closing off all the curtains, putting up the black screen plus lights, mics and cameras. But the biggest problem I have here is that in many cases the the BG behind their favourite chair is natural white or some other nondescript bg. If I were to put the black screen behind them in a situation where I can’t control all of the natural light and the bg is not the best could I still use the black background/screen and then make it look crisp & dark by bringing down the levels in post? As I mentioned before I’m torn as to whether I stick with the black screen/BG or use a natural BG. The reason I’m so keen to use the black screen is so that I have a uniformed background thus producing a more professional looking product. I understand its the content that makes or breaks an interview. I’m just trying work out the aesthetics here after years of just pointing a shooting.
The other thing – if there is a lot of natural light whats the best way to configure the key and rim light?
Any advice from you guys would be appreciated.
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[Patrick Bronte] “keen to use the black screen is so that I have a uniformed background thus producing a more professional looking product. “
It’s all aesthetics Patrick, and there are no right or wrong answers… but I’m sure you realize that uniformity does not equal professional looking. There are plenty of high-end great-looking pro videos that certainly place their subjects in a variety of natural surroundings. And plenty of crappy videos full of black limbo backgrounds. One has absolutely nothing to do with the other. You’re right, it’s all about the content.
[Patrick Bronte] “in many cases the the BG behind their favourite chair is natural white or some other nondescript bg.”
Then don’t put them there. Put them somewhere else. Yes, every one of these subjects is going to have their most favorite chair, where they are most comfortable. But that might not fly. Make them comfortable, but you don’t have to coddle them. If you wanted to interview me at my most comfortable you’d be shooting me in bed… but no one wants to see that. These guys are war heroes, they’ve been through a lot worse than giving up the La-Z-Boy for a little while.
The big problem with “real life” homes, as opposed to the ones you see on TV or in the movies, is furniture placement. In the movies, floorplans tend to be open and seating options are often in the center of rooms, or have depth behind them in some way. In real life, people tend to place chairs and sofas around the perimeter of rooms, with backs against walls. This is terrible, obviously… just about the worst choice you can make is to back a subject against a wall. I always tell people it looks like I’m taking their mug shot, and that they should be holding up an arrest number.
Get your talent away from walls. Move a chair a bit. If you are shooting a guy in his living room, can you see the kitchen in deep background? Or out a window? Or down a hall? If not, move the chair. Even in a doorway is better than against a white wall. No doubt these guys wouldn’t mind your assistant doing some slight re-arranging, as long as it’s put back. Most people are actually very accommodating.
T2
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Todd Terry
Creative Director
Fantastic Plastic Entertainment, Inc.
fantasticplastic.com
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Terry is right on about a black background and uniformity not always equaling a professional look! In fact, I’d honestly go a step further and argue that it looks cheaper and unimaginative. Especially if you have multiple interview subjects, background uniformity can get pretty boring after a while. Personally, I would never suggest a purely black background to any important/high end client of mine. Furthermore, to really nail that look in a practical home requires a reasonably high degree of light and spill control coupled with the right room dimensions and proportions. So even the basic black look is not always as simple from locale to locale.
On the other hand, if you go with natural settings, you have to be willing and able to combat them. I second Terry again by saying this will indeed often mean “taking over” a space. I have shot probably hundreds of interview subjects in their own homes/places of business and I’ve literally never, not once, drew the ire of the subject by simply arranging (fairly) easily movable items and furniture. That’s not to say that it never will happen, or hasn’t happened to others, but I believe there exists a vastly disproportionate paranoia about this. With a respectful and courteous attitude (sense of humor helps too!), this will in all likelihood be less of a problem than you think!
There is always something you can do in natural settings, whether it’s creating patterns or shadows, using windows when exposure permits, darkening portions of a room, etc. But then you have to be able to combat this with lighting and grip gear as well. What is your arsenal in that regard?
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