See the Light!

Light – the most necessary of things for a cinematographer, and just as it is necessary, it is equally as unpredictable and sometimes difficult to control.  Even with the introduction of the low light champs Canon 5D MarkII and the Canon 7D, there is still a need to maximize available light, and utilize artificial light.

Before we go into any shoot, we always consult with the client about their wedding and we discuss light and how we will use it.  Understanding as much as possible about the environment we will be shooting in will allow us to make decisions on the front end to head off any problems.  It is also important for them to understand to what extent we value and use light and to also know about the tools we use to make it happen.

We typically do not have an opportunity to light each scene but there are many things we can do that will increase the image quality.  Our lighting tools include:  Arri 650, Lowel Pro (3 light kit, 250w), LitePanels Micro, and the Canon VL-10Li II.  How we use each one of these depends upon location restrictions and how we need to enhance the scene.

For pre-ceremony, we always take a look at where the hair and make up will take place and what available light we can use.  Many times, I will offer the makeup artist our Lowel to help with her job.  They love this – score for us- and it also gives us a nice light to work with.  We can then use the barn doors to choke the light down or use diffusing paper to help spread the light around.

Typically, most churches in the U.S. will not allow us to light the sanctuary, so we are forced to use the available light.  As we walk in, we observe the lighting setup for unused lights and ask to have them turned on “to see how the light enhances the scene.” So we work our diplomatic skills (rather than being too pushy), and most of the time, people work back with us!

We once walked into a beautiful church and the lighting, even at its maximum, was not sufficient for proper exposure.  All of the windows had shutters, though, on both sides of the room.  I opened them up, and it changed everything.  It transformed our exposure from something that looked very dim and flat to a nice, rich, colorful contrasty texture.

Reception locations are usually dark and quite a challenge to film.  We always light the dance floor with the Arri 650 (which also has barn doors).  This light has a lot of punch but is evenly spread.  We get this light set up before the guests arrive so that they have an opportunity to acclimate to the lit environment.

If you don’t have an opportunity to set it up beforehand, you can purchase a dimmer that will allow you to gradually increase the power throughout the evening (remember the ‘boiling the frog‘ anecdote – well, it’s not quite the same, but similar).

We also use our Lowel kit to bounce light off of the floor or ceiling.  Using lights high and away creates a more dramatic and even spread of light.  We rarely use lights directly on the camera because it draws attention to the camera and we would rather have people not being aware of us.

With additional crew, we use the second or third person to point the Lowel at an angle to the subject. We also use the Canon VL-10Li II light or LitePanel.  Experiment with this technique.  There is no ‘one’ way to do it.

Our first fear of using lights at the reception was that it would annoy some guests. We reminded ourselves, however, that we were paid to document this milestone for our couple and if a few guests got cranky for seeing spots, that is a risk we were willing to take.  But we are cognizant minimizing light that might spill into the audience, so we use it discriminately.

Don’t be afraid to use additional light.  It never hurts to ask.  Sometimes you have to push the envelope.   Be open to changing or adjusting the lighting, whether by turning a light switch on or off, or by opening up window, blinds, or curtains.

Your clients will love seeing the light!

I’m interested to hear in the comments section how you perform your wedding day lighting.

John Moon(light)
Northernlight Filmworks

John and Jennifer Moon