From Lighting 8 City Blocks to DIY Clamp Lights

Master Director of Photography Shane Hurlbut, ASC talks about how the current crop of digital cameras have allowed DPs to build a basic lighting kit using commonly available household lighting fixtures. He demonstrates this first by illustrating how he lit 8 blocks in Puerto Rico (with medium sized professional lights) and then discussing the fixtures of his traveling lighting kit:

The exciting thing about the Arri Alexa, F-3 and the new wave of DSLR’s is their high ISO range to minimum noise ratio. This has opened up a whole new way to light as a cinematographer. Whether it be daylight interior or exterior, dawn, dusk, night exterior or interiors the option now exist to use available light in new ways, as well as working with less. The films that I shot prior to Act of Valor, our lighting package fit into a 48’ semi truck along with multiple 10-ton truck drop loads to expose film. We are in very exciting times and they are being shaken again with Canon’s November 3rd announcement . Using available light is one thing, but shaping the available is what cinematography is all about. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

— Hurlbut Visuals| Read The Full Article

Note: if you’ve been following us for a while, you know I hate Halogen Worklights and I’ve gotten a lot of flack over it – please note the complete absence of worklights from Mr. Hurlbut’s kit. They’re dirty, dangerous, and hot… avoid using them unless you’re shooting a CSI scene.