There are many elements that go into creating the optimal lighting setup for a shot. The positioning of lights, the type of lights you use, and the quality of light you create. One of the best tools cinematographers have to adjust the quality of a light is bounce light.
Bounce light is used from DIY short film sets to high budget Hollywood films. In this article, we’ll analyze why cinematographers may opt for bounce and diffused light and lay down a few tips you can use it in your next project.
Continue reading How to Bounce Light — Photography & Film Techniques
Film Lighting: The Ultimate Guide (FREE Ebook)A foundational guide for photographers and cinematographers aspiring to master the art of cinematic lighting.We'll cover the attributes of light, the equipment involved and tips on shooting in various lighting scenarios.
Download Now
Types of Film Lighting Explained
Achieving cinematic lighting starts with knowing "the rules"
Great lighting is what separates the amateurs from the professionals. Cinematographers with firm grasp on how the combination of light and shadow can support visual storytelling all started with the fundamentals.
This guide is a jumpstart towards that goal. By learning how light works and how to harness it, you can approach any lighting scenario with confidence.… Keep reading
@media (min-width: 300px){.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0);text-align: center;--tve-font-weight:var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow:none;--tve-text-transform:none;padding: 15px 50px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) a{font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);font-size: 14px !important;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) )!important;text-transform: var(--tve-text-transform,none)!important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) li.lvl-1{max-width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);margin-left: 40px;margin-top: 15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) ul{margin-left: -40px;margin-top: -15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border: none;text-transform: uppercase;letter-spacing: 1px;font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);--tve-font-weight:var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;text-align: center;--tve-color:rgb(0,0,0);--tve-applied---tve-color:rgb(0,0,0);--tcb-applied-color:rgb(0,0,0);box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow:none;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) )!important;color: var(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0))!important;font-size: 13px !important;padding-top: 26px !important;padding-bottom: 26px !important;--tve-applied-color:var$(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0))!important;margin-top: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}:not(#tve) .thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item):hover{color: var(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255))!important;background-color: rgba(242,242,242,0) !important;--tve-applied-color:var$(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255))!important;--tve-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;--tve-applied---tve-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;--tcb-applied-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){box-shadow: rgba(0,0,0,0.1) 0px 0px 24px 0px;border: none;--cols-number:3;--tve-applied-box-shadow:0px 0px 24px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);--tve-applied-border:none;padding: 0px 150px !important;background-color:… Keep reading
@media (min-width: 300px){.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0);text-align: center;--tve-font-weight:var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow:none;--tve-text-transform:none;padding: 15px 50px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) a{font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);font-size: 14px !important;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) )!important;text-transform: var(--tve-text-transform,none)!important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) li.lvl-1{max-width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);margin-left: 40px;margin-top: 15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) ul{margin-left: -40px;margin-top: -15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border: none;text-transform: uppercase;letter-spacing: 1px;font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);--tve-font-weight:var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;text-align: center;--tve-color:rgb(0,0,0);--tve-applied---tve-color:rgb(0,0,0);--tcb-applied-color:rgb(0,0,0);box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow:none;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) )!important;color: var(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0))!important;font-size: 13px !important;padding-top: 26px !important;padding-bottom: 26px !important;--tve-applied-color:var$(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0))!important;margin-top: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}:not(#tve) .thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item):hover{color: var(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255))!important;background-color: rgba(242,242,242,0) !important;--tve-applied-color:var$(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255))!important;--tve-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;--tve-applied---tve-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;--tcb-applied-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){box-shadow: rgba(0,0,0,0.1) 0px 0px 24px 0px;border: none;--cols-number:3;--tve-applied-box-shadow:0px 0px 24px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);--tve-applied-border:none;padding: 0px 150px !important;background-color:… Keep reading
If you’re a photographer or cinematographer, chances are you’ve used ambient light, whether you’ve known it or not. This type of light is everywhere, and can make or break your image — sometimes it helps, sometimes it’s unwanted. So, what is ambient light? In this article, we’ll walk through what ambient illumination is, and how you can use it to your advantage for your next shoot.
Continue reading What is Ambient Light — Lighting Techniques Explained
@media (min-width: 300px){.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0);text-align: center;--tve-font-weight:var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow:none;--tve-text-transform:none;padding: 15px 50px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) a{font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);font-size: 14px !important;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) )!important;text-transform: var(--tve-text-transform,none)!important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) li.lvl-1{max-width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);margin-left: 40px;margin-top: 15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) ul{margin-left: -40px;margin-top: -15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border: none;text-transform: uppercase;letter-spacing: 1px;font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);--tve-font-weight:var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;text-align: center;--tve-color:rgb(0,0,0);--tve-applied---tve-color:rgb(0,0,0);--tcb-applied-color:rgb(0,0,0);box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow:none;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) )!important;color: var(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0))!important;font-size: 13px !important;padding-top: 26px !important;padding-bottom: 26px !important;--tve-applied-color:var$(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0))!important;margin-top: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}:not(#tve) .thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item):hover{color: var(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255))!important;background-color: rgba(242,242,242,0) !important;--tve-applied-color:var$(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255))!important;--tve-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;--tve-applied---tve-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;--tcb-applied-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){box-shadow: rgba(0,0,0,0.1) 0px 0px 24px 0px;border: none;--cols-number:3;--tve-applied-box-shadow:0px 0px 24px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);--tve-applied-border:none;padding: 0px 150px !important;background-color:… Keep reading
@media (min-width: 300px){.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0);text-align: center;--tve-font-weight:var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow:none;--tve-text-transform:none;padding: 15px 50px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) a{font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);font-size: 14px !important;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) )!important;text-transform: var(--tve-text-transform,none)!important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) li.lvl-1{max-width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);margin-left: 40px;margin-top: 15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) ul{margin-left: -40px;margin-top: -15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border: none;text-transform: uppercase;letter-spacing: 1px;font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);--tve-font-weight:var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;text-align: center;--tve-color:rgb(0,0,0);--tve-applied---tve-color:rgb(0,0,0);--tcb-applied-color:rgb(0,0,0);box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow:none;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) )!important;color: var(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0))!important;font-size: 13px !important;padding-top: 26px !important;padding-bottom: 26px !important;--tve-applied-color:var$(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0))!important;margin-top: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}:not(#tve) .thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item):hover{color: var(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255))!important;background-color: rgba(242,242,242,0) !important;--tve-applied-color:var$(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255))!important;--tve-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;--tve-applied---tve-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;--tcb-applied-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){box-shadow: rgba(0,0,0,0.1) 0px 0px 24px 0px;border: none;--cols-number:3;--tve-applied-box-shadow:0px 0px 24px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);--tve-applied-border:none;padding: 0px 150px !important;background-color:… Keep reading
@media (min-width: 300px){.thrv_symbol_127518 .thrv_widget_menu #m-1859648b779 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0);text-align: center;--tve-font-weight:var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow:none;--tve-text-transform:none;padding: 15px 50px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_127518 .thrv_widget_menu #m-1859648b779 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) a{font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);font-size: 14px !important;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) )!important;text-transform: var(--tve-text-transform,none)!important;}.thrv_symbol_127518 .thrv_widget_menu #m-1859648b779 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}.thrv_symbol_127518 .tve-regular #m-1859648b779 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) li.lvl-1{max-width: calc(50% - 40px);width: calc(50% - 40px);margin-left: 40px;margin-top: 15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_127518 .tve-regular #m-1859648b779 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) ul{margin-left: -40px;margin-top: -15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_127518 .tve-regular #m-1859648b779 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border: none;text-transform: uppercase;letter-spacing: 1px;font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);--tve-font-weight:var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;text-align: center;--tve-color:rgb(0,0,0);--tve-applied---tve-color:rgb(0,0,0);--tcb-applied-color:rgb(0,0,0);box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow:none;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) )!important;color: var(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0))!important;font-size: 13px !important;padding-top: 26px !important;padding-bottom: 26px !important;--tve-applied-color:var$(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0))!important;margin-top: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_127518 .tve-regular #m-1859648b779 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}:not(#tve) .thrv_symbol_127518 .tve-regular #m-1859648b779 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item):hover{color: var(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255))!important;background-color: rgba(242,242,242,0) !important;--tve-applied-color:var$(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255))!important;--tve-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;--tve-applied---tve-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;--tcb-applied-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;}.thrv_symbol_127518 .tve-regular #m-1859648b779 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){box-shadow: rgba(0,0,0,0.1) 0px 0px 24px 0px;border: none;--cols-number:2;--tve-applied-box-shadow:0px 0px 24px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);--tve-applied-border:none;padding: 0px 150px !important;background-color:… Keep reading
@media (min-width: 300px){.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0);text-align: center;--tve-font-weight:var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow:none;--tve-text-transform:none;padding: 15px 50px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) a{font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);font-size: 14px !important;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) )!important;text-transform: var(--tve-text-transform,none)!important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .thrv_widget_menu #m-176bb6b4722 li:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) li.lvl-1{max-width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);width: calc(33.3333% - 40px);margin-left: 40px;margin-top: 15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) ul{margin-left: -40px;margin-top: -15px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){border: none;text-transform: uppercase;letter-spacing: 1px;font-family: var(--tve-font-family,inherit);--tve-font-weight:var(--g-bold-weight,bold);--tve-font-family: inherit;text-align: center;--tve-color:rgb(0,0,0);--tve-applied---tve-color:rgb(0,0,0);--tcb-applied-color:rgb(0,0,0);box-shadow: none;--tve-applied-box-shadow:none;font-weight: var(--tve-font-weight,var(--g-bold-weight,bold) )!important;color: var(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0))!important;font-size: 13px !important;padding-top: 26px !important;padding-bottom: 26px !important;--tve-applied-color:var$(--tve-color,rgb(0,0,0))!important;margin-top: 0px !important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item) strong{font-weight: 500;}:not(#tve) .thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner ul li a:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item):hover{color: var(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255))!important;background-color: rgba(242,242,242,0) !important;--tve-applied-color:var$(--tve-color,rgb(94,122,255))!important;--tve-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;--tve-applied---tve-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;--tcb-applied-color:rgb(94,122,255)!important;}.thrv_symbol_129376 .tve-regular #m-176bb6b4722 .tcb-mega-drop-inner:not(.tcb-excluded-from-group-item){box-shadow: rgba(0,0,0,0.1) 0px 0px 24px 0px;border: none;--cols-number:3;--tve-applied-box-shadow:0px 0px 24px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);--tve-applied-border:none;padding: 0px 150px !important;background-color:… Keep reading
The best cinematographers are artists, technicians, diplomats, and accountants. Choosing the best cinematographers is tough and extremely subjective but this list is full of talented people. If you want your film to look like it was shot by one of the world’s best cinematographers, read on. We’ve broken down the key cinematic techniques that the top cinematographers who are working today actively use. Onto the list!
Continue reading The 27 Best Film Cinematographers That Everyone Should Know
