Make Your Friends Look Glam on Cam in DIY Wedding Video – Get the Lighting Right!
As a followup to last week’s blog post – How to Avoid Boring Wedding Guests today I’m going to show you how to get the lighting right in this video tutorial.
Ok, I know this isn’t a movie set and you’re not going to drag around a lighting stand and big ole’ reflector. But here are a few simple tips to make your friends look like movie stars.
- Make sure the light is in front of – not behind – them
- The light should not be directly above their heads
- Ignore rule #1 (sort of) if the light is coming from the burning hot sun
Time for a closeup
We all love the look of a beautiful silhouette photograph. However, it doesn’t work well in video. If you’re asking your wedding guest to tell you about a super funny story, but we can’t see them at all, the story is no longer funny. It’s just unwatchable. Video cameras have a hard time adjusting for bright light and dark shadows. If you have no choice, and the light is behind them, then get as close as possible. The camera will try to adjust the light for your friend if they take up most of the screen.
Rocky Horror Picture Show
It was a great movie, but your friends will absolutely hate you if you make them look like they have huge bags under their eyes and ghoulish looking makeup. If the overhead lighting is harsh, just have them stand back a bit, so it’s not directly overhead. Better yet, turn on a lamp so there is light coming from other directions.
Ack! I’m Blind!
Don’t turn your friend into a squinty pile of wrinkles! If it’s super bright outside, try to move to a shady spot.
Any other tips I’ve forgotten? Feel free to chime in with your two cents below.
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