In the world of video production, lighting can make or break your content. While studio lighting setups are essential, many overlook the impact of practical lighting—the lights that naturally appear within your shot, such as lamps, overhead fixtures, or even candlelight.
These practicals add authenticity, depth, and a cinematic feel to your videos.
Let’s explore how practical lighting can transform your productions and some key tips on how to integrate it into your next project.
Why Practical Lighting?
Enhanced Realism
Practical lighting helps create a natural look that feels familiar to viewers. Unlike studio lighting, which may feel too controlled or artificial, practical lights contribute to the storytelling by grounding the scene in reality. It’s particularly effective in narrative storytelling, corporate interviews, or even promotional content.
Example: Imagine filming a cozy living room conversation. Adding a lamp in the background, a fireplace or burning candles not only brightens the scene but also makes the environment feel warm and welcoming.
Increased Creativity
Using practical lighting can open up creative possibilities. You’re not limited to the standard softbox or LED panels. From string lights to neons, any light source can become part of your creative arsenal, adding dimension and texture to your video.
Example: In this scenes from John Wick, he is lit by neon signs. Notice how the colours of the neon add mood and atmosphere to the scene.
Streamlined Setup
Incorporating practical lights into your production can simplify your setup, especially in smaller spaces or tight budgets. Instead of lugging around heavy lighting equipment, practical lighting can serve dual purposes: lighting the scene and acting as part of the set design.
Tips for Using Practical Lighting in Your Videos
Balance Practical and Studio Lights – the art of motivated lighting
Motivated lighting is the technique used to imitate or accentuate existing light sources, do the light within a shot that can be justified. This approach to lighting allows the audience to believe the world that they are seeing.
When blending practical lighting with your professional setup, ensure they complement each other. The studio lighting should enhance their effects on the subject but match the same colour temperature.
Example: If your subject is standing next to a window but only half of their face is lit you may want to add a cool temperature studio light to bring the daylight across more of their face. Or if a subject is lit by natural candlelight you may want to use a studio light of the same colour temperature to increase the brightness of the subject’s face.
Create Depth and Interest
We position practical lights in the background to add depth and dimension. This technique can help separate your subject from the background, creating a more three-dimensional look.
Experiment with different intensities, like using a lower-wattage bulb in the background and a higher-wattage bulb for closer lights.
Use Colour to Set the Mood
Practical lights allow you to play with color temperature. Warm tones create a cozy or romantic atmosphere, while cool tones might give off a sterile, corporate feel. Incorporate different lighting colors to set the scene’s emotional tone.
Example: Notice how this music video clip uses warm, practical lighting to create an intimate and nostalgic feel.
Final Thoughts
Practical lighting is an essential yet often underutilized tool in video production. It not only enhances the realism of your scene but also opens up creative possibilities that go beyond standard lighting setups. Whether you’re producing a corporate video, a short film, or even social media content, leveraging practical lights can elevate your visuals and set your projects apart from the rest.
For a better understanding of lighting design book one of the Video Production Masterclasses at videomastery.co.uk. In a few days you will learn everything you need to kno0w to produce professional videos of cinematic quality.
All our training is conducted at your premises by highly experienced video producers and tailored to your exact needs.
Let’s light up your projects—practically!
by Peter Middleton, Learning Director, Video Mastery Ltd
