On location

Studio lights need not be limited to the studio. They can be used on location in conjunction with ambient and existing daylight. With colour correction of the light source or camera to balance with the film/image sensor being used, most light sources can produce acceptable and interesting results. RAW file images can be colour corrected in post production. See ‘Light’ and ‘Image Capture’.

Exterior location

Common examples of studio lighting used on location are the images seen in film and television. The same approach can be taken to still images. Artificial light, whether flash or tungsten, is normally used to supplement the existing light present, usually daylight. In this situation correct colour is achieved by balancing to daylight the film/image sensor (5500K) and filtering the tungsten light source/sources (3200K) with an 80A lighting gel. When using studio flash on location no filtration is required as the colour temperature of the flash is equal to average daylight (5500K-5800K).

Mixed light

Mixing the colour temperature of the light sources can give a more ‘natural’ look. Despite the fact the human eye corrects all light sources to what appears to be white light, it is visually accepted, and in most cases to great effect, when we view images created using mixed light sources that there should be a difference between the colour temperature of the various sources of light within the frame.

Balanced daylight and flash - James Newman

Example 1

A photographer has been commissioned to photograph the exterior of a restaurant complex situated in a vineyard. The client has requested there be equal interior and exterior detail. As the building is in constant use the client does not want any introduced lighting placed in the restaurant that may cause health and safety issues for his customers. To achieve this result the photographer decides to create the image by making two (2) exposures, one for the exterior another for the interior. The camera/film is balanced to daylight. This will record the practical interior lighting, predominantly commercial tungsten (orange/red) and fluorescent lighting (green), as a different colour temperature to the exterior daylight.

Exterior ambient light - incident - exposure MIE less 1/2 stop

Total darkness - interior lights on - reflected - exposure average highlights and shadows

Combination exposure - John Hay

Interior location

There can be many different light sources with varying colour temperatures confronting the photographer on location. This can range from industrial lighting to the glow from a TV. The possibilities and variations are many but the problems they pose can be either corrected with filtration or white balance adjustment to render ‘correct’ colour, or ignored and the differences in colour temperature exploited and used to effect.

Daylight balance

In an exterior location all light sources are balanced to the predominance of daylight (5500K). With an interior location (for example a furnished room with large windows) there can be a mixture of various light sources. Balancing to daylight (5500K) without filtration of the tungsten light sources (3200K) would make the image appear quite different. Daylight in the image would appear ‘correct’ but any tungsten light source whether artificially introduced (studio) or practical (normal domestic lighting, desk lamps, candles, etc.) would create a warm glow at its source and on subject matter predominantly lit by it. The overall effect would be of white light through the windows, and depending upon the lighting ratio created between the tungsten light and the ambient daylight an overall warm cast to the image.

Tungsten balance

If the camera/film is balanced to tungsten (3200K) without filtration of either the daylight (5500K) or the tungsten light sources (3200K) the result would appear different again. Daylight in the image would appear to have a blue cast and any tungsten light source would appear ‘correct’. The overall effect would be of blue light through the windows, and depending upon the lighting ratio created between the tungsten light and the ambient daylight, a balance of ‘correct’ colour within the room. It should be remembered filtration of the camera to match the dominant light source would also produce similar results. However, filtration of the camera removes the possibility of selectively filtering the various light sources and colour temperatures available to the photographer to create an interesting mix of colours within the frame.

Domestic tungsten light and daylight - James Newman

Example 2

A designer commissions a photograph of a kitchen. As it is in a residential building the owner has requested the minimum amount of disturbance. The client has requested the lighting enhances the space and balances ambient interior and exterior daylight. The photographer decides upon one (1) exposure, balancing the exterior, interior and introduced lighting. The camera/film is balanced to daylight. Exterior daylight will be overexposed to reduce the orange/red colour cast of domestic tungsten lighting.

Ambient light - daylight and tungsten - incident - 1 [email protected]

Umbrella flash in hallway balanced to f8.5

Fill flash off ceiling balanced to f8 - John Hay