Lighting Darker Skin Tones | 7 Cinematic Techniques
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- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
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In today's episode of Ask Aputure, Nerris from the A-Team walks us through 7 lighting techniques cinematographers can do for lighting darker skinned subjects of Hispanic, Middle Eastern, Asian or Afro descent. These 7 techniques, though subtle, can help enhance your cinematography for narratives, commercials, photography, and more.
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Summary:
Filmmaker Nerris Nassiri walks us through the process of lighting darker skin tones for people with Hispanic, African, Indian, Middle Eastern or Asian descent. Aputure's RUclips channel provides free high quality cinematography, lighting, and filmmaking educational content to help you take your film projects to the next level.
#cinematography #lightingskin #howto
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What educationals would you like to see us make next?
Aputure
Dynamic lighting moving subject (such as when doing long gimbal shots of walking/ running subjects)
Lighting large interiors. I'm shooting a church scene in July with vaulted ceilings (they're dark so bouncing light is probably a no-go), which makes getting well-lit wide shots hard. We've already come up with some tricks (hiding an M9 in the podium, clamping grip heads to curtain rods, etc) but could use some more! Here's the space: www.dropbox.com/s/cqwmgqg49l8hy0w/LNLC-9.jpg?dl=0
Lighting an extreme wide shot.
If you can't diffuse the light then use a lower power on your subject, then open your aperture.
You could also bounce the light off of a white reflector, foamboard, or anything like that if you don't have shoot through material.
Classic interview lightning setups using tri-8 and mx and f7!
Being of African heritage with dark skin, I've been forced to learn lighting techniques for my youtube videos so I don't have an orange tint or be completely blown out which is what I resulted to doing at the time. The best technique that I experimented with is mixing tungsten color temperatures at very low intensities with a daylight 5500k light as a key with lots and lots of diffusions but high intensity. The quality of the key increases, because a lot of light is being used however the diffusion, makes it very soft but similar to the glow the sun might give which is what darker skin tones look best under. The blend of tungsten brings out the brown in the complexion and accents it very nicely. I usually keep it very low tho but enough to get the effect I want. #M9
I've just begun messing around with lighting my live stream and as things have gone on, I am noticing my tendency to want to use blue filters over my basic house lights. For a cheap, use-what-you-got-on-hand, setup, it's been highly effective at helping me not look so orange on camera.
I learned a lot from this video as well as your comment, Michael. Thanks so much for sharing your lighting techniques.
This is the info I was hoping to get from this video! Thank you so much!
Well damn professor. Phtographers really are smarter than I thought. Talkin about diffusion and all that. 😯😬😬😬
Thank you so much for sharing this tip!
Bro, it has been 2 years, where are ya?
It also helps to use a polarizing filter for lighting darker skin tones. “Insecure” DP Ava Berkofsky uses this technique. I gave it a try and the filter works wonders!
Hi. You're speaking of a circular polarizer, like you'd use to shoot through glass or water?
@@rbraxley Yes, he is.
Is there any source that would elaborate further on this as I am new to film making myself?
A great tip for darker skin tones is to use a reflective base make-up on the skin.
This will level the playing ground between lighter more reflective skin tones and darker more absorbent skin tones.
Great tips in this video. Thanks
I love how you are teaching this important techniques!
I like having the makeup department use a matte base foundation on darker skin tones. It helps bring down and control specular highlights. It helps even out and protect the highlights from clipping, but I've read that the DP for the HBO series Insecure, Ava Berkofsky, has the makeup department use reflective base makeup on the skin of her actors. She also uses a Polarizer filter to help shape the light hitting the actors. I've never tried the pola technique but hopefully someone here in the comment section has use this trick and can help shed more light (pun intended) on their experiences.
I've been using the Polarizer technique since reading that article as well because I shoot a lot of darker skin tones. It's game changing! Not sure if you've tried it yet, but you should.
@@amirperrymusic what is this technique u speak of? Im new to film making myself and I'd like to learn light darker skintones better as well.
Using water droplets or a spray water bottle to create sweat. It holds the light and creates a nice effect on darker skin tones.
excellent video with proscriptive IRE values. I find specular spots always so distracting, and I feel like the makeup artist do not do enough to help reduce that. Especially when the actors becomes sweaty. Smallest moisture or oil reflects so much more distinctly on darker skins.
You can use that to your advantage and light for a sculpted silhouette look which always looks much better on black skin than white skin--if it works in the scene, of course.
THANK YOU! Never learnt this in uni, how to light a person like myself.
Correctly lighting mid to darker skin tones is a relatively new phenomenon in any genre of motion pictures, video or film. Appreciate you posting this valuable information that will help raise everyone's awareness of this often overlooked technique. Giving conscious to this elevates all. Yeah... It's a big deal.
Such an important concept! When I first started filming myself I always shot for the 70 IRE mark and the results were my skin being washed out and losing pigment. I now expose myself at 60 IRE and I am so much happier with the results!
That diffusion tip was spot on. I'm the producer on the tails from the real world Podcast and we just added some diffuse light to the host we still have woke with limited budget but adding a shade and diffuser to the light made a difference
We have a cool light to thr left and a warm light to the right gave a good contrast
The best way I like to light dark skin tones is as you said, get the light close to the subject and soften it out. I often use bright colours in the background to separate the persons.
Thank you so much for this video, it's so helpful. I've been learning a lot about the "traditional lighting" but some of it never seemed to apply for people with darker skin tones. Thanks again!
Depends on the situation but generally I prefer softer lighting on skintones. Using a bounce board or softbox with hard light sources and flaging excessive light or spills. This way you can shape the face without ugly and harsh shadows (especially from the nose). The harder and more concrete your light is, the less flexible you are when your subject moves. If the framing allows it also a bounce board under the chest works great to fill the shadows from the eyes and nose.
Like you suggested, shooting through diffusion. But on occasion indirect lighting by bouncing the light off a reflector and into the subject helps. Since I only have one proper light, I sometimes use it as a rim and have a reflector bounce back to fill the front of my subject.
If I'm going for something dramatic, or for a music/dance video, using smoke/fog to soften the light since it becomes a larger source. Also using short light shots, since darker skin is easier to do silhouettes with.
Is the subject has extra oily skin, I use some powder to make their skin more matte and less glossy.
Great tips! For lighting skin tones, I like to use a a mixture of tungsten and daylight and add a little bit of purple. I love how purple reflects off the skin and mainly on backgrounds.
Wonderful tips in this video, really loved the IRE and lighting solutions! We have used the tip about backlights for contrast, the distinction between subject and background helps give sense of volume and form where the light from the key drops off.
I find soo many people forget to do an eye light. I find it makes a huge difference-- especially in interview situations where it can help with a high key look-- and the M9 fits that role perfectly!
Great content, as always!
Diffused Light with strong accent light for background works great. I also found that spray bottle with water and glycerin to create a sheen (or light oil) on the actor's skin, gives light something to reflect off of. I used this on my last feature film ("Hal King.") Production design is another great tool to distinguish the actor as well as wardrobe.
The thumbnail got me. Here after Chadwick’s passing 🙏🏽 Good info in the video.
More Cinematic lighting techniques using your lights would be helpful
THANK YOU!!!! This subject matter is the HARDEST tind! thank you, thank you!!
This video was super helpful. I had the problem of over-lighting with darker skin in the past. Once I learned about adding gain to the accent lighting, it worked wonders on achieving the correct moods I wanted to portray without blinding everyone.
For someone who hasn't yet lit darker skin tone subjects, this video is by far the best I've seen. You guys killed it! As for me, I always use contrasting colors to light my videos. I'm always after that "separation" from the background type of look.
I've always noticed how people of color were lit. Never knew how they did. It always seemed so cool looking. Definitely the super diffused is my favorite tip.
I recall playing heavily with coloured lights on a really indie project. We don't have that big of a budget, and lighting is one of the places that suffered, so I did something similar to what you suggested here with the coloured kickers and such... just a little more extreme, haha! If fit with the "pop" theme of the project, and the colours allowed us to really play with interesting framing and dynamic scene setting. We didn't "solve" the issue (we just didn't have the equipment for it), but instead found a way around it, which ended up creating a really neat effect anyway! :)
Dear Aputure, as always, great videos. But is there any chance you can fix your audio for future videos? I don't now what your mastering to, but they are so quiet that it's sometimes unbearable. Please master your videos to a standardized level.
I can't believe I didn't find this channel before. I just bought my first aputure lights and I'm insanely excited to try it!!!! Love this channel!!!!
Welcome to the fam!
Natural light with bounce and diffusion is definitely my favorite. Have been doing more through large windows lately and trying to compliment that with a couple of small off-brand LED panels.
This channel is great! I love using two soft lights with a hair light behind but really love natural light as much as possible.
Thank you. This is the only source I've been able to find with the IRE of different skin tones listed simply and easy to understand. Really helpful for knowing how to balance the lighting of a scene with a waveform monitor for different skin tones. I've had a tendency to overexpose darker skin tones (putting them in the 70 IRE range) but this blows out the rest of the scene usually or requires crazy big lighting.
I use a light bounce on darker skin tone and none on lighter skin tones if they are in the same scene
I use my aputure 120d with light dome then shine that threw my 5 in 1 defuser I’m telling you its like cinematic magic!!
My suggestion is to go by your exposure tools (waveform, false color, histogram) and also just go by what looks good to your eye. The more you get on sets and see what’s working, the easier it gets. I’d suggest doing lighting tests and messing around in an off set environment so that you can be prepared for when you do get on set. Practice truly does make perfect, or at least as close to perfect as you can get!
For Lighter skintones I favor more bounced light. It's more flattering and reduces hot spots. For Darker tones I like larger sources of light or light shot through lightweight diffusion, stronger light source since darler tones absorb it more.
Best way to light a skin tone is a) well defused key (tri8, c120 etc). At least Softbox+shower curtain, and close to subject on low intensity, b) separate background from subject with colder light f7, c) nice hair rim light with small mx, that’s it!
Yeah my favorite way is like you mentioned at 2:00 to Hollywood a diffused LED panel, seems to work pretty well, and you can really dial it in by playing with the intensity and temperature settings.
My favorite way to light dark skin tones would be window light. It can have a really cool effect if it’s at the right place at the right time.
2:04 looks like a scene from film riot!!😎
It would seem like makeup would be like the single most important thing to getting the right look on a darker skin tone. After that lighting would be much more simple.. so really lighting and makeup are the key.
My best advice from lighting interviews with people of any sort of skin or hair color, but especially people with dark skin and hair, is to use a rear lite. Not just for hair but also illuminating the the neck and facial features. You can shoot dark skin against an infinity black background. You just have to give them a slight halo. It's not a compromise to make a workable shot either, it looks great.
Placing the key light closer to the subject and colour mixing has become my favourite! I mix red and blue ( kind into the teal side) the most. Idk if thats good colouring, i just liked the vibe those colours give. Love your videos btw :)
I'm amateur to videography and can't comment on my favorite lighting technique for dark skin but thanks for the content/info!
My favorite way to light skin tones is with Aputure lights 😏
I personally love trying to light my subject with the natural sunlight as well as I can. Preferably during that golden hour when outside or that nice window light indoors. Love the M9, hope I can get the chance to use it!!
I shoot a lot of darker skins tones and night shoots. You definitely have to stay close to the subject if you don’t have anything but natural lighting. But, if you can give the subject a back light of some sort like a business sign hanging outside of a shop or a street light it will give it just the right feel. Now, if you have some Aputure lights then you should make sure to light the subject/subjects according to your surroundings. Make sure not to flood out the subject but, have a nice natural lighting. Don’t be afraid to over expose the subject on the camera because, once you bring it down it color correction it will look great.
Big, soft and close. I tend to use a shoot through diffuser and my ls1. Lovely soft and even tones.
This is exactly what I have been looking for!!!
Educational and to the point, great video.
For me it's not always about the light sometimes keeping half of the face darker helps a lot, but usually it dose't work without good edge light.
This was SOOOOOOO helpful! Thank you!!!!
As I am doing a scene exterior night with darker skinned people, I would boom Aputure 120d with space light to create a nice ambient soft light as a key for the subjects (reverse key). a HR672 as a nice back/hairlight. A small chinaball with m9 inside (medium brightness) to create eye light. Then seperate background with some HMI lights.
My favorite technique for lighting darker skin tones is using warm light using CTO or CTS. It gives darker skin tones a honey like color. Do I win the M9?
With darker actors, sometimes additional flags are needed for the rest of the environment to seem a normal brightness
Great tips! My favorite way to light subjects is to diffuse light.
However, I always have a hard time finding balance between subjects with different skin tones.
A large soft source like and 8x8 with a grid has been a look I have been going to a lot. On the flip side, controlling spill is the necessary work needed when creating large sources like this. So keep some duveten on had or grids for softboxes.
With the aputure 120t of course
So that's how it's done... I remember reading an article where the author stated that cameras and lighting were designed for white people/white skin, since dark skinned people never "looked as good" when they tried the same exact technics. Well this video shows that it's all about lighting! And I would add, if the DP did his/her homework, they would know how to light a scene properly instead of blaming others for their gear for their lack of results. Just like anything, it's not about the tools you use, it's about how you use them! Thanks for making this video and keep them coming!
I really like adding diffusion and mixing color temps to light darker skin subjects. Moonlight being a great example of it! #M9
This video has great insights love this, so over here in India what I do is bounce off the light using a white board on top and sides and have an even light fall across the talent. Will try this method n see
These tips are fantastic!! Love everything said here, I would make sure the light closed to subject is dialed down but would use something larger like aputure 598's with a difusser like that one from d-fuse, then the rest is bright background and a nice kicker light + another bright enough fill light 💡
You really do cover every topic imaginable, I didn't expect this one at all, but was very helpful! Thanks! #AputurelightsAFROdecent
thanks guy for your tutos and i hope u'll show to light a night scenes too
🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 u guys r the best thnx 🇭🇹🇭🇹
a strong back light helps a lot
Great info! Keep up the great work!
Thanks for this awesome tips!
sometimes I really have trouble grading skin tones if I wasn't on set and don't have any reference for how dark/bright and saturated the actor's skin tone is supposed to look in real life. This is especially a pain in the ass when spill from a green screen messes with the white balance.
Good tip
I always keep a smaller light in my kit just for that extra kick. Giving a side light or just a slight bump on their key.
Excellent lesson. Thx.
I have never had the opportunity to light dark skin tones but if I needed to, this is a great video to show some techniques although I would need an m9 light to do so 😉
Excellent. 👍👍
love the use of a Hopsin music video :)
I like to get real close and use soft diffused light by using a softbox or a window around 2 hours before sundown
THANKYOU FOR THIS VIDEO!
This makes me so happy :)
Thank you
For me i like to use all aputure products, i like having a very soft key light and a fill light using a top bounce to fill in hair as well, and throw some small lights in the back for some BOKEH
Diffusion and eye light 🎥📸📽
Great knowledge.brother.this is Azlan Arain khan cinematographer Director In Bollywood.
Wish more film were aware of this fact.
Bounce cards are my favorite method
All of them are good to know
Thanksssss so much!!
Really good video but a little fast could have been double the length.
Omg thank you !!!!!
How do you suggest lighting a subject with fair skin tones?
Great video! Does anyone has a tutorial for the text effects from 00:07 to 00:10 , looks awesome!
Very needed
Please make video about
Lighting leads camera shadow to the frame...??
What to do to solve it..?
My favorite way is using sunlight as I don't own any lighting equipment yet
I would like to see how to do christopher nolan's batman lighting also love the videos I am learning alot from the lighting 101 I would love to win a light so I could use it on my short film.
Make a video for dark skin.
Great idea!
Indirectly lighting them using a reflector
I'm darker than all of those guys. I'm a youtuber. I haven't appeared on camera, in my videos, for like 2-3 years now. I just don't know what to do. I have money now, so what do i get? softbox vs umbrella, what camera, what light?
its challenging
Sus vídeos de técnicas de iluminación son muy bueno y útiles para aquellos que quieren aplicar mejores métodos de iluminación en sus vídeos y que mejor que las muestras se han con con sus propios productos. Me encanta la pequeña luz amaran m9. Para iluminar tonos de piel oscuras siempre uso un difusor para que la luz no se vea tan directa sobre los rostros sino un poco más suave y natural.
Espero ganar esa pequeña hermosa lucecita ;)
When I light people with dark skintones I don't try not to use different colors of light as much because the teal and orange lighting doesn't work as well there. I'd rather go with contrasts in brightness.
Green background