The intention of your production is to highlight the world’s modernity by showing the city at night and how colorful lights dot the metropolis. However, instead of showing clean and clear shots, you end up with grainy and low-contrast footage. You inadvertently end up with a film that uses a vintage effect or a cinematic effect called film noir.
Light is an important element in photography and videography. It sets the mood, and can either make or break the whole project. If this has been a constant problem for you, allow us to share some tips and tricks.
Let there be Light…as Much as Possible
Much has been said about the importance of light in shooting videos, but you still don’t take the initiative to add more of it because you’re always in a hurry or it’s too expensive. As much as possible, add light if you can.
Lighting can be expensive, but there are alternatives to fill the gap. Use a reflector, a mirror, or a white Styrofoam board to bring light into the space that needs more of it. You can also use flashlights and car headlights. Should you choose to shoot outdoors, try to schedule it during the full moon. Since the light from the moon originally comes from the sun, you can expect that it will brighten up your subject and help you reduce efforts on setting up lighting systems. If you’re looking into an investment, get yourself a lighting kit.
Shutter Should Not Flutter: Slow It Down
Video cameras are more intelligent than ever, and you should not find it difficult to manipulate their features, especially the shutter speed. Slow down the shutter speed to bring in more light. When you lower the speed of the shutter, it actually opens longer, which allows more light to come in. For instance, you’re using 1/60 shutter speed, you can reduce it to 1/30. The only problem you will have with this method is that the motion of your subjects tends to get blurred.
In case you want a more general approach, switch the camera to manual focus mode. This is because low light conditions usually make camcorders in automatic mode use inappropriate focal points. To make sure that you’re going to capture clearer footage, stabilise the camera by using a tripod or place it over something that will keep it steady.
Change Your Camera: Use a DSLR or Large Sensor Video Camera
Investing in a Digital SLR or Large Sensor Video Camera can come in handy in situations like this. With such a camera, you can use a variety of lenses. You can easily manipulate the shutter speed. More importantly, you can increase light sensitivity without allowing for more noise. Another good thing about these cameras is that their controls can be easily customized. Some of them even allow users to preset their most used settings to a single button for easy access.
Although these tips are only quick fixes, you can assure that there’ll be improvements in the quality of the video once you follow them. Browse our website to see video clips and services you can use as pegs for your future projects.