Red head - 800w
Blonde - 2400w
An RCD (Residual Current Device) is needed when a light is to be setup. This prevents you from being electrocuted if anything goes wrong.
SPARKING is called before switching on the lights to prevent people from being blinded by the light.
Diffusions Gels spreads the projected beam of light over the subject. Some loss of light will possibly be seen. The greater the diffusion, the greater and more even the resultant spread of light. Shadows are reduced. Used to smooth out beam scallops when lighting cycloramas or in tight spaces.
3 Point Lighting
Consists of Key Light, Fill Light, and Backlight/Rim-Light/Hair-light.
Key Light - Primary Light Source
Fill Light - Fill the shadows created by the Key Light, preventing them from getting too dark
Backlight - Used to separate the subject from the background
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Types of Lights
There are many types of lights. Tungsten, HMI, Fluorescent, LED.
Tungsten (~3200K)
They are very similar to the light bulbs at home but much more powerful. Tungsten bulbs produce an orange hue. The lamps require a lot of power and do get very hot, but they offer a higher color temperature than incandescent tungsten bulbs. Tungsten lights are dimmable, which allows you to adjust them as needed. They are usually used for lighting interiors. A blue gel can be used to create a daylight illusion.
HMI (~5600K)
Hydrargyrum Medium-Arc Iodide (HMI) lights are the most used type of light on set. HMI lights emit an ultraviolet light with a blue hue. To power up, HMI lights require an electrical ballast. The ballast ignites the metal-halide gas and mercury vapor mix in the bulb. Ballasts also limit the current to prevent flickering. HMI lamps are up to four times more powerful than traditional incandescent bulbs.
The age of an HMI bulb is very important. During its first few hours, a brand new bulb will have a color temperature up to 15,000K. These bulbs should be left on to reach the optimal range of 5600K, which is close to daylight. Bulbs should not be used past half their lifetime. The bulbs require more voltage and the color temperature will continue to decrease 1 kelvin every hour burnt, eventually risking serious damage if used too long.
HMI lights are rather expensive lights, but they are much more efficient. The bulbs can only be dimmed to 50%, but it causes the color temperature to rise to a stronger blue. If blown out or dropped, HMI bulbs will explode hot glass and mercury vapor.
Fluorescent (2700K – 6500K)
Fluorescent bulbs were notorious for flickering and having a very ugly orange-green hue. Recently, new bulbs and fixtures with ballasts have been developed. The new bulbs are flicker free and offer multiple color temperatures. They have a very soft light that is more efficient that an incandescent bulb, and can offer an output similar to HMI lights. Depending on the mix of phosphors in the bulbs, the color temperature can range from tungsten up to natural daylight. Fluorescent bulbs are often packed into small fixtures, allowing them to be compact and lightweight. They are also much cooler than any other bulb option.
LED (White: 3000K – 5600K)
Light Emitting Diodes (LED) have recently become much more prevalent on small sets. White LED lights are most popular, but LEDs are actually manufactured in every color. The diodes are designed to offer directional light. They are very efficient but are still limited in overall output, which is why they tend to only be used on small budget projects.
LED lights offer soft and even lighting. They are incredibly high efficient and can be battery powered. They can easily be dimmed and simply moved along the color spectrum. They have a long lifespan and will not explode.
Thanks Sylvester!
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