DPP Solutions: HMIIn the realm of continuous lighting, these lamps are king, and for good reason |
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| By Harlon Mitchell | |
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Page 3 of 3  The Importance Of Establishing A Mood Call it what you will—ambiance, atmosphere, état de rêve—it’s something you just don’t get with a strobe setup unless you’re using a combination of strobe and continuous. Even then, it’s still not the same as setting your lights to craft a sustained look. “When people are creating their image,” says ARRI’s Gresch, “they often choose a particular lighting style because it does something for them emotionally in terms of a visual result. It creates a mood in the photographs and at the shoot itself, which can help stimulate their creativity. It’s kind of like a poet who goes to his or her favorite serene place to write. It’s different than if he or she is sitting in the subway and trying to write. And I think this is very much what we’re talking about when a photographer is crafting shots with the light—creating the way they’re actually going to be recorded. I think there’s something organic about that kind of creative process.” Adds Gresch, “Now if you’re somewhat talented in the use of strobes, I’m not saying you can’t get your desired effect. But you’re extrapolating something that you’re not really seeing or experiencing at the moment. It’s kind of like calculating how much light you’ll need at the moment of impact in a crash test. There’s nothing really subjective about it. But if you’re creating a photographic image as an art form, you probably want to be availing light—using it to create the right mood before you snap the shutter.” Admittedly, opinions are likely to vary on this. Beyond simply having enough light, there’s no right or wrong way to light a shoot. The important thing is to experiment periodically and try new approaches so you keep your photography fresh. If you’ve never used HMI, give it a try. You just might find this light source provides some interesting possibilities on the other side of your camera’s lens.   |
