When I first started out with photography, natural light was my best friend. I didn’t have money for lights, so I learned to shoot using what was available to me. Shoot after shoot, I’d tuck a little money away into a gear fund to save up for lights.
Natural light can get you pretty far, but adding just one light can really take you up to the next level. On a recent video shoot, I was able to snap a comparison frame between a shot lit naturally and a shot lit with a mix of natural and artificial light.
The building I was in had massive north-facing windows, bringing in beautiful light. I set up a set of chairs near the window and was mostly happy with the shot, but I new it could be better.
On this shoot, I brought along the new Westcott Flex LED daylight-balanced light panels. These things are fantastic. They’re small and flexible, so I can stuff them into my luggage or in the front pouch of my camera bag.
As you can tell, even just one light makes a huge difference. In the video world, we talk about different ways to add production value by focusing on things that are easy to do and add little to no additional expense, but raise the quality of your finished product. The clients feel like you’ve created more for their money, while also elevating your work to a higher level.
Nick Minore is a video professional and avid photographer based in Florida. Be sure to follow Nick for more photo and video updates by clicking on the links below!
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Filed under: Cinematography, Gear, Gear, Lighting, Lighting, Photography, Portrait, Technique & Tutorials Tagged: artificial light, behind the scenes, flex, interview, LED, Light, natural light, Nick Minore, video, Westcott 
