Lighting Setups

Suggested Setups:

A small documentary where portability is paramount"

-A powerful but portable LED light, maybe one that could attach to the camera

-A fold-able reflector with both gold and silver panels

Firstly, the subject isn't specified so I would think that a powerful light source is a good idea as you might need to shoot some pretty open things. Also, I think having a light that could attach to the camera is a good idea since you don't want to have to carry a light around if you are looking for portability. A fold-able reflector is important because it means you can shoot in harsh daylight without a large piece of equipment. A downside of this setup is that you may need a more powerful light source if shooting something other than portraits so you would have to sacrifice portability.


Talking Head style interviews"

-Three lights (for three point lighting)

Three point lighting is a staple technique where one side of the subject is lit with the main light, then the shadows on the other side are filled with a less powerful light and lastly a light is directed on the surface behind the person so that they stand out from the background. This technique has been used for years and is reliable in producing professional results. A negative of this setup though is it is hard to film an movement in it, as the placement of the lights need to be specific and moving around causes the effect to change.


"A night time shoot"

-A larger light

-A soft box 

-Reflector

-Camera that can shoot in night vision

For a full night time shoot, a larger more powerful light source would be needed, as you're providing all the light artificially. To avoid this light being too direct and harsh, a soft box would help to provide a nice even distribution of the light on your subject. A reflector is a good idea any time using artificial lights, especially if you want to do an interview at night and need to make the person look as good as possible. Lastly, night vision capabilities are a good idea, although not necessary. This would be for somebody looking to film a documentary, maybe a wildlife video in the dark.