Graduated filter to enhance sunset/ shooting silhouttes at DVinfo.net

Jonathan Stanley · June 18th, 2004, 03:08 PM

I will be shooting a sword fighting scene at the end of July. For one part of it, the fighters are going to be on a hugh knoll with tall grass, fighting silhouetted to the sun. I went and took some test pictures (with my digital camera), and it looks like its going to work great.

Heres my question:

1) I am thinking of using a graduated filter, say an orangeish tint, to make the sunset more colored in case it isnt as colorful as I am hoping it will be. Does anyone have any experience with this? Will this work?

2) Does anyone have any experience shooting silhouettes with the XL1s? What have you found?

Thanks in advance.
Jonathan

Jonathan Stanley · June 22nd, 2004, 08:49 AM

Anybody?

Richard Alvarez · June 22nd, 2004, 09:07 AM

Jonathan

Yes, you can shoot with a grad filter. You will need a matt box to hold it. Depending on the actual exposure, you might need to dial in some ND as well.

Good luck

Steve Siegel · June 22nd, 2004, 11:39 AM

I shoot silhouettes with the XL-1s all the time and find the results lovely. It's an effective and powerful break from the usual video fare. But why are you asking? Just backlight your subject and dial down the aperture and you can shoot silhouettes with any camcorder. Be careful using a grad filter shooting a scene with a lot of panning or tilting (as in your fencers moving all up and down the hill) because at times the division in the filter may become noticable.

A. J. deLange · June 22nd, 2004, 02:03 PM

Why not just goose the saturation in post if you want more color in the sunset? If the swordsmen are really silhouette they should stay neutral or you could mask them out and only apply the adjustment to the background.
A.J.

Nick Hiltgen · June 22nd, 2004, 02:07 PM

Tiffen makes a sunset grad, that comes in levels of 1,2 and 3 I would say that would be your best bet. Just don't move the camera.

Jonathan Stanley · June 25th, 2004, 11:19 PM

Thanks for the replies guys.

I didnt realize it wasnt a good idea to move the camera with filter--that wont work for me. I guess I'll do it in post. Other than that I was just wondering if anyone had found any interesting results.

June 18th, 2004, 03:08 PM	#1
Jonathan Stanley Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Boone, NC Posts: 115	Graduated filter to enhance sunset/ shooting silhouttes I will be shooting a sword fighting scene at the end of July. For one part of it, the fighters are going to be on a hugh knoll with tall grass, fighting silhouetted to the sun. I went and took some test pictures (with my digital camera), and it looks like its going to work great. Heres my question: 1) I am thinking of using a graduated filter, say an orangeish tint, to make the sunset more colored in case it isnt as colorful as I am hoping it will be. Does anyone have any experience with this? Will this work? 2) Does anyone have any experience shooting silhouettes with the XL1s? What have you found? Thanks in advance. Jonathan

June 22nd, 2004, 08:49 AM	#2
Jonathan Stanley Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Boone, NC Posts: 115	Anybody?

June 22nd, 2004, 09:07 AM	#3
Richard Alvarez Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Mateo, CA Posts: 3,840	Jonathan Yes, you can shoot with a grad filter. You will need a matt box to hold it. Depending on the actual exposure, you might need to dial in some ND as well. Good luck

June 22nd, 2004, 11:39 AM	#4
Steve Siegel Major Player Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA Posts: 840	I shoot silhouettes with the XL-1s all the time and find the results lovely. It's an effective and powerful break from the usual video fare. But why are you asking? Just backlight your subject and dial down the aperture and you can shoot silhouettes with any camcorder. Be careful using a grad filter shooting a scene with a lot of panning or tilting (as in your fencers moving all up and down the hill) because at times the division in the filter may become noticable.

June 22nd, 2004, 02:03 PM	#5
A. J. deLange Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: McLean, VA United States Posts: 749	Why not just goose the saturation in post if you want more color in the sunset? If the swordsmen are really silhouette they should stay neutral or you could mask them out and only apply the adjustment to the background. A.J.

June 22nd, 2004, 02:07 PM	#6
Nick Hiltgen Trustee Join Date: May 2003 Location: Atlanta GA Posts: 1,427	Tiffen makes a sunset grad, that comes in levels of 1,2 and 3 I would say that would be your best bet. Just don't move the camera.

June 25th, 2004, 11:19 PM	#7
Jonathan Stanley Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Boone, NC Posts: 115	Thanks for the replies guys. I didnt realize it wasnt a good idea to move the camera with filter--that wont work for me. I guess I'll do it in post. Other than that I was just wondering if anyone had found any interesting results.