Night time filming at DVinfo.net

Russ Holland · September 14th, 2007, 08:23 AM

I'd like some techniques to help me shoot subjects at night. Things like cars speeding on motorways, or people walking down the street, just generic things.

I've been out with my vx2100 practising but my footage tends to turn out with more glow from the street lights lighting up the sky, so I can't get the dark sky the right colour (street lights glow orange in my area)

How can I shoot night scenes as my eye sees them? If it is a white balance issue what's the best subject to set white balance on? My night scenes currently don't look natural and I'd like to get them to look right.

The vx is great in low light but is it enhancing the shot too much? Is it best to shoot auto or manual, what the best settings for night shots on manual? Is it even possible to shoot what I want or does it need to be colour corrected in post?

Too many questions!

Thanks

Russ Holland · September 16th, 2007, 04:15 PM

One more question on this, I see no-one has replied back, I could really do with a bit of help on this subject. What about filming buildings at night, particularly things like skyscrapers and high-rises? buildings with the lights switched on, whats the best subject to white balance on that, seen loads of footage shot on other cameras such as xm2 and dvx100 and the footage looks great but I can't get my footage the same as theirs.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Bob Hart · September 19th, 2007, 12:37 PM

My personal preference - by no means expert at all.

All settings manual.

0db video gain if you can get away with it.

Where there is red light in your current shots, go stand in the lighting which is the reddest and do a manual white-balance to a white card bathed in that light source.

Hopefully, then when you go back to do your wide shot of the cityscape, the road lighting will be much less red and the building lighting may have a more neutral or even cool tone to it.

Use the manual aperture wheel up front on lower left side to control your levels manually.

Russ Holland · September 20th, 2007, 01:50 PM

Brilliant! Thanks for the help (also thanks to Tom Hardwick who has helped via email)
I'll be trying your advice out next tuesday when I finish work!!

Thanks again,
Russ

September 14th, 2007, 08:23 AM	#1
Russ Holland Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Burton on Trent, UK Posts: 193	Night time filming I'd like some techniques to help me shoot subjects at night. Things like cars speeding on motorways, or people walking down the street, just generic things. I've been out with my vx2100 practising but my footage tends to turn out with more glow from the street lights lighting up the sky, so I can't get the dark sky the right colour (street lights glow orange in my area) How can I shoot night scenes as my eye sees them? If it is a white balance issue what's the best subject to set white balance on? My night scenes currently don't look natural and I'd like to get them to look right. The vx is great in low light but is it enhancing the shot too much? Is it best to shoot auto or manual, what the best settings for night shots on manual? Is it even possible to shoot what I want or does it need to be colour corrected in post? Too many questions! Thanks __________________ Sony Alpha a57 \| RODE VideoMic \| Adobe Premiere CS5 Manfrotto 785b \| Manfrotto 718b

September 16th, 2007, 04:15 PM	#2
Russ Holland Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Burton on Trent, UK Posts: 193	One more question on this, I see no-one has replied back, I could really do with a bit of help on this subject. What about filming buildings at night, particularly things like skyscrapers and high-rises? buildings with the lights switched on, whats the best subject to white balance on that, seen loads of footage shot on other cameras such as xm2 and dvx100 and the footage looks great but I can't get my footage the same as theirs. Any help is appreciated. Thanks. __________________ Sony Alpha a57 \| RODE VideoMic \| Adobe Premiere CS5 Manfrotto 785b \| Manfrotto 718b

September 20th, 2007, 01:50 PM	#4
Russ Holland Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Burton on Trent, UK Posts: 193	Brilliant! Thanks for the help (also thanks to Tom Hardwick who has helped via email) I'll be trying your advice out next tuesday when I finish work!! Thanks again, Russ __________________ Sony Alpha a57 \| RODE VideoMic \| Adobe Premiere CS5 Manfrotto 785b \| Manfrotto 718b

September 19th, 2007, 12:37 PM	#3
Bob Hart Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PERTH. W.A. AUSTRALIA. Posts: 4,477	My personal preference - by no means expert at all. All settings manual. 0db video gain if you can get away with it. Where there is red light in your current shots, go stand in the lighting which is the reddest and do a manual white-balance to a white card bathed in that light source. Hopefully, then when you go back to do your wide shot of the cityscape, the road lighting will be much less red and the building lighting may have a more neutral or even cool tone to it. Use the manual aperture wheel up front on lower left side to control your levels manually.