What do use to light your scenes? Are you satisfied? Has anyone complained about your videos being too dark? Too bright?

What WAM producers get it right?

I use one of these. Its a soft box with four 60 watt bulbs. Costs about $40. I aim it at the ceiling to bounce the light around the room. It reduces shadows that way. Its a lighting technique I adopted in my last two videos "La Bleu Girl" and "Don't Forget the Cream".

I will be open and honest. 3 people (one of whom is your good self btw Bozo) have commented that might lighting could be better, but equally my sales are good and I get plenty of compliments..so I am unsure where I am at.

My challenge is as a consumer I was never worried about lighting. never noticed it unless you actually couldn't see the models. So it always comes up as a low priority for me..given my primary focus when making the scenes is making the scenes I want to make..and for me I can't see the benefit of spending more money on lighting other than, potentially, a few more sales (and even that's an unknown).

I think the other thing is i wouldn't really know where to start. I have been using a lighting thing that attaches to the top of your camera and gives extra light..but my new camcorder isn't compatible with that.

My other concern is if I bought some lights, I just wouldn't know how to set them up, or even if I'd have room..I shoot in a VERY small room.

So if there was a cheap lighting solution that took minimal space and was idiot proof, and I mean idiot proof..I am not technical, then i would be happy to invest a bit in better lighting..and would be interested to see if it really did add more sales (ie that people really do choose not to buy a scene just because the lighting isn't great)

You can't argue with consumers but I do sometimes wonder if it is only the purists who are really concerned about it and joeconsumer (like me when I was joeconsumer) isn't.

So to answer your specific questions..yes I am satisfied..and for me, I haven't seen a producer who doesn't get it right as i barely notice it (unless you literally can't see the models) and the thing I have been using is a Neewer LED video lighting CN160

great thread

You can spend silly money on lighting, but all that actually matters is that a) all the light sources you use are the same colour temperature (i.e. all the same kinds of bulb) and that the light is bright enough that the viewers can see the details.

I use four 500w halogen floodlamps from a DIY store. Lots of bright white light, all the same colour temperature, and means I can both shoot videos and stills with no need for flash. The four lamps are ranged at different angles and heights round the shooting area of the dungeon to avoid the "harshness from one direction" problem.

As a consumer, my purchase decisions are driven primarily by what the models are wearing, closely followed by "am I going to be able to properly see and enjoy her trousers or skirt getting messy", and "are the previews enlargeable so I can properly see what I'm buying". 90% of scenes promoted on the UMD fail at these points (low rise jeans = no sale, I know from experience the producer never shows the lower half properly = no sale, only small thumbnails and no enlargeable previews = no sale, only model's front gets messy with no coverage or view of her back and bottom = no sale). Of the few that make it past that, the next level of filtering is things like "does this producer keep the camera steady or do they keep zooming in and/or jigging about, and missing all the money shots as a consequence", and "is this really a clothed scene or is it mainly nude" (both of which result in no sale). Only after that do things like "is this scene properly lit" come into play.

So lighting does matter but only after you've already ticked all the "fetish" boxes, and I imagine it is probably similar (but with different fetish boxes to tick) for other consumers too.

It always baffles me how many producers just don't pay attention to lighting... it's not rocket science and it's not expensive.


Throw as much damn light as possible at the situation, as many lighting sources as you can and try and get as much natural light in there as well.

Then, don't use a reflective shiny surface behind and don't use a dull matte white wall...

The two pictures below... both videos where shot with the same shitty consumer camera. The first is after I spent $250 on some lighting and painted the wall...

Some more pics to illustrate the differance...

Noise is 100% correct.

Light is the number 1 consideration before anything else in any photographic activity (I'm might be a rookie WAM producer, but I'm far from a rookie photographer/film maker)

All you need is strong, diffused light. As Noise says, you don't need to spend a lot of money.

In the old days, with film cameras and analogue video, you did. Modern digital cameras can now compensate for colour temperature automatically so it doesn't matter what 'colour' the lighting is (domestic lights are predominantly yellow!) and although they can shoot in super low light now - the trade off is loss of definition. So, you still need good light for the best results.

The confined space/privacy thing is often an issue with shooting this type of content, of course, (and cost!) but here are some tips for budget lighting:

Use daylight (wherever possible): NOT direct sunlight because of the contrasting shadows, but good, even light. Place a white board out of shot near the ground to reflect light from above into the subject. Indoors, ideally from a large window facing north (North light is best as it remains consistent no matter where the sun is).

Builders' halogen work lights - these are dead cheap (and give off heat) but if positioned cleverly give fabulous results.

Full spectrum florescent tubes (not those shit blue ones - full spectrum) google search for a supplier the tubes cost about $20 15GBP each. I'm furnishing my studio with these.

Add a bit of colour to your set (Noise's e.g.). The camera will love it. And make up your models properly (you'll have no shortage of female volunteers to get involved in that), the camera will also love that.

EDIT: These e.g.s are all shot in very confined spaces using improvised lighting as above.

https://youtu.be/iHA8zQcXvdY

https://youtu.be/0cQo9mJZs5I

https://youtu.be/LR-NohK-EaU

https://youtu.be/YV7ALGOLPPM

We try to avoid lighting as much as possible, by shooting outside.

I'll be honest, we really, really screwed up our first ever TopGunge, which was also our first ever indoor shoot. We used to much light, way to much! We had to re-shoot several sections of the first 2 episodes.

I think by the time we closed the studio, we had very much mastered lighting, TGmini's etc. But the first issues will always cause me pain when I think about them.

Loving all the responses here.

Anything that brings my scenes to a bigger audience has got to be good. It clearly matters to some people, and that's why I took advice when I started, and got and use the extra lighting I have already got (now there is no way to attach it, Tony Hill stands and holds the light in the air!) to make the scenes the most attractive for the most number of people,

and if getting even better lighting means more people can enjoy my scenes, who am I to stand in the way of them experiencing the magic. I will always try and remove any blockers that prevent people from having the Joy Of Slymsford in their lives

So I will investigate the links people have posted here for sure and really appreciate the advice.

number one rule: don't mix color temperatures.
number two rule: use lots of lights...but not coming from every directions
number three rule: make sure to include the brightest object when setting exposure. (sucks when you light it perfect, then throw a pie and the white blows out.)
number four rule: know when you can break the rules.

I have like super-limited space, and I have a corner in the middle of my stage. I think according to common wisdom, I shouldn't have done this.

Screw common wisdom!

So, what I've done is installed two 40-watt undercabinet fluorescent lights, one on either side of my bathroom door, and it faces my "stage". Sadly, these, alone, are too little, so I use my bathroom light (different color temperature ) to give it enough light. That being said, my bathroom light is only 25 watts, so the yellow is flooded out by the two whites.

Once this bulb burns out, I'm getting a whilte 25-watt for my bathroom.

Rev, you said that only 3 people (including me) commented on the lighting, so it can't be a big deal. Maybe so.

But........ a well lit scene looks less amateurish. And I would think the more professional the scene, the more people will buy it.

You are doing basically the same things that Rich, Miss T and Ken are doing, but their videos have a better look to them.

In sum, you have a great reputation with the community, fantastic story ideas, pretty models, tremendous passion. You are GOOD at what you do. Better lighting would make it GREAT!

I tend to go for some coloured background lighting mixed with a "bright, white" bulb facing the action. I feel like it gives my videos more of a "wacky game show" effect, which adds something a bit unique to them.

That said, I'm totally not a professional with lights and sometimes it's been a pain to correct in editing if it mucks up. It's certainly an area of production I'll keep experimenting on though!

I have a lot of challenges that face my productions, space, time, always changing rooms I am shooting in, and with new people all the time, so lighting is something that is always a huge factor in setting up scenes. Big 6500k bulbs pointed towards the ceiling, avoiding thing direct on the models has been working for me lately. But the main thing is practice makes perfect. Stay Messy!!!

Thanks Bozo..that isn't quite what I meant..because I am very aware that if 3 people have actively taken the time to comment on it, I am sure plenty more may have been put off by it, but not bothered to say anything.

So I totally dig that it will bother some people.

I was just explaining that because it doesn't bother ME, it seems to always get pushed down my priority list...which it shouldn't.

So I have got some good ideas from this thread which I will look to see if it is practical to implement..& if it is, I'll be doing it, because I would love as many people as possible to enjoy the scenes

PS thanks for the complements

Your welcome, Rev!

Here's the thing... you can have the hottest girl or girls with effervescent personalities , the best mess, the greatest format...

But if they are lit so they look like shit then there is no point.

Leonmoomin.
Using outdoor light is fine if the camera operator is not totally clueless. In your recent air hostess set the girls in the ocean were almost totally backlit. Not only was the actual air hostess uniform (with jackets and shoes) part short but it was not well lit.
Very disappointed.
Here is a clue: Pretend the models have been up all night on a bender with boiled eggs, beans, and beer. The sun is a large fan pointed at them. Where would your camera operator want to stand? Most likely with the fan to HIS/HER back and NOT their backs!! Dig?

Have you seen any of my recent clips?
Not tooting my own horn... Just curious. I do spend quite a bit of time editing sound... That's probably where most of the time goes, actually, if the scene isn't too complicated technically. (i.e. no Chroma key, etc.)

I'm not using professional mics, though, so the sound is gonna be what it is. But I'd be curious of your professional opinion.

Also, I'll agree with what most folks say, and add that adjusting brightness/contrast/color balance and so on in post is key. Some of my vids look pretty good straight off the camera and some don't, but they are ALL improved by adjusting color across all 3 cameras and putting the footage in the "sweet spot" where everything is well-lit but not over-exposed.

Like everyone else, I've had videos where I didn't adjust the exposure enough and some otherwise nice pie hits have the "blown-out" whites that are a unique problem with WAM scenes. (It's the reason I rarely shoot outdoors anymore, direct sunlight is a killer.) I tend to err on the safe side with exposure, as it's easy to adjust a scene that's shot a bit dark, but once you've blown out the whites you can't really undo that in post.

Two examples each from the same shoot... The first scene was too high exposure which affected an all-white pie, even after post-production. The second is from the last scene... Same setup, same backdrop, but adjusting the exposure makes it look WAY better.

Are you talking about the trailer?
The girls didn't follow direction and went too far out and also split up, which was hard to follow with one camcorder. So about ten seconds after the trailer ends the camera cuts and the girls were re-directed. I can only assume that you are talking about only the trailer as the full video features two more very manageable locations, the outdoor shower and swimming pool.

Even during the brief scene you are talking about, the sun was never behind the girls and was only hitting my right shoulder when they went out to far.

Here's the silhouetted girls scene for people who don't know what we're on about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHBu-wTcUZA

Coming from a pro sound and lighting background, I started out 13 years ago lighting my sets with the lights I had sitting around - PAR 64 cans with 600 watt DYS bulbs. Unfortunately, that turns any normal size room into a 125 degree oven in about 10 minutes, so I mainly did indoor shoots in the winter.

Eventually I discovered 105 watt florescent "twisty" bulbs (common in industrial parking garages these days) and found some sockets with umbrella holders that mounted on cheap studio lighting stands. I prefer umbrellas over softboxes, as they have a little more "wrap around", which helps minimize shadows at the expense of having that eye-stabbing metal shaft sticking out into the room

I generally use one left, one right, and one on an overhead boom as a "hair light". This is standard "3 point" lighting that has minimal shadows and very even coloration. Some producers like to use more dramatic, shadowy, cinematic lighting, but I'm not shooting Oscar material here. I prefer my fetish video clear and well-lit

I always shoot with two identical cameras so the color grading in post-production is fairly straightforward. The cams have onboard stereo condenser mics and I shoot on tripods, so the handling noise is pretty non-existent but I also run a stereo overhead boom mic close to the action for more accuracy and less room resonance.

I've toyed with flat panel LED lights and several producers I know already use them exclusively, but they don't "wrap" like an umbrella, so I'll have to change my shooting style to make full use of them.

As many others have stated, the MOST important aspect of lighting is to make sure that all light sources are the same color temperature. The old PAR lamps were around 3000k. My twistys are about 5100k. LEDS tend to be more like 5500. Sunlight is VERY inconsistent, running from about 5000k-6000k direct to over 8000k on a very cloudy day. I usually keeps the drapes closed. It's easier that way

As someone who has worked as a professional photographer and videographer, one thing I haven't seen mentioned in here is this:
Move your model away from the wall/backdrop. A couple feet can be the difference between an ugly, hard shadow and a diffuse, light one or (preferably) none at all. This is especially important when using the classic "three-point" lighting technique, less so with direct, overhead sources - but I doubt many of us are shooting videos with overhead key lighting.

"Are you talking about the trailer?
The girls didn't follow direction and went too far out and also split up, which was hard to follow with one camcorder. So about ten seconds after the trailer ends the camera cuts and the girls were re-directed. I can only assume that you are talking about only the trailer as the full video features two more very manageable locations, the outdoor shower and swimming pool."

This pic is what I call backlit. I don't know if it came from the trailer as a screen grab or was one from the picture file.

It is off topic but this was disappointing because the wet airhostess (uniform with jackets and shoes) was very short and poorly lighted. The shower sequence was long with many almost identical pics. The pool was well lit but without full uniforms as well. The girls were having fun but as a customer I was not!!

As I already said, the girls were re-directed shortly after that.

I watched the video, the whole part of the scene, was only 38 seconds, it was not possible to change the location of the camera, due to people in the background, so, we abandoned the location and moved to the showers. In hindsight, I should have got the girls to keep their jackets on but, hindsight is a wonderful thing.

We produce hundreds of out door location shoots each year and occasionally we may encounter issues, caused by the environment we are shooting in, but 99% of the time we get it right.

I am sorry that on this occasion, we failed you.

Been using Smith-Victor products since 2004. Fantastic equipment, let me tell you. Outstanding products.

This thread has been enlightening, to say the least.
Also, don't forget to remove the lens cap.

There's a piece of video that thankfully no one will ever actually see of a model starting a scene with another model... turning to me and saying "shouldn't the red light be on your camera like it is on the other one?".


Yeah. That happened.

They are no better and no worse than any of the other lighting out there, except their cheap stuff is junk whereas some of the Chinese made stuff is useable... and the umbrellas don't tend to melt.