When shooting digital video any sort of reflective surface
can be fatal when trying to light the scene. The second a mirror or dark window
catches the reflection of the light source you are using it becomes distracting
for the viewer and the image won’t work. Some of the most common reflectors
that home digital video producers will encounter are eye glasses, people with shiny skin, and people with
bald heads.
When trying to light a person the
main source you use is called the key light. It is set on the long side of the
face and is the main illuminator for that subject. What you are always looking
for is the reflection, or glimmer, of that light in the person’s eyes. That
makes them look more alive and energetic. When a subject is wearing glasses
this must be sacrificed because the location of that eye reflection would
create a glare that would block out the view of the eye all together. Instead, what you need to do is take the key
light source and bring it completely above the subject’s head. Then you bring
it one or two feet closer than you would position it normally. This will give
them the light they need to have color contrast on the subject’s face, but it
will not show up in the glasses. This might end up making the subject a little
bright and over exposed, so it would be advisable to lower the aperture so that
the image is slightly darker. If the image is significantly too bright after
this light repositions then try putting a ND filter on. Sunglasses are even
more difficult, and you would have to bring the light even closer and raised several
feet above their head. If you do this it is next to impossible to get the light
even on their face, so you should always try to convince the subject to take
off their sunglasses.
If you are
dealing with a subject who is bald, and has either an entirely or partially
reflective surface on their bald spots, then you need to lower the key light just
slightly from its standard position. This is done to avoid reflection on the
top of the head as much as possible. The backlight you are using behind them to
illuminate the back of their head needs to be lowered from its standard
position so it only reflects off the side of their head and neck and not the top
at all. If you are still having a reflection issue on the sides of their head
you can soften this by placing a white card, or white poster board, above their
head and angling the backlight down even more. The white card will bounce some of
the backlight and soften it all around their head, reducing glare. This is an
awkward choice because it often requires someone to hold the card over the
subject’s head.
Glasses, like any type of outside
prop, are difficult to work with and should be avoided if at all possible. If they absolutely must remain then raise the
light and bring it closer while adjusting the camera settings accordingly. Bald heads cannot be avoided because hats and
other head covering apparatus will only be even more distracting for the
audience if they are supposed to be focused on the subject directly. If this is the case you simply have to change
the backlight and see what works. In
this way you are adapting to the environment you are in, which is the sign of
any great video producer!