How to Soften Hard Lights

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The key to making your Reel History™ subjects look their best on camera is the use of a soft light. In this video you will see several ways to ‘soften a light source’ and the effect each one has.

The light source in the video is a professional movie light, but you can achieve similar results using halogen shop lights from your local home center or simple reflector lamps with a bright bulb. The key benefits of professional equipment (other than impressing your clients) are control and speed of setup.

TRIVIA: In the video there is a setup where a light close to the floor is aimed at a large white reflector board which bounces the light onto the subject. Old-school cinematographers called this a ‘frog light’.