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photys

Lighting help - Long hallways or driveways ect.

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I would rather learn correct lighting, before I change cameras.

It is pointless me buying $1000 cams before I understand practical lighting techniques.

 

 

I´m having the typical problem in low light scenarios.

Bleached out subjects moving toward the camera.

Looks great when they fill 60% of the image or when they stop moving......

 

So Im about to try a 2 bulb solution.

Each slightly off set, with less light hitting the person/car, more on the distant background. Evening out the range of light.

 

Is that the way to go?

 

Can you point me in the right direction please.

Cheers, photys.

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You want to scatter the light evenly if possible, like pro photographers do by bouncing light and shooting through mediums.

 

Basically make an (incorrect) assumption that the camera sees a pencil beam. You don't want much light parallel to that pencil beam. Often when I do use IR I wind up pointing it in an odd direction, bouncing it off the walls or ceiling works well. Unfortunately IR lights usually aren't that powerful so bouncing them outdoors doesn't work too well as eventually you do want it to bounce off the subject and back to the camera.

 

 

The best bet is to just use conventional lighting wherever and whenever possible. A 13 watt CF produces quite a bit of light for not too much $, maybe someday 2 or 5 watt CFs will be available.

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you can also block off-turnoff 3/4 of the IR leds because you don't need

mega watts in there.

 

my driveway cam has 25 leds I use about 5 for perfect contrast

 

Its all about varying the power so you don't get white out etc

 

z

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