21/01/2025
Mastering Lighting for Interviews in the UK Winter’s Limited Sunlight
Can you believe that the shot above was filmed just one hour before the shot below? That is the power of film and photography lights, combined with some clever techniques. The top shot relies on the room’s harsh yellow overhead lights, a common fixture in most offices. To combat this, I used daylight-balanced film lights to properly illuminate the scene. I also dressed the background to make it more interesting, adding some plants and extra elements for depth.
Later (now here’s the secret sauce!), I filmed the background again when the natural light had improved and masked the windows in to match the consistency of the other interviews. Lighting, timing, and a bit of set dressing really make all the difference! For a more in-depth look at the window replacement, check out the second photo.
