Seven reasons to use practical lights and raise your videos to a higher level

https://youtu.be/xth_d7OpiIo

Practical lighting can give so much more interest and depth to your cinematography work. In this video, Benny from Aputure shares seven reasons to use practicals to add a new dimension to your work.

1. Establish mood

Practical lighting communicates more than meets the eye. It shows the environments with more intensity and adds mood to your shots. So, use the practicals in your shots to create and enhance the mood you want to achieve.

2. Add depth

Another reason to use practicals is to add depth to your scenes. Using this lighting, you can create the feeling of physical depth and make layers that level up visual interest of the viewers. Practicals open up the space and save it from being visually flat.

3. Shot dynamic

Practicals add a dynamic to your create endless possibilities for activity, change or even surprise.

4. Realism

Practical lighting exists in the real world, just look around you. So, to create a realistic environment in your scenes, you mustn’t forget to incorporate it. In other words, practicals make your lighting design valid.

5. Lens flares

Lens flares add production value to the scenes. Practicals create flares in-frame without digital manipulation or having a studio light in the frame. So, this is another perk of having them in your scenes.

6. Texture

Just like practicals bring realism to your frame, they can also add realistic texture to it. Something as simple as a lampshade can provide texture that will make your frame more lifelike. Don’t be afraid to experiment: you can get creative with them and use all shapes and sizes of practicals, which leads us to the last point.

7. Get creative

When creating the lighting setup, showcase your creativity. Don’t be afraid to take some risks, and don’t just replicate practicals you see in other movies. “Recalculate the formula” and come up with something of your own.

[Why You Should Use Practicals Like Stanley Kubrick | Aputure]