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3 Tips for Low Cost Shooting

3 Tips for Low Cost Shooting

Bella C |

For many brands, if they want to improve their reputation, display and publicity are very important links. At the moment when short videos are popular, using video as a medium obviously has more advantages in communication than text and pictures.

Whether it is a business or an individual, in the process of making videos, it is necessary to strike a balance between two aspects:

One is the overall quality of the video, including picture, sound, video packaging, etc.; the second is the cost. On the basis of satisfying the picture quality, operators naturally hope that the lower the cost, the better.

In the game between the two, many people are prone to fall into a misunderstanding: they think that only the more money they invest, the better the results will be.

However, it is not.

Light

If we use the right method and master the necessary shooting skills, even at a very low cost, we can shoot a blockbuster with a commercial sense of sight.

photography light

01. Let the light and shadow move

Photography is the art of light, and the texture of the picture depends to a large extent on the shaping of the light.

In order to achieve dynamic and advanced effects in small scenes, in addition to the common camera movement, which is what we usually call "push-pull panning and lifting", another most convenient and effective method is to use lights in the Movement within the picture.
For example, in this work, when shooting the watch, the light movement of sweeping and cutting light is used.

 This kind of moving light can not only show the texture of the product, but also avoid the static and rigid picture to a certain extent, making the video look richer and more dynamic, thus grabbing the audience's attention and letting them focus on the The product itself.

Of course, different lighting schemes are also required for different products. When lighting the watch, we need to outline the edge of the product through the movement of light to highlight its texture.

And if it is a lipstick-like product, we need to consider its specular material when lighting. On the one hand, this reflective surface requires us to strictly control the objects on site to avoid specular reflection. Wear the help to ensure the cleanliness of the screen

 NARS light for lipstick

 On the other hand, we can reduce the number of lights and use foam boards or white flags for fill light. In this way, not only will there be no shortage of light, but the product itself will be shaped due to the strong reflection of the light by the mirror material.

02. Create the atmosphere of the scene

Emotions and atmosphere are ubiquitous and crucial in a film, and learning to create an atmosphere can play a big role in improving the look and feel of a video.

 

 In this clip, the director mainly starts from two aspects of color and shape. Through the change from black and white to color, it gives people a great visual contrast, and also shows the colorful colors brought by mobile phones to life.
The background color uses a low-saturated red and blue contrast color, which is cheerful and lively, and the character's costume design also echoes the color of the background, and also corresponds to the color matching of the phone itself.

 

 In addition, there are different lighting modes for boys and girls.
For example, in this scene, when lighting a character, you first need to brighten the subject, then separate the subject from the background through fill light, and add some light sources on the side to outline the silhouette of the character.

 

 In addition, because the model is a girl, we will use a diffuser to make soft light, so that the details of the girl's face look gentle and clean; but if the model is a boy, generally a relatively hard light will be used to highlight the tough temperament of the boy.

03. Make good use of props

The use of props can make the picture elements more diverse, and to a certain extent make up for the limitations of small-cost advertising shooting space and venues.
For example, when shooting digital products, we can use flowers as symbolic props, and use similar lighting effects to form a visual connection between the two, highlighting the delicate and beautiful characteristics of the shooting products.

 

Another example is the use of wheat as a prop when shooting alcoholic beverages, not only because wheat is the raw material of beer, but also can form a contrast between cold and warm colors, which enhances the tension of the picture.

 Of course, we can also try to use some props that seem to have nothing to do with the product itself to create the visual effect of the picture.
When shooting this perfume advertisement, the red and blue ink was directly sprayed into the water to create a dynamic background image, which made the gorgeous image of the perfume more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people.

 

Although low-cost creation will limit the use of photographic equipment, venues and props to a certain extent, through learning, you can gain a variety of practical shooting skills, as well as subtle creative ideas, helping you break through factors such as number of people, equipment, venues, etc..

Let‘s use a limited cost to display unlimited creativity and produce creative advertisements that are better than the average level in the market.

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