Lighting on the Fly

Of all the equipment that video production requires, there are a few key pieces that I never leave home without. I wrote about of them last week, and this week I’d like to tell you about another one. It’s my 5-in-1 Westcott reflector kit, designed to reflect and diffuse light.

It goes without saying that lighting is a critical component to any production. Unfortunately, lights themselves can present some major challenges. First of all, they’re heavy. If I’m shooting alone or I need to be mobile for run-and-gun style shooting, the last thing I want to carry around are heavy cases of lights. Good lights are also very expensive and very fragile – a dangerous combination. On top of that, lights require access to electricity or heavy batteries.

These hurdles can leave video producers with a tough choice between image quality and convenience. Since sacrificing image quality is out of the question, I need something light enough that I can carry it with me at all times and versatile enough that it provides some options. This is why the reflector kit is such an amazing tool.

The kit comes condensed in a bag about the size of a small pizza, but the frame quickly expands to 40 inches across. It also comes with a stand, an arm, and clamps to hold it at whatever angle I need. The multicolored slipcovers give me a variety of options for manipulating light, and the best part is, at just over 8 pounds in total, I never have to consider whether or not it’s worth carrying.

On a sunny day a little diffusion is often all I need to achieve soft, even light on a subject. Other times all I need is a touch of light to act as fill light on the side of a person’s face. Or if I want to “warm up” a subject I might bounce some light with the gold cover. Many times with indoor shoots I’ll put the diffusion panel over a window to create beautiful ambient light. The thin design of the reflector also allows it to get into places that larger lights simply can’t go.

Recently, my reflector kit saved the day when I was shooting inside an old football stadium and out of nowhere all the AC power turned off, rendering my lights useless. Luckily, I had my reflector kit and was able to bounce enough sunlight on my subjects to get the shots I needed.

This reflector kit is one of the most versatile tools I own with excellent bang for my buck. I have literally used it on every single shoot I’ve had since I bought it earlier this year. If you’re a video producer, you can’t afford not to have this in your arsenal.

Happy Holidays – Don’t forget to take lots of VIDEO!