How To Shoot Video In Front Of A Bright Window

[@Cold417]

Dude, this is phenomenal! Many people don't realize how difficult it is to get the lighting right. Subbed!

[@catarinamendez2077]

This was actually super helpful. I like that you left the before and after and showed the two frequently next to each other. Thank you!

[@TeKeyaKrystal]

!!!

[@DianaGrace]

Cool! I think I would try using a reflector or a foam board to bounce the light back on my face as well.

[@codyjones3720]

Another trick to putting up window ND is to use windex and apply to the inside. You spray the window, clean it, spray your ND (which you cut to fit) then squeegee it right onto the pain. Boom! No gaff or wind issues!

[@narasenaiman]

yaaa true..

[@NatesFilmTutorials]

You also could place a glass pane in front of the lens and apply a small piece of ND to perfectly cover the window, to get iT in camera. As long as it’s a locked tripod shot and actors don’t go in front of the window it works great. That’s what they did in the old days.

[@TheThinkersBible]

This is great! Adding lights/reflectors was the only solution I could think of when I saw your initial finished shot. And unfortunately my camera does not shoot Log format without expensive add-ons. But the ND sheets are a great idea as well. Thanks!

[@chadwin]

Very nice! Well done video. I knew most these techniques already, but it's a great topic not many others are talking about. A lot of people just let the windows blow out, but it looks cheap and separates the amateurs from the pros. I did like the tip about using hard light for the sunny side and soft light for the fill side-smart idea. I have some other lee filters-bummer is they're pretty small. I want Massive sheets for large windows ya know.

[@agylub]

Your local fabric shop is a treasure trove of useful tools. Black gauze does the job at a fraction the price of ND sheets but you can only use 1 thickness otherwise you get wild moirés patterns. If the light source can be diffused by bokeh you can multiply the amount of density.

[@K1aric]

Awesome video man, I much prefer these types of videos over ones specifically related to Sony gear coz there broader and everyone can learn stuff. Keep up the good work

[@MeghanDonnellyIPY]

Thank you so much! I'm going to buy ND sheets!

[@bencorwin]

Great job. ND gels are a huge asset no one talks about.

[@themorninghitentertainment6189]

Great advice as always 🙏🏾 Will definitely use this on my channel! Who else is starting their channel in 2020?

[@gkochanowsky]

Thanks for that. One reads about these things but it's much more instructive to see them in action.

[@stillsixstudios]

Extremely helpful piece. You make great use of the examples and explain the why (thank you!). The before and after comparisons very helpful. That can't be understated bc so many other tutorials fail to do that. One suggestion. It's more work, but if you were able to show a screen shot in the corner of how you changed the curves that would make this perfect IMO. Great work keep it coming!

[@clydedigital]

In property photography it’s considered by leading thinkers best to over-expose the views out of windows by 1 to 2 stops. Most agree that it looks very odd when outside is darker than the room. With photography you have total control over all this, of course, unlike with video. I’m here hoping to find the best way to improve dynamic range with walkthrough videos, where the same settings are used throughout a whole house, so that I can achieve both bright rooms and still see out of the windows. It’s very difficult but I’m finding some progress.

[@everydaybettereverydaystronger]

Nice work!

[@soulnourishingpilates]

Thanks! Very helpful

[@c0d3ckL]

your videos are so helpful, i've learned to get better exposure shooting in slog2 thanks to you. really appreciate the time you take to do this videos

[@BCPaulVideoProd]

you could put a diffusion screen on the outside with two large ctands and some heavy sandbags. But I think your result looks great.

[@nonamedrumguy1049]

Love #3! I've always wondered why people who freak out over needed an HDR camera now dont just light the crap out of their subject/shadows and then grade from there xD

[@ilkoallexandroff]

Really stunning, very well explained! I am usually trying to fix all I can with lighting!

[@rapbarz2813]

Hey you are verified now

[@RayValdezPhotography]

The 5D Mark IV MJPEG comment cracks me up for some reason.

[@Mr_Kenneth]

Hi Harv, just stumbled across this video and its excellent. I do some work for a window blinds company creating before and after installation videos. I too used the same process of bringing down the appstore to get rid of the blow out window glare and used Neewer LED 660s to compensate the interior. Could you recommend some better LEDs (more power and larger - maybe taller) as this would balance the lighting. UK interiors are pretty little. Also a good lens choice for low light and wide angle. Would really appreciate this and many subscribers too I reckon. Cheers buddy

[@HarvVideoAudioStuff]

Enjoy guys :) by the way the linear mode I talk about is similar to a standard style on any dslr (any brand) just with the contrast and saturation turned down a bit

[@danpalooza]

You can also throw some net behind the windows to knock down the brightness, similar to what you did with the ND. Also just a personal opinion, I think you could of gone with the .3 ND instead of the .6 It can look unnatural when you the exposure outside is so close to the exposure inside.

[@avarmadillo]

Very cool combination of techniques. Thanks Harv. I always enjoy your videos very much.

[@andremonteiro1506]

Just found　your channel. Very helpful thanks a lot. It hurts to hear all the newbies talking like they know more though lol. Keep up the great work

[@danielkaranja7978]

That is an awesome tutorial and thanks for the effort it took to run the tests.

[@thegreatestquest8358]

Cool! Lighting is definitely the way to go. This is exactly what I needed.

[@glebbredikhin]

Thanks ❤

[@miguelfcervantes]

Aawww...finally, a useful tutorial on this! Thanks Harv.

[@davidduffy1097]

So much information, excellent.

[@samuelgeake]

Harv this is awesome - didn't even think of lighting 🤦‍♂️. Well done 👍

[@itsThemuRR]

Another great vid with useful tips, thanks!

[@Dale_Blackburn]

Can you examine the lighting in David Lynch films? Especially the interior shots of Naomi Watt's home in Mulholland Drive? It feels so NATURAL. There isn't any face shadow so i assume they didn't use much of a light from different angles. But it looks so smooth. Is there any chance to make a video about it? Or maybe you will leave a comment here about it? How Lynch lights a interior scene, i really wonder. Even the classic Twin Peaks interior sceens has smooth lighting.

[@JacquesAlbrecht]

Since you've got a great handle on the visual side of things... might I suggest that you invest a proper lav mic, such as a TRAM TR50, to make your voice pop through.

[@DodaGarcia]

Lav mics are so distracting though

[@LaterSkaterCo]

I learned a lot from this video, but how would you suggest filming an actor who is walking out of the house through the front door? The change in light with the door closes vs open is so drastic. Even if I lit the indoor area to match the outdoor lighting, I feel it would be too bright when the door was closed. Please help!

[@aliruane]

Great tips. Thanks Harv.

[@noxx759]

OK Harv, been watching your videos for quite a while now, but this one is f@#$king brilliant! Well done with the examples for each situation and remedies for the same. Stellar work.

[@antovega2]

killer job here my dude

[@GregPrickril]

Very well done. Thanks so much.

[@johanpersson7676]

Thanks for the Video! I tried forever shooting a video in my window but it did not turn up great. Eventually I sat in the window and had direct lightning in my face, and it turned out quite ok.

[@keegancan]

Amazing. Somehow the camera can be adjusted to balance colors.

[@bobditty]

Very helpful! What about a Lee gradient filter? Never tried but think it could work

[@Divineshot]

Very helpful! Thank you.

[@knoptop]

Just now finding your channel, cool stuff! Thanks for sharing!

[@BassPlayerAvailable]

Dont forget you can bounce light back onto yourself using Foam Board. Its dirt cheap

[@thegreatestquest8358]

Cool. I didn't think of doing this. Does this work well with other reflective surfaces?

[@leonarddai4998]

I just tried it, it won't solve the problem, because the amount of light that you bounced is too low

[@alexmacgregor]

Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@chrislovick]

another good one, harv.

[@davidglabais4919]

Cool! Nice musical composition too 👍

[@shootcutdeliver]

Tks for this Also lens polarizers can work if the angle is an issue

[@jamesbarratt593]

need a camera to film welding. so from someones advise they say to get neutral density filter and hot filter for c mount sense. I know not a lot about it all in truth. I have seen machine vision cameras which boast c mount but wonder if for me they are the right thing to go for. The camera I need should be able to both accept intensely bright conditions which does this ultimately mean the camera should have a cmos sensor in it or not? and it should have a port out from it so a pair of fat shark goggles can connect for live streaming. Only, and with all that theres one other thing. I was wanting to try a pin hole scenario. block the lens all but a tiny pin hole. Then using software zoom to the pin hole and magnify it before sending it to the fat shark goggles. Just another idea for a way the camera could potentially be able to film in the UVA UVB UVB and IR situation. Any ideas...?

[@EzzenzDK]

This is great stuff man - thanks for sharing!!

[@shivafletcher1]

Good job sir thank u so much

[@yothomasbarnes]

Love your work. Thanks!

[@enduraman1]

It would be more helpful if you show the lighting positions and the types of lighting used beyond just hard and soft descriptions.

[@mdturnerinoz]

Great tips, thanks! BTW Nice music too!

[@ChrisProuse]

Great tips! Thanks for sharing! :)

[@roseozkan8114]

Keep doing these videos! These are great! Thank you so much.

[@JonathanLawrence_Director]

Great tips - What do you do to get rid of the ND blowing in the wind and creating reflections outside the window ?

[@VideoUpskill]

Comprehensive thanks mate.

[@wyzurd2094]

one other method would be to get a roll of ND gel and gel the window to stop down the light. That is common method on commercial productions.

[@HarvVideoAudioStuff]

+Wyzurd ha ha indeed, did you watch till the end of the video? This is exactly what I did :)

[@adrianaroa7358]

Hi everyone! Is there a way to adapt some of this when remote working? I have a fixed desk just in front of a window and no one ever sees me. I´m really tired of having to close the curtains and turn off the lights every day.

[@MattRandallProductions]

awesome video man

[@irongrip]

Great work!

[@darrylsmith3102]

Very Nice.

[@BellyFITbyLeilah]

Thank you! Very helpful, which camera did you use, and if you have a massive window will this work? leilah :D

[@SourabhPandit1021studios]

well done bro.

[@Forkit956]

Great video man!

[@dheniffiii9438]

FYI video really starts at 3:09

[@hedbonker5604]

Roscoe is also a great ND gel.

[@theinfinate]

Good bit of info there man, nice music too

[@iamjacobmartin]

Hard Harv. Always love your vids. Quick Question. Do you have any favorite transition plug ins? Where did you get them? Any thoughts on transitions?

[@HarvVideoAudioStuff]

+Jacob Martin hi, many thanks :) I actually rarely use any fancy transitions so I don't really own many, I tend to just use cuts and fades tbh

[@iamjacobmartin]

Thanks Harv:)

[@impactorigin3389]

Wondering if any lense UV/light filters would help in situations like these?

[@andrewp1513]

Me too

[@Redfishpersonal]

do you have any tips for shooting at a public indoor place such as a restaurant with over exposed windows?

[@WestCoastDP]

I just pull out my HMI.... Done. Used HMI's are a bargain right now. LED's are getting brighter, but you need to spend more money for a good CRI. The cheap LED's are pale and a bit green.

[@buchsg]

One things i was thinking about, why not a green screen placed outside, so you can "green screening" the windows an apply any footage you want on it... Sometimes outside aeras are so ugly than i prefer overexpose the windows :p But it can be tricky if your're upstairs :)

[@WillChidlow]

Really great video Harv and an interesting challenge! Do you shoot exclusively on Sony cameras? You talk a lot about the modes you use, I have a canon 700d and I'm not sure exactly how your settings (log, slog etc) translate. I'm assuming canon dslrs just don't have these modes/functionality? Many thanks 🙏

[@HarvVideoAudioStuff]

Hi, yes you're correct not many dslrs have a LOG mode but the linear mode I talked about is similar to a standard style with contrast and saturation turned down a bit on your 700d :)

[@play_north]

Really interested in getting the ND sheets for the windows. The link you have there goes to US amazon and they don't deliver to UK, do you know anywhere else to get them in UK. I'm having trouble finding the correct item (and not ND filters for cameras).

[@AndresArosemena]

great tips

[@Baschroe]

Oh man... thank you! This helps ne a lot! 🙏

[@PituBear]

thanks! helped a lot

[@JonathanGutierrez22]

GREAT VIDEO!!! Would Have Been Fun To See You Replace The Outside With Something Else (CHROMA KEY) Or MATTE With Maybe A Something That Would Cause OVEREXPOSING. OR Just For Fun!!!

[@ringoze]

Thank you!

[@TANZANIAFILMMAKINGTV]

Best tutorial thx

[@MAGAMAN]

Put sunglasses on your windows.

[@HarvVideoAudioStuff]

Damn how did I forget that technique :)

[@TeKeyaKrystal]

dang , that was an easy fix

[@DennisMathias]

I don't know. Shot one has POP. Blowing out doesn't necessarily mean it's undesirable. And if you bounce back and fill it would look great! What'd we do when we had film! Yikes! Just bounce it..I think you're getting there toward the end.

[@CrossfeetGaming]

Use tracing paper on window for foggy or rainy or just somber scenes.....

[@commercialand]

So with the Sony a 7 3, would I get better even look with the sun? Im guessing you mean the darks and lights are more balanced making it easier in Post to color correct? I went to take some test shots today with the Canon ti3 and my son was like a silouette up against this bright window! I should be able to film this short film with natural light but I'm not real good at camera settings.

[@HussainAl--Khalil]

This was great

[@The52Xmaster]

thanks!

[@christophershivers6257]

hmm if you diffused the light on the right side a little more and make the left side a little darker then it would look more realistic

[@cmck1777]

Linear picture profile looked better than SLOG. Guessing this was 8-bit footage?

[@alexvillarreal6039]

Brilliant

[@AlPottDrums]

Hey man. What did you use to create those little animations half-way through?

[@joobs130]

Very helpful, but still you speak in a lot of camera lingo that beginners (like me) dont know what youre talking about.

[@HarvVideoAudioStuff]

Many thanks, I’ve been working hard to put out videos that explain the technical terminology. I have a video called what is LOG and this week I’ll be posting one called what are LUTs. Please do let me know which other aspects you weren’t sure about as I may look to make videos about them in future 👍🏻

[@JeepTJWheelin]

I have been shooting real estate with the Canon M50 and the Laowa 9mm f/2.8 for about a year now, mostly photos. But recently getting orders for video. Is there a way to cut down or even remove video window blow outs? With this being only an 8 bit and having a small sensor, can this be done without heavily compromising over all video quality? I am planning on moving to the much better Canon R50 soon, but want to get everything I possibly can out of this M50 before moving on from it.

[@HarvVideoAudioStuff]

Hmm it’s really tricky, using max lighting indoors, using a log mode if the m50 has this, shooting later in the day/early eve can work well if you can….otherwise not really 😬

[@JeepTJWheelin]

@@HarvVideoAudioStuff CLog is not good for the M50, it's actually counter intuitive, making it even darker with the small sensor. I'll be moving on from the M50 soon, thanks.

[@DodaGarcia]

I think all my gels are either Lee or Rosco. Great quality and really inexpensive.

[@gregorpajdlhauser2850]

Now I'm thinking, if I can use ND filters for windows, would ND filters for the camera itself work the same?

[@Thoughtcorner224]

AMAZING