Lighting is hard. Lighting with limited resources is even harder. Therefore, using a single light to create multiple sources in order to light a subject and the background in one fell swoop should be impossible, right? Wrong. Through a combination of careful light placement and using various types of bounces, mirrors, and other light modifiers, you can create some absolutely stunning results with just a few tools and on a shoestring budget. Here are the fine folks at The Slanted Lens to show you how:

What's most incredible about these techniques is just how amazingly versatile they can be, and how many unique and compelling lighting scenarios can be created from the single source. What's even better than the versatility of these setups is just how cost-efficiently they can be achieved. With a single affordable light source, such as those from companies like Lowell (or even some of the Chinese brands), and a few items from your local hardware or craft supply store, you can begin creating looks like these, as well as experimenting to create brand new lighting schemes.

Even if you don't have a strong enough source of light to use these tricks in an interior setting, all of these modification techniques are equally as applicable to shooting outdoors with the sun as your primary source of light.

As we talked about in this post about exterior lighting, various modifiers can be harnessed in order to make the sun look like multiple sources of light. Through mastering these light modification techniques, in both interior and exterior shooting situations, your lighting will very quickly be taken to the next level.

What do you guys think? Have you ever needed (or wanted) to use a single light to create the illusion of multiple sources? What are some of your tips and tricks for how to use a single source as effectively as possible? Let us know in the comments!

Link: The Slanted Lens channel -- YouTube

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Cinematography & Cameras