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Roger Deakins on "Learning to Light" — Cinematography Techniques Ep. 1

Roger Deakins on how he learned to light and how he thinks about light: observing real sources, motivating light from what is in the scene and keeping it simple.

StudioBinder · 9 min · Intermediate · CIN · Cinematography · 2021

What you take away

Watch how real light falls in a room, then copy it.

Watch it

Filed under

Films shot by Roger Deakins

Films to study for light

Oscar winners for cinematography

Books on cinematography

Kit for this lesson

NiSi Swift VND 1-5 stop — Screw-in variable ND that does not cross-polarise at the ends
NiSi True Color 1-5 stop VND — Variable ND that does not turn faces green
PolarPro Mist Edition VND — Diffusion and ND in one piece of glass
PolarPro Peter McKinnon VND II 6-9 stop — The dense one, for a wide-open lens in daylight
Aputure Light Dome Mini III — The Dome for small rooms and small fixtures
Aputure Light Dome III — The softbox most Bowens fixtures wear

More Cinematography

Roger Deakins on How to Choose a Camera Lens — Cinematography Techniques Ep. 8 — StudioBinder · 10m · Intermediate
Sony Picture Profiles & Dynamic Range Guide (Cine vs S-Log vs HLG) — Gerald Undone · 24m · Advanced
The Pros & Cons Of Film Vs Digital: Featuring Robert Yeoman — In Depth Cine · 15m · Advanced
Mother (2009) - The Telephoto Profile Shot — Every Frame a Painting · 4m · Advanced
How Cinematographers Set Their Exposure — In Depth Cine · 13m · Intermediate
Making THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (with Wes Anderson & Robert Yeoman) — Cinematographers on cinematography · 27m · Advanced
Cinematic Film Composition — Roger Deakins on Blocking, Staging & Composition in Cinematography — StudioBinder · 7m · Intermediate
Depth of field | Virtual Cameras | Computer animation | Khan Academy — Khan Academy Labs · 3m · Intermediate
Shooting “Moonrise Kingdom" (with Wes Anderson & Robert Yeoman) — Cinematographers on cinematography · 17m · Advanced
Ultimate Guide to Camera Lenses — Every Type of Camera Lens Explained [Shot List Ep. 7] — StudioBinder · 20m · Beginner
Depth of Field Explained: Ultimate Guide to Camera Focus [Shot List Ep. 4] — StudioBinder · 15m · Beginner
How Kubrick Achieved the Beautiful Cinematography of Barry Lyndon — CinemaTyler · 14m · Advanced

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