Why does the lighting in commercials and TV shows look so different than the lighting in movies?
Q. I mean, the lighting in movies makes everything look more real. But the lighting in commercials and TV shows makes things look really cheesy and fake. What's the difference in the way the lighting is set up for movies and for TV shows?
Asked by Pacman - Fri Jan 16 09:45:16 2009 - - 3 Answers - 3 Comments

A. Movies have a higher budget. A higher budget means better special effects, and that makes for a more realistic look.
Answered by Little Fluffball of Doom - Fri Jan 16 09:52:51 2009

What type of studio lights, reflectors, and equipment do I need for home studio lighting?
Q. I own a Nikon D40 with a 18-55mm lens/wide angle and macro lens. I have taken beautiful photos outside with natural light, but when it comes to taking nice portraits at home-it doesn't look right. I would like to take photographs and have Rembrandt lighting on my subjects. I would like the opinions of photographers/graphic designers-and anyone else that seriously knows. Thank you very much for your input.
Asked by Kayster - Sun Jan 31 18:46:32 2010 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. you don't have to spend big money on studio style lighting. you can achieve all you want to with a couple of secondhand speed lights, shoot through umbrellas off ebay and some practice. check out the book mentioned on the link below - it will teach you all you need to know about lighting on the cheap.
Answered by chilliking123 - Mon Feb 1 10:17:14 2010

What type of lighting should I be using for photographing paintings?
Q. I need to use my Nikon D70s digital slr to photograph oil paintings and other works of art. I do not know much about lighting so I need some assistance and direction in finding the right type of lights and bulbs that would be appropriate for taking quality digital images of paintings. Thanks so much for your answers!
Asked by Chaval - Fri May 16 11:23:42 2008 - - 3 Answers - 0 Comments

A. I shoot a lot of paintings for a lot of artists. Here's my favorite setup. Tripod (obviously) Cable release (or 2 sec. self-timer) Eliminate stray light from any lamp, window, etc. that's behind you and the camera. Cross light the piece (45 degrees usually works, but sometimes you may need to go even more extreme - to 15 or 20 degrees) with two equally powered blue photoflood bulbs. I use both 250 and 500 watt bulbs and can usually get away with the 250s. These bulbs produce a LOT of heat. I have mine in $10 reflectors from the hardware store. Try Auto White Balance, but with these particular bulbs you're more likely to have success with either the Sunlight or Cloudy settings. I shoot these with a D80 or a D100, usually with my… [cont.]
Answered by Jim M - Fri May 16 12:45:00 2008