Porn lighting

[pagangod_uk]

I'm NOT a ''photographer who wants to be video cameraman'' (Pretty lazy put-down mate!) I am in fact a director of photography/lighting cameraman and have been for about 10 years.

Now if you'd read my original 'tirade' properly then you would have noticed that I mentioned my background.

Before you criticise, it's generally a good idea to get your facts straight.

I know you were a Stage Lighting Designer, but trust me, this does NOT qualify you to light video - they are VERY different mediums....

For starters in Stage Lighting you are miles away from the peformers, in Film/Video Lighting, on the other hand, you are usually working in close proximity to the performers - especially in porn!!

As for my 'Brolly' comment, this was mentioned as a 'make do' option for low-budget, minimal fuss, whilst getting decent results-type of shooting.

As for making the girls all look the same - what ARE you talking about?

Soft lighting, if done PROPERLY, flatters any woman, it can also save the make-up artist a whole heap of time - it helps with facial blemishes/lines/wrinkles.

Surely in porn one of the points is to actually make the girls look GOOD, you know, gorgeous, sexy, attractive??

You proudly talk about using a camera light, and throwing the brollies away - yes, your method is SOOOO going to make the girls look good, what with all those lovely, hard, unflattering shadows, oh yeah they're gonna love you!

I tried a camera-light ONCE, and it looked like utter shit.

Jeez, why do I even bother? You're totally talking out of your rear-end mate.

It's interesting that you try to undermine my argument by calling it a 'tirade'.

Could this be because I present a well-thought out, rational viewpoint that flies in the face of your lazy 'can't be arsed' approach and you simply can't come up with a better argument?

Yeah, that would be it!

pagangod.

[pagangod_uk]

It truly stuns me the way some of these people are SO entrenched in their ways.

Progressive thinking could make the UK porn industry a force to be reckoned with, instead we are stuck with the amateur idiots who fear change because they KNOW the day professional thinking kicks in, that their day will be over.

I know I'm flogging a dead horse here mate, but what the hell, at least I've had the satisfaction of giving 'em a piece of my mind!

Makes me wanna set-up a porn production company just to spite 'em!!!

Hmmm, now there's an idea.....

pagangod

[Deuce Bigolo]

pagangod_uk wrote:

> It truly stuns me the way some of these people are SO
> entrenched in their ways.

Most people don't take too kindly to people who aren't even involved in the industry taking a swipe
>
> Progressive thinking could make the UK porn industry a force to
> be reckoned with, instead we are stuck with the amateur idiots
> who fear change because they KNOW the day professional thinking
> kicks in, that their day will be over.

Thats a very optomisitc view but fatally flawed me thinks

Sure the likes of Ben Dover made it but I think that was more to do with timing than anything else.

I'd be surprised if anyone could become a force to be reckoned with given the plethora of Porn Material available on the net regardless of Production values

>
> I know I'm flogging a dead horse here mate, but what the hell,
> at least I've had the satisfaction of giving 'em a piece of my
> mind!
>
> Makes me wanna set-up a porn production company just to spite
> 'em!!!

While don't you then

If your theories are so sound you should make a killing


>
> Hmmm, now there's an idea.....
>
> pagangod
>
>

[laralatex]

my point is that by saying 'you don't need to be trained to BBC level', you're saying that they're flaming marvellous and we should aspire to that level but they're not that great. There's bad shooting evident every single day on the news, not just '1 or 2' wonky moments. and my point on the backing out of the room comment was that , they claim to be brilliant and all that (i know 2 cameramen personally) yet for all their training and saying how wonderful they are, in that situation he went to pieces and he still filmed half the door frame!!! Great framing. that's my point. Not having a go directly at you but these guys make mistakes too so we shouldnt have to aspire to them, because they obviously need a few more lesson too!

[pagangod_uk]

Closer to the biz than you might think is my reply...!

Besides, even if this wasn't the case, would that be such a bad thing? - I mean how does one improve in ANY field without a little external constructive criticism?

If I was so sensitive in some of my professional endevours, then I would learned nothing at all.

Criticism is an ok thing, it's how we ALL get to be good at what we do!

pagangod.

[pagangod_uk]

Yeah, get what ya mean now Lara, but you've still gotta admit its a bit of a redundant point!

Like I said, BBC people (BTW-I'm not anymore!) aren't beyond making mistakes, we're all human after all - dunno about those BBC guys though....!

pagangod.

[PKAY]

I have to agree.

I work in broadcast and when I started it was pretty high end with great 'production values'. Now it just pumps out crap shot on PD170's/

I also agree that content can drive stuff and that it is not always a great idea to stick to the rules. There has to be a happy medium and on the whole it ios there with Brit porn. I did watch something the other day where the audio editing was appalling but maybe I am the only one who cared!!!

Anyway, the golden days of broadcast have gone for 80% of us and that is whey I am am trying to do porn!


(by the way.... full HDV shooting and editing kit and been doing it since the 80's!! mail me!!)

[one eyed jack]

PKAY, are you admitting to going down hill??

[one eyed jack]

While all you good folk are turning out your observations, allow me to have mine: This is a very true observation in all my years making pornographic films and it is this: Very few technical/ experts in their given area have managed to capture a genuinely heated and raw sex scene.

Some technical people spend so much effort on the lighting and the look but when it comes to the sex, it falls down and looks stilted and contrived.

As I've said many times before, I'm one of those guilty of the occasional bad lighting in my early heady amateur years but I know I have captured some truly classic stuff. This I hear all the time from customers who I have had for years who have followed my work and I have an open door policy where they can tell me if my head is going so far up my own arse I can't see daylight anymore. Some have even said I've sold myself out from the old days (and then some think I've sold my soul getting into this business) but never has anyone complained about my bad lighting (except for the occasional reviewer).

I have always made it a priority to capture a good hard sex scene as it happened live before my eyes. Even in a blackout. Thank god I had my pussy light in my pocket. This was a scene I shot with Kris Knight and Jo Hobbs years ago.

Production values or a hot horny trouser tenting sex scene? Which would you prefer? Sometimes shooting ENG (or gonzo if you like) you have to be prepared for all eventualitys. I admit though, there is no excuse for bad lighting as my Master Jedi Knight in all things technical has taught me. He said:

"Young padwan learner, remember the 6 p's"

"Whats that Master George?"

"Proper planning prevents piss poor performance"