Can You Film Using Only Natural Light?

By Kevin Graham

Filming using only available light is a great skill to have. In fact, some Hollywood films have even been shot almost entirely using only the sun as a light source.

It is usually helpful to have tools to help craft and shape that light, such as a reflector. You can use this as a negative fill to create more contrast, or to reflect more light into a given area.

And filming at golden hour, which is the time right around sunrise and sunset, is one of the most sought-after looks in filmmaking.

Natural light is versatile, it’s everywhere, and it’s free.

But the biggest advantage to using natural light is pretty obvious: it looks natural!

Our eyes are used to seeing things lit naturally, so if your content needs to be organic and cinematic, there is no better way to light your scenes than using available light.

Kevin is the Music Director and Lead Composer at Filmpac.