Ever wondered how you can create volumetric lighting and light rays in both your stills and video? Well in this blog post and video I will show you how to create them the practical way using just card, smoke and light ! and it’s great fun! Below is a list of all the gear used to create the short video and all the straight out of camera raw images.
Vlog Camera: http://amzn.to/2EaRpTs
Teaser trailer camera: http://amzn.to/2CJjepT
Shotgun Mic: http://amzn.to/2CJSbuq
Studio Lighting: http://amzn.to/2CIf957
Softbox: http://amzn.to/2CWhrdR
Smoke Machine: http://amzn.to/2CHlLkg
Foamboard: http://amzn.to/2lW9Fsw
Snoot: http://amzn.to/2CJUiym
Clamps: http://amzn.to/2CYo1Ri
Millennium Falcon: http://amzn.to/2CWrwYa
Kylo Ren: http://amzn.to/2CTP9AJ
So first we need to cut out or title in our foam board, you can use any font you prefer I chose this font to keep the Starwars theme going.
Now we need to create an atmosphere and to do this we are using a inexpensive smoke machine , we need to blast that smoke in the area we are going to shoot in, pump as much in as you like to get the desired effect. To get the title effect in the video simply use your title you have cut out of some foam board
clamp to a stand , leave your main room light on and setup your camera on a tripod and focus on the cut out then place your light I used this light but you can use any small point light source and I found using asnoot fitted with grid gave me the best results , turn the light on and set you exposure for the lght coming through the cutout, now here’s where the fun starts turn off the main room light and instantly you will see the cool light rays beaming through the cutout with the room filled with smoke it’s creating that volumetric light effect, now to get movement like I did in the video simply take your light source and run it left to right behind your foam board with the cutout which gives that cool title effect.
Below is a pull back shot of the Millennium Falcon
This effect is so simple you can use in all sorts of scenarios, scaling the whole set up you can use it effectively in your portraits, create really cool looking environmental shots where your lights source could be the natural light coming through blinds on the window all you have to do is add the smoke/atmosphere, the possibilities are limited to only our imagination.
Hope you have enjoyed this post and found it helpful, I can only urge you to give a a go it is great fun!