Here is an excerpt from an old blog post on "book lighting" by Shane Hurlbut that is frequently referenced online, but is no longer available.
A book light is simply a bounce source that is diffused with another layer of diffusion. It creates an image of an open book. Your light is positioned 45 degrees off of your bounce; then your diffusion layer can be joined at the end of your bounce where your space is limited. You can make a thick book, which will make your light softer because there is more distance between the source and your diffusion layer. Your bounce has now become your source, not your light. So the further you move your diffusion away, the softer the light will get. I like to use many different diffusions as well as bounce sources to create different types of light quality.
“Choosing your Bounce Source Quality
for the Back of the Book”
I use all types of bounces as well as color temperature to create different light quality.
Here are the different types of bounces that I use:
1. Bead Board- a great soft bounce, no sheen.
2. Foam Core- this is a harder bounce source. I use this when I want it to be a more punchier source.
3. Bleached Muslin- the ultimate soft bounce source.
4. Unbleached Muslin- same super soft quality as bleached muslin but changes the color temp of your light 200 to 400 degrees Kelvin.
5. Silver Rosco SS Flex- this is used for a very directional bounce, one that you can throw long distances. It is much punchier than foam core and cools your color temp at least 200 degrees Kelvin.
6. Rosco Scrim- this is a much softer, less powerful bounce than the Flex. Originally used to scrim windows, this has been my go to bounce source to fit in a quality difference between foam core and Flex.
7. Silver Insulation Board- this is something I stumbled onto on Act of Valor in the catacombs of the milk factory in El Centro, CA. Used this reflective source to bounce back the M4 muzzle flashes from the SEALS back onto their faces.
8. White ShowCard- soft bounce that you can easily cut and place in all different configs. In light quality, it would fall in between foam core and bead board.
9. Brushed Silver and Gold Card- this is again a bounce that will not warm up your source, hold color temp and semi directional.
10. Shiny Silver and Gold Card- this is the hardest of bounce sources. It is like a reflector board, which is almost a mirror. You can see yourself in it. This is a very controlled bounce.
DIY Bounce Section
11. White Insulation Board- a Home Depot run gives you the same feel as Bead Board. Just has a little sheen that makes it a little harder. Comes in different thickness depending on what you can spend. Breaks easily and is flimsy.
12. 1/16” or 1/8” Luan- Home Depot run again. This is a very flexible piece of wood that you can cut easily with a box cutter knife. Gives you a very warm soft bounce. Usually warms your light up about 400-600 degrees.
13. White Bed Sheets- gives you the feel of a super soft Bleached Muslin and you have the ability to rip it off your bed.
14. T-Shirt- nice hyper white one gives you the same feel as Bleached Muslin and you can wear it after you wrap!
15. Towel- white and a natural color can give you the same color temp as an Unbleached Muslin.
“Choosing your Diffusion for the Cover of the Book”
There are a million different diffusions out there. I will go into my greatest hits:
16. Hampshire Frost- great to take the edge off of the sun, or any light.
17. Brushed Silk- used to change the pattern of your light like a par lens. You can make your source project horizontally or vertically by rotating the diffusion.
18. Opal Tough Frost- slightly softer than Hampshire. Takes that harshness away.
19. Half Soft Frost- unique quality outside when used to diffuse the sun.
20. Lee 251 (1/4 White Diff)- I use this in 4 x 4 frames as well as book lights. Great to use for close ups when you have already diffused your light with a big 12 x and you move that in really close.
21. Lee 250 (1/2 White Diff)-I use this in 4 x 4 frames as well as book lights. Great to use for close ups when you have already diffused your light with a big 12 x and you move that in really close.
22. Lee 216 (Full Whit Diff)-I use this in 4 x 4 frames as well as book lights. Great to use for close ups when you have already diffused your light with a big 12 x and you move that in really close.
23. Lee 129 (Heavy Frost)- a very thick diffusion that doesn’t yellow your source too much.
24. 1/4 Silent GridCloth- yellows your source slightly and gives warmth.
25. 1/2 Silent GridCloth- yellows your source slightly and gives warmth. A different strength option.
26. Full Silent GridCloth- yellows your source slightly and gives warmth. Thickest strength.
DIY Diffusion Section
27. Shower Curtain (Semi Transparent)- this will give you the same look and feel as Half Soft Frost and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Bed Bath and Beyond, here I come.
28. Shower Curtain (Opaque)- this will give you close to the diffusion quality of Lee 129 but with a little yellow feel. I love the warmth. Some people feel it is a little yellow.
29. Clear Visqueen- a Home Depot run gives you the feel of somewhere in the middle between Hampshire Frost and Half Soft Frost.
30. White Bed Sheets (300 Thread Count)- gives you the light quality of a Full GridCloth and it is silent as well.
“Choosing your Light Source
for the Middle of the Book”
I use all types of lights to blast into my bounce. Here are my favorites:
31. Mini 9 Lite with FCX globes- This gives you a lot of punch under 50 amps. You can easily control your levels by switching separate globes on and off.
32. 2K Open Face- good for low amperage. Easily control levels by spotting or flooding light.
33. Any Fresnel- these are easy to scrim and control with barn doors and can also use spot and flood function to intensify light source.
34. 12 Lite Maxi Brutes- Use these for 12 x 12 book lights to get a punch that will go far and fill a large room. Again, you can use the switches on the individual lights to control levels.
35. Any HMI Fresnel- these are easy to scrim and control with barn doors and can also use spot and flood function to intensify light source. Daylight source.
36. HMI Par Lights- these are a daylight source that can give you a lot of bang for your amperage and budget buck. Lots of punch and level control can be scrimmed or use different lens to spread your light.
37. 1K Par Cans- these are a tungsten source light that can give you a lot of bang for your amperage and budget buck. Lots of punch and level control can be scrimmed or use different lens to spread your light.
DIY Lighting Section
38. 150-400 Watt Sodium Vapor- night exterior source that delivers a warm orange color that will project well into your bounce. Beautiful for ambient feel when you are doing night exterior scenes.
39. 150-400 Watt Metal Halide- night exterior source light that delivers a cool blue green color that will project well into your bounce. Beautiful for ambient feel when you are doing night exterior scenes
40. 150 Watt Halogen Clamp Light- great light that you can use to bounce. Line several up to give you enough light.
“The Book Light”
DIY Example:
White Cotton Sheet as our Bounce Source
Semi-Transparent Shower Liner as our Diffusion
A book light is simply a bounce source that is diffused with another layer of diffusion. It creates an image of an open book. Your light is positioned 45 degrees off of your bounce; then your diffusion layer can be joined at the end of your bounce where your space is limited. You can make a thick book, which will make your light softer because there is more distance between the source and your diffusion layer. Your bounce has now become your source, not your light. So the further you move your diffusion away, the softer the light will get. I like to use many different diffusions as well as bounce sources to create different types of light quality.
“Choosing your Bounce Source Quality
for the Back of the Book”
I use all types of bounces as well as color temperature to create different light quality.
Here are the different types of bounces that I use:
1. Bead Board- a great soft bounce, no sheen.
2. Foam Core- this is a harder bounce source. I use this when I want it to be a more punchier source.
3. Bleached Muslin- the ultimate soft bounce source.
4. Unbleached Muslin- same super soft quality as bleached muslin but changes the color temp of your light 200 to 400 degrees Kelvin.
5. Silver Rosco SS Flex- this is used for a very directional bounce, one that you can throw long distances. It is much punchier than foam core and cools your color temp at least 200 degrees Kelvin.
6. Rosco Scrim- this is a much softer, less powerful bounce than the Flex. Originally used to scrim windows, this has been my go to bounce source to fit in a quality difference between foam core and Flex.
7. Silver Insulation Board- this is something I stumbled onto on Act of Valor in the catacombs of the milk factory in El Centro, CA. Used this reflective source to bounce back the M4 muzzle flashes from the SEALS back onto their faces.
8. White ShowCard- soft bounce that you can easily cut and place in all different configs. In light quality, it would fall in between foam core and bead board.
9. Brushed Silver and Gold Card- this is again a bounce that will not warm up your source, hold color temp and semi directional.
10. Shiny Silver and Gold Card- this is the hardest of bounce sources. It is like a reflector board, which is almost a mirror. You can see yourself in it. This is a very controlled bounce.
DIY Bounce Section
11. White Insulation Board- a Home Depot run gives you the same feel as Bead Board. Just has a little sheen that makes it a little harder. Comes in different thickness depending on what you can spend. Breaks easily and is flimsy.
12. 1/16” or 1/8” Luan- Home Depot run again. This is a very flexible piece of wood that you can cut easily with a box cutter knife. Gives you a very warm soft bounce. Usually warms your light up about 400-600 degrees.
13. White Bed Sheets- gives you the feel of a super soft Bleached Muslin and you have the ability to rip it off your bed.
14. T-Shirt- nice hyper white one gives you the same feel as Bleached Muslin and you can wear it after you wrap!
15. Towel- white and a natural color can give you the same color temp as an Unbleached Muslin.
“Choosing your Diffusion for the Cover of the Book”
There are a million different diffusions out there. I will go into my greatest hits:
16. Hampshire Frost- great to take the edge off of the sun, or any light.
17. Brushed Silk- used to change the pattern of your light like a par lens. You can make your source project horizontally or vertically by rotating the diffusion.
18. Opal Tough Frost- slightly softer than Hampshire. Takes that harshness away.
19. Half Soft Frost- unique quality outside when used to diffuse the sun.
20. Lee 251 (1/4 White Diff)- I use this in 4 x 4 frames as well as book lights. Great to use for close ups when you have already diffused your light with a big 12 x and you move that in really close.
21. Lee 250 (1/2 White Diff)-I use this in 4 x 4 frames as well as book lights. Great to use for close ups when you have already diffused your light with a big 12 x and you move that in really close.
22. Lee 216 (Full Whit Diff)-I use this in 4 x 4 frames as well as book lights. Great to use for close ups when you have already diffused your light with a big 12 x and you move that in really close.
23. Lee 129 (Heavy Frost)- a very thick diffusion that doesn’t yellow your source too much.
24. 1/4 Silent GridCloth- yellows your source slightly and gives warmth.
25. 1/2 Silent GridCloth- yellows your source slightly and gives warmth. A different strength option.
26. Full Silent GridCloth- yellows your source slightly and gives warmth. Thickest strength.
DIY Diffusion Section
27. Shower Curtain (Semi Transparent)- this will give you the same look and feel as Half Soft Frost and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Bed Bath and Beyond, here I come.
28. Shower Curtain (Opaque)- this will give you close to the diffusion quality of Lee 129 but with a little yellow feel. I love the warmth. Some people feel it is a little yellow.
29. Clear Visqueen- a Home Depot run gives you the feel of somewhere in the middle between Hampshire Frost and Half Soft Frost.
30. White Bed Sheets (300 Thread Count)- gives you the light quality of a Full GridCloth and it is silent as well.
“Choosing your Light Source
for the Middle of the Book”
I use all types of lights to blast into my bounce. Here are my favorites:
31. Mini 9 Lite with FCX globes- This gives you a lot of punch under 50 amps. You can easily control your levels by switching separate globes on and off.
32. 2K Open Face- good for low amperage. Easily control levels by spotting or flooding light.
33. Any Fresnel- these are easy to scrim and control with barn doors and can also use spot and flood function to intensify light source.
34. 12 Lite Maxi Brutes- Use these for 12 x 12 book lights to get a punch that will go far and fill a large room. Again, you can use the switches on the individual lights to control levels.
35. Any HMI Fresnel- these are easy to scrim and control with barn doors and can also use spot and flood function to intensify light source. Daylight source.
36. HMI Par Lights- these are a daylight source that can give you a lot of bang for your amperage and budget buck. Lots of punch and level control can be scrimmed or use different lens to spread your light.
37. 1K Par Cans- these are a tungsten source light that can give you a lot of bang for your amperage and budget buck. Lots of punch and level control can be scrimmed or use different lens to spread your light.
DIY Lighting Section
38. 150-400 Watt Sodium Vapor- night exterior source that delivers a warm orange color that will project well into your bounce. Beautiful for ambient feel when you are doing night exterior scenes.
39. 150-400 Watt Metal Halide- night exterior source light that delivers a cool blue green color that will project well into your bounce. Beautiful for ambient feel when you are doing night exterior scenes
40. 150 Watt Halogen Clamp Light- great light that you can use to bounce. Line several up to give you enough light.
“The Book Light”
DIY Example:
White Cotton Sheet as our Bounce Source
Semi-Transparent Shower Liner as our Diffusion
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