YouTube question: glasses!!

DadsGlasses

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Sep 2, 2017
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Any advice on videotaping my son for YouTube? He wears glasses and it seems like the reflection is distracting. Without the lights it's too dark.

Thanks!

 

miss moxie

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Yes, smudge them up with your fingers first.

I've no idea honestly, that's just the cost of filming someone with glasses and not having a highly trained CGI tech to go in and touch it up somehow. I imagine that's a thing, anyway.
 

DadsGlasses

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Yes, smudge them up with your fingers first.

I've no idea honestly, that's just the cost of filming someone with glasses and not having a highly trained CGI tech to go in and touch it up somehow. I imagine that's a thing, anyway.

Haha! I don't think he would allow me to smudge them!
 

Ungoliant

Malleus Aranearum
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Any advice on videotaping my son for YouTube? He wears glasses and it seems like the reflection is distracting. Without the lights it's too dark.
Honestly, I don't find the reflection on his glasses distracting.

But you could try having him stand at a different angle -- glare is very angle-dependent.
 

Trenor

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I like to change the angle of the light when doing photos to stop glare. I'll bounce it off the ceiling or a nearby wall to prevent glass reflections. You can also cover the harsh light source with a defuser. Link to a basic one here, though I would go with something that attached to the light source and didn't need to be held.

While it's not overly distracting it's easy to work around this light issue. I left my defuser at home and needed it for a shoot once. I used a thin coffee filter to diffuse the light and it worked pretty well.

Best of luck. Let me know when he gets everything going. I'd like to see his videos.
 

Trenor

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A lot of people need those to be able to see. My sister wouldn't be able to find a pumpkin on a table 2 foot away without hers.

It's pretty easy problem to work around with a little effort that doesn't require any extra expensive equipment or editing.
 

Venom1080

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A lot of people need those to be able to see. My sister wouldn't be able to find a pumpkin on a table 2 foot away without hers.

It's pretty easy problem to work around with a little effort that doesn't require any extra expensive equipment or editing.
And I'm one of them.

Memorize lines, then repeat with glasses off.
 

Trenor

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And I'm one of them.

Memorize lines, then repeat with glasses off.
Fair enough, it's an option. The other video of him unboxing stuff would be much harder to do without glasses though.

A coffee filter/paper towel, some scotch tape and a few minutes fix is pretty easy too.

The channel is called Random Glasses so there is that consideration too.
 

Venom1080

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Fair enough, it's an option. The other video of him unboxing stuff would be much harder to do without glasses though.

A coffee filter/paper towel, some scotch tape and a few minutes fix is pretty easy too.

The channel is called Random Glasses so there is that consideration too.
Agreed haha
 

DadsGlasses

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Thanks for the helpful advice. I have tried to change up the angles a little bit. I am also going to try to diffuse the light with the suggestions that you mentioned.



I like to change the angle of the light when doing photos to stop glare. I'll bounce it off the ceiling or a nearby wall to prevent glass reflections. You can also cover the harsh light source with a defuser. Link to a basic one here, though I would go with something that attached to the light source and didn't need to be held.

While it's not overly distracting it's easy to work around this light issue. I left my defuser at home and needed it for a shoot once. I used a thin coffee filter to diffuse the light and it worked pretty well.

Best of luck. Let me know when he gets everything going. I'd like to see his videos.
 

Trenor

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Thanks for the helpful advice. I have tried to change up the angles a little bit. I am also going to try to diffuse the light with the suggestions that you mentioned.
No problem. If you post a photo of the light source I might be able to link you some more options. It's always nice to see young people in the hobby.
 

DadsGlasses

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IMG_9163.JPG IMG_9164.JPG
No problem. If you post a photo of the light source I might be able to link you some more options. It's always nice to see young people in the hobby.

Here is the primary camera setup that I use. I think the problem is that the LED light mounted on the frame is directly in line with the lens of the GoPro. I am going to move it to a separate tripod and angle it.

I also bought two LED desk lamps that I have placed on the floor angling upwards to try and add more light. They have a "frosted" cover over the bulb that will hopefully diffuse a little bit.
 

Trenor

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Putting a defuser over that LED board would likely fix your problem. As bright as it is I's start with some non-printed white paper towels. If it's too dark use something thinner like tissue. They make a nice white gift packing tissue (just a reference link you shouldn't need to buy 120 sheets :D) that works well for something that size.

The frosted lamps are likely fine as long as they are not angled right at his glasses. Since they too are LED you can make the same filter for them if needed. Take care with incandescent bulbs though as tissue too close to them will result in a fire.
 

The Snark

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@Trenor has offered many helpful suggestions.
What may be of help is to web surf the mechanics of making movies on a set/studio. Also, compare what they do to on stage live performances with spotlights. Direct lighting=reflections, always. They almost never used direct lighting in a studio. It causes more retakes than all the actors stumbling on their lines.

There is a hilarious video out there, maybe on Youtube, of out takes of Rachel Maddow shows. Her glasses drive the filming crews up the walls: Rachel, tilt your head down. Rachel, your head. Rachel...

So if a direct light has to be used, obey the simple rule: lights high up, camera above the reflection area, IE, keep the head tilted down slightly.
 
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