Lighting Setup for Documentary

Earlier this month, we worked on a short documentary featuring Ian Edwards, a sculptor based in Surrey, England. While shooting the documentary, I aimed to convey a sense of isolation—not the kind that is remote, lonely, and cut off from the world, but the intimate, cozy relationship between a man and his art. This is the kind of isolation that requires internal reflection. To reach this level of creativity, one must be alone, disconnected from external noise.

To achieve this visually, I wanted Ian’s workshop to appear small and intimate while still emphasizing the grandeur of his sculptures. To set the scene, I lit from the outside. Fortunately, Ian had a window right next to where he sculpts. I directed an Aputure 300 light through that window at a daylight temperature of 5600K. For viewers, this mimicked sunlight streaming through the window. The light created beautiful, hard shadows in the room, which I decided to keep. These shadows gave the workshop a tangible, authentic feel. Watching Ian and his hands move in and out of these shadows helps immerse the viewer in the workshop. If I had filled in these shadows or reduced the contrast, the space would have felt sterile and less textured.

This lighting approach also worked well with Ian’s sculptures, which are deeply textured and full of intricate crevices. The harsh light accentuated the depth and detail of his work. Softer or bounced lighting would have diminished the visceral quality of the textures on screen.

Ian’s life is as intriguing as his art. He recently won a world championship title in archery, and these two worlds—sculpting and archery—are closely intertwined in his life. It was important to him that this connection was reflected in the documentary. I did this by shooting the bow the same way I had shot the pieces of art. Giving it close ups, and building up the almost meditative state.