Lighting isn’t just about visibility. It’s about mood, authenticity, and the story you want to tell.
Over more than 30 years in production, I’ve come to a simple belief: photography belongs to natural light, and video belongs to shaped light.
It’s not a hard rule, and it’s certainly not the answer for every situation, but it’s where my creative brain goes first. When I pick up a camera for stills, I’m drawn to the sun coming through a window, the play of shadows in a corner, the way natural light lands differently as the day goes on. When I’m shooting video, though, I immediately think about how to craft the scene — where to put the key, how to carve out dimension, how to light it so the camera sees what I feel.
Photography: Capturing Real Life
For me, photography is about catching real life as it is. And real life happens in natural light. There’s a beauty in letting the world do the work for you: soft golden hour light, cloudy skies diffusing everything just right, even harsh sun that forces you to lean into contrast.
That’s why I’ve always leaned toward natural light for photography. It doesn’t just show a subject; it shows them in a moment that feels alive.
Video: Shaping a Story
Video is different. Even when the goal is to look “natural,” it takes intention. You have to shape it. Cameras don’t forgive the way our eyes do — they flatten, they miss subtleties, they need help. So in video, I think less about capturing and more about building.
Light becomes the architecture of the scene. It’s how you make sure the audience sees not only the subject, but the story.
The Beauty of Flash
What’s interesting lately is how flash has stepped into photography in a new way. Not hidden, not softened — but bold and visible. A flash that says, “Yes, I’m here.”
Event photographers lean into it, and it works. It’s not natural, but it’s real in its own way. It adds energy. It makes a frame feel alive and intentional. That’s been fascinating to watch — and it’s beautiful.
Where I Land
So here’s where I’ve landed after decades behind cameras:
- Photography uses real light.
- Video shapes light.
That doesn’t mean you can’t blur the lines. I’ve lit plenty of portraits and leaned on natural light for plenty of video. But in my head, those are the starting points: one medium captures, the other sculpts.
At the end of the day, light is the paintbrush. Whether it’s sunlight streaming in, a carefully placed softbox, or even a raw, unapologetic flash, the question is always the same: what do you want this to feel like?
That’s the decision that matters most.
Brian Pilgrim 
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