# Directing light



## BugFreak (Oct 30, 2011)

After reading some of these great threads about lights I still find myself wondering how everyone directs their lights. I try to keep my light on a specific prop but it seems to spread out to the sides quite often. I have tried painting my bulbs which seems to work some but at times doesn't serve what I need. Keeping the light to a small "beam" forward for example. No matter what I do the lights show up from the side. I feel my weakest point in my haunt is my lighting and would love to tweak it just right so...

So how does everyone direct their lighting? Thanks all.


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Well, I was going to direct you to the Skull and Bones lighting tutorial, but apparently Rob has taken it down. That's what I used to design my lighting scheme.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

We use small LED flashlights in wooden holders to light individual props. They're typically placed within a couple feet of each prop, so the spread of light stays fairly tight. The flashlights are in addition to a couple three floodlights for the entire yard.


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## BugFreak (Oct 30, 2011)

BioHazardCustoms said:


> Well, I was going to direct you to the Skull and Bones lighting tutorial, but apparently Rob has taken it down. That's what I used to design my lighting scheme.


Yea I saw numerous threads referencing that site but it was gone.


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## halstaff (Nov 18, 2009)

You can find the tutorial on the Wayback machine but it is missing several image links - http://web.archive.org/web/20071015232847/http://skullandbone.com/tutorial_01.htm
Still a very helpful source.


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## 2k05gt (Oct 13, 2013)

I use 1/2 inch PVC Pipe with an LED in the end,
use a plumbing PVC end Cap, drill a hole in the end and hot glue the LED into it.

cut the length pipe to get the effect or amount of light you want on the object.
paint the pipe black.


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## Dminor (Sep 10, 2008)

If you have larger fixtures you can use cinefoil to help with light spill.


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Flood light hoods work wonderfully for 110 V lights, and there are tons of tutorials pertaining to building your own LED floodlights. Hope this helps.


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## corey872 (Jan 10, 2010)

LEDs are great. Ideally, the seller would specify what the illumination angle is. 20 or 30 degrees is a nice spot light, while 140 or 160 degrees make a wide flood pattern. Incandescent lights are a little harder to control. You can buy 'spot' incandescents, but they still tend to be a bit wide. 

Either light, LEDs or incans, will benefit from some type of shroud or tube. Recess the lamp at least a couple times its diameter, and paint the interior of the tube black, or flock it.

Also, work on controlling how much light you put out. Dimmers for incans, shades for fluorescents, or lower voltage for LEDs. Even well controlled light bounces back at all angles once it hits an object. To me, the most eerie look comes when you are just on the edge of being able to see an object...your mind fills in the details the eye can not see...sometimes with scary consequences!


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