The Double Masking of Eagle Gate Arch (Patreon)

The above nightscape was taken by Stephen Clayson at workshop that Robert McKendrick and I conducted in southern Utah earlier this year. The mask has nothing to do with stopping the spread of Covid, and everything to do with diffusing and reducing the intensity of two lights used to illuminate the foreground features!

One translucent white face mask was used to cover the Lume Cube Panel Mini that was the main light to the left of the arch; and, a second face mask was used to cover the Goal Zero Lighthouse Micro Lantern that added the warm accent light under the arch.

In the case of the Lume Cube Panel Mini, its intensity had already been reduced to the unit's lowest percentage: 1%. We had already covered it with the optional white silicone diffuser, and the light was still too bright. Adding a single face mask over the light lowered the light intensity to a level that balanced perfectly with the starry night sky — which is the goal of Low Level Lighting.

The accent light, from the micro lantern under the arch, really didn't need intensity reduction as much as it needed diffusion in order to evenly spread the light across the underside of the arch. Wrapping the face mask around the lantern did the trick.

LED Panel Lights and Diffusion Filters: 1. Lume Cube Panel Go light • 2. Lume Cube Panel Mini light • 1D. Diffuser for the Panel Go • 2D. Diffuser for the Panel Mini • 3. Face Mask (a makeshift light diffuser and intensity reduction filter)

Here is a Lume Cube Panel Go light attached to a mini ball head and a light stand. It is shown from the back backside of the panel, with the face mask wrapped around the front of the panel, using the elastic ear loops. I often use this LED to light large outdoor features that are over 200 feet (61 m) away. If the objects are closer than this, I will typically have to reduce the light intensity manually with the face mask "filter", as this panel's lowest intensity setting is 5% (whereas the Panel Mini can go down to as low as 1%).

Here are back and front views of the Lume Cube Panel Mini, with a face mask wrapped around it, and secured with the use of the elastic ear loops. The Panel Mini puts out about half as much light (lumens) as the larger Panel Go; and, even though it can go down to 1% intensity, it often needs to be "filtered" with a face mask if your outdoor foreground feature is closer than 100 feet (30.5 m) from the light.

Ball heads and light stands are helpful in placing and "feathering" your lights, so the lighting is as even and natural looking as possible.