For decades videographers and filmmakers have been pushing the boundaries when it comes to creativity all with the aim of delivering a visually spectacular and engaging experience to viewers. For the most part they rely on artistic vision and innate skill, but over the last few years technology has been playing more of a role in enabling that creativity, like cameras, sound and lighting.

With recent advances in technology, think of the evolution of the LED for example, filmmakers, videographers and even photographers, are finding new ways of working and being supported in throughout the creative journey.

Looking at lighting specifically, it not only plays a key part in creating atmosphere, mood and tone for a shoot, but it also has the power to streamline the process and allows users, be it photographers or filmmakers, to be more creative.

One of the more recent developments in LED lighting is the AEOS location light, developed by well-known innovator Rotolight. Designed to bring versatility and flexibility to any shoot, the bi-colour LED provides powerful light output with high energy efficiency. It is one of the most portable lights on the market, and its overall combination of cost, versatility and industry-first features, allows users to unleash their creativity in a way no other light can. Its functionality and feature set provide the versatility needed for those wanting to shoot both stills and video.

The Rotolight AEOS is lightweight (weighing in at under 1.5kg), ultra-thin (1 inch) and portable. It features integrated aluminium handles an industry first that allow photographers, videographers and filmmakers to work more freely and creatively with the light, particularly in the most remote locations.

The light is already garnering praise from well-known users in the industry. Stefan Lange, visual FX veteran known for films such as Batman, James Bond Spectre and Tomb Raider, said: The AEOS is exactly the light that filmmakers and gaffers have been crying out for. Integrating the handles into the actual light just adds that dimension of flexibility to it and allows users to move and manipulate the light quickly and easily in order to get that perfect shot. I can see filmmakers and photographers alike getting great use out of this new light.

One of its key features is that the AEOS does away with the traditional yoke, which typically limits movement of the light to just 30-40 degrees of tilt, limiting control over light spill. Instead it features a ball head that provides a full 360-degree range of movement and 200 degrees of tilt when mounted to a light stand. This makes it incredibly versatile and enables users to achieve lighting setups not otherwise possible with traditional light sources. The ball head is made from solid, high-quality aluminium and can support the full weight of the AEOS with battery and barn doors mounted, at any angle.

World-renowned celebrity photographer Mark Mann has also been impressed: As a photographer whos being asked more and more to shoot video and stills at the same time, Rotolight has really improved my work flow. I find that especially in a situation where I have a really high turnover of people I need to have reliable equipment that looks good and enables me to get results fast. The AEOS has been perfect for this.

Two things that are very important to me when Im shooting is reliability and quality of a product. The Rotolight LEDs have been incredibly reliable as theyve never broken and Im not exactly gentle with my gear. Looking specifically at the AEOS, often when youre using strobe youre not seeing what youre going to get when you look through the viewfinder, so you have to anticipate what the shots going to look like. The fact that the AEOS can be used as both a strobe and continuous light, means I can actually look through my screen and know that is the colour and thats how the light is going to fall, which allows me to get to where I need to be quicker.

In keeping with Rotolights product offering, the new AEOS includes a host of patented features, unique to the company that enable users to be more efficient, effective and creative. This includes CineSFX¢, a suite of cinematic lighting effects; Designer Fade¢, custom fade up/down production effects; and AccuColour¢, Rotolights patented LED phosphor technology ensures that the AEOS can deliver exceptional colour rendering (CRI:96+) and scores in the highest category on the independently-tested Television Lighting Consistency Index (TLCI).

Filmmakers, videographers and photographers will continue to strive for excellence, find new ways of letting their creativity shine, while streamlining their processes. Increasingly there will be a convergence here between advances in technology and creativity, where both will drive the industry forward and truly revolutionise the way we work.