Lighting techniques

Lighting techniques

Natural and Artificial Light

Natural Lighting:

  • This is the use of available sunlight or moonlight to illuminate a scene.
  • It’s generally used for outdoor shoots and can create a more realistic visual effect.
  • The limitations of natural light include a lack of control over the intensity, direction, and colour.

Artificial Lighting:

  • These are lights that the production team brings onto a set.
  • Types include LED lights, tungsten lights, fresnel lanterns etc.
  • This provides greater control over intensity, direction, and colour to create the desired mood.

Three Point Lighting

  • Typically used in studio environments, three point lighting includes a Key Light, Fill Light, and Backlight.

Key Light:

  • This is the main source of light, usually the strongest and has the most influence on the look of the scene.
  • It is typically placed to one side of the subject, so that this side is well-lit and the other side has some shadow.

Fill Light:

  • This balances the key light by filling in and softening or eliminating shadows cast on the subject.
  • It is typically placed on the opposite side of the key light.

Back Light:

  • Also known as hair or shoulder light, it helps to separate the subject from the background.
  • It usually is placed behind the subject and focusses on the back and sides of the subject.

High-key and Low-key Lighting

High-key Lighting:

  • This approach uses a lot of lighting to reduce the contrast in the scene.
  • It reduces shadows and can give a scene a more upbeat or natural impression.

Low-key Lighting:

  • This technique uses strong lights and dark shadows for dramatic and atmospheric contrast.
  • Often used to create mystery, suspense or to portray a character experiencing fear or anxiety.

Practical Light

  • These are actual functioning light sources seen in the frame of the shot, such as desk lamps, ceiling lights, candles, etc.
  • While these lights contribute to the scene lighting, additional cinematic lighting is often needed to achieve a desired look.

Colour Temperature

  • Defined as warm (yellow to red) or cool (blue) and is measured in Kelvin (K).
  • Accomplished with colour gels or filters in front of lights or by setting the white balance on the camera.
  • Warm lighting can convey comfort, positivity and retro feeling. Cool lighting might signal unease, modernity or be used for night scenes.

Remember: The lighting techniques implemented should always help to effectively convey the mood, tone and narrative of the scene.