How completely the fi ll light moderates
these shadows depends on the setting and mood
of the scene. In a cheerful interior, the shadows
might be slight; in an atmospheric night scene,
they might be so deep as to obscure details
within them. In any case, the fi ll light should
not be bright enough to make the subject lose
the “modeling” that creates the illusion of depth.
Rim (Back) Light
The rim light is typically behind the subject
and placed quite high, Figure 16-4. If however,
its light stand appears in the shot, you can move
the rim light aside until it clears the frame.
Rim lights are frequently mounted overhead
on clamps or on stands with lateral arms. The
brightness of the rim light depends mainly on
the lighting style—pronounced for pictorial
realism and moderate for realism. For naturalism,
Figure 16-2 Key light placement.
Horizontal placement Effect of the key light Vertical placement
Figure 16-3 Fill light placement.
Horizontal placement Effect of the fill light Vertical placement
Figure 16-4 Rim light placement.
Horizontal placement Effect of the rim light Vertical placement
Chapter 16 Lighting Applications 335