Chapter 16 Lighting Applications 333
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Lighting Subjects
Most of your time, of course, will be spent
lighting people. From the simplest production
to the most elaborate, there are only two basic
approaches to this task: classic studio lighting
and soft “natural” lighting.
The increasing sensitivity of high-definition cameras
is gradually simplifying lighting setups.
Classic Studio Lighting
Classic studio lighting uses three lights on the
subject and usually one or more on the background,
Figure 16-1. This is often called three-point lighting,g g
despite the frequent use of additional instruments.
Key Light
The key light provides the main
illumination, typically mimicking an actual
light source, such as a lamp or ceiling fixture. It fi
is often placed at about 4:30 and 15°–30° higher
than the subject’s face, Figure 16-2.
The key light is typically a spotlight, so the
hard-edged beam is often softened with a sheet
of spun glass clipped to the barn doors. Even
so, it throws distinct shadows on the subject’s
cheek, upper lip, and neck.
Fill Light
The fi ll light literally fills fi in the shadows fi
created by the key light, Figure 16-3.
About Lighting
Applications
This chapter takes the lighting tools and design
principles covered in the two preceding chapters
and puts them to work in real-world situations. We
will see how to light subjects, locations, and night
scenes, how to solve common lighting problems,
and how to approach several types of lighting
assignments that are frequently encountered.
As explained previously, there is some necessary
content overlap among the three lighting chapters.
For convenience, the horizontal placement of
lights is often described in terms of a clock face:
• The subject is at the center, facing the
six o’clock position.
• The camera is at six o’clock, facing the center.
• The lights are at various “hours” around the
clock face.
• The background, if shown, is at the
twelve o’clock position.
Lighting on a “Clock”
12
3
6
9
Rim light
Back
light
Fill
light
Key light
A lighting setup diagrammed as if on a clock face:
background light at 2:00, key light at 5:00, camera at
6:00, fill light at 8:00, and rim (back)at ) light 11:00. g ( g
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Although this diagram shows the key on the right
and the fill on the left, their positions are just as
often reversed.
Figure 16-1. A classic lighting setup including key, fill,
rim, and background lights.
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