Planning and Lighting a set

Three Point Lighting

Three point lighting is an common method used in visual media such as film, video, still photography and computer-generated imagery. The three-point lighting system is made up of:

The Key Light

The Key Light is the light that shines directly onto the subject and is the principal illumninator, the strength colour and angle of the key determines the shots overall lighting design. In indoor shots, the key light is often used as a specialized lamp, or a cameras flash. In the outdoor daytime shots, the Sun is the often served as the key light.

The Fill Light

The fill light, like the key light, also shines onto the subject, only from a side angle relative to the key light. It is often placed at a lower position from the key light, and balances the key light out by illumninating shaded surfaces and lessening or eliminating chiaroscuro effects, such as the shadow cast by a persons nose upon the rest of the face. This light is usually softer and is less bright than the key light.

The Back Light

The back light(or the rim, hair, or shoulder light) is the light which shines on a subject from behind, often(but not always) to one side or the other, this light gives the subject a rim of light, and seperates the subject from the background.