3. Interview Lighting
• In the course of developing skills in the craft of lighting, this lesson may be
among the most important. The concepts covered here will reappear in
many other lighting setups. Sometimes they are there on a subtle level,
but they are almost always there.
As you go thru the different lessons, pay attention to how often these
concepts reappear. The more you understand them, both individually and
in the way they work together to create an effective image, the easier it
will be for you to adapt them as needed in a variety of situations. They will
also help you to create your own distinctive lighting style.
Using this interactive player, you can turn on each light in the setup
individually to see its effect. You can also view the entire setup to see
placement & choice of fixtures. These 4 lights: Key, Fill, Hair, & Edge, form
the basics of a well lit portrait. Familiarize yourself with each light and its
effect on the whole picture
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10. • Their concepts of contrast
and light angles were often
influenced by the light
coming in a window. Very
often from a window that
didn't have direct sunlight
shining into it.
• The north-light window in
old photo studios and our
modern soft lights attempt
to emulate this classic look.
11. KEY LIGHT
• Key Light defined: The primary or dominant
source of light in a shot. It often suggests an
out of frame source. Choice of fixture (hard or
soft) and its position will help set the mood of
the shot.
12. Soft Key Light
• In the setup shown in the
viewer, the Key light is a
very soft Rifa-lite 88 fitted
with a 1000-watt bulb and
a soft Egg Crate to control
its spill.
•
Look at the cheek closest
to the camera. Notice the
effect; the shadow line
running down the cheek.
Begin to notice how often Full lighting with Soft
you see this in movies, KeyRifa 88, 1000W
television, and Soft lightRifa with
photographs. It's Fabric Egg Crate
everywhere isn't it?
Simple Light Setups
13. Hard Key Light
• This is an example of a hard Key light, instead of soft. We are
using a 250-watt Pro-light. Notice the difference? The
transition between the light and dark areas is more dramatic.
If you move the key light until you see a light triangular patch
under the near eye, you've achieved what is referred to as
Rembrandt lighting.
•
Rembrandt actually experimented with having the main light
coming from many directions but this is the look that stuck to
his name. You may notice that both soft and hard key lights
are approaching the face from the far side of the face, from
the camera. What is referred to as the short side.
•
While it doesn't always have to be so, it is very common and a
safe place to start. It might be so popular because it has a
slimming effect on the
Full lighting with hard Key
Rembrandt van Rijn, Portrait of a Lady with an
Ostrich-Feather Fan, c. 1658/1660
Pro-light, 250W Focusing Hard light
14. Key Light Techniques
• When you practice placing the Key light on your subject, keep an eye on
the shadow it creates from the nose.
•
The nose shadow is easier to see if you use a hard light but blends more
attractively when you a larger soft source. As a start, find the angle and
height for your Key light that places that shadow along the crease
between the nose and the corner of the mouth.
•
Now try placing your light so the nose shadow is nearly gone. This will
happen when your light is anywhere from directly in front of the subject,
assuming they are facing slightly away from the lens, to directly over the
camera. You will start to lose the shadow line on the cheek as you come
around but the effect may be what you want.
•
Bringing the Key light 'face-on' is effective for lightening the shadows
from wrinkles. Used with makeup it is even more effective. While this
position tends to allow light to spill onto the background it is usually more
important to have the subject look good. If possible you could move the
subject and lights further away from the back wall to allow the spill to fall
off. This position is very flat light so you need to balance the needs of
filling wrinkles or a slimming effect.
•
Another look is what is sometimes called Hatchet lighting. Here the
shadow line runs right down the center of the face. It can be a dramatic
effect when paired with little or no fill lighting or some edge lights. You
may also have to adjust the height of the key light to better fill deep set
eyes. A larger softer light will be able to do this without causing the nose
shadow to become distracting.
Bad nose shadow
Reduced nose shadow
Hatchet lighting
15. Simple Light Setups
• Sometimes when power or time limitations are
factors, one light will do the work of both Key
and Fill. A second small light from behind to
add a little shine to the hair adds a finishing
touch. Experiment by adjusting the distance
between the light and your subject to achieve
the balance between your key light and the
ambient light.
•
In this example a 500-watt Omni-light with a
nylon umbrella worked well for the single Key /
Fill light and a 125-watt L-light is providing the Single light (Omni-
shine on the hair and shoulders. Don't forget
to make the necessary changes in the height of light 500 W) with
your stand and possibly an exposure change to umbrella, positioned
your camera as you adjust position of the
lights. Perhaps your situation calls for a more to function as Key
or less powerful bulb or a different fixture. Get light, with enough
the feel of working with a small hard source
(you can really see where those shadows are) softness to also act as
and then perhaps add an umbrella and see Fill light.
that by increasing the relative size of the light
source you increase its softness. Single light result
16. Fill Light
• Fill light defined: Fill is used to lighten
shadows and control contrast ratios (the ratio
of amount of Key to Fill light). Combined with
the Key light, Fill light helps define the mood
by lighting the shaded areas in a range of
intensities. It can vary from none, to a level
equaling the Key light.
17. Fill Light
• Fill light aloneRifa 44, 250W Soft light
• After setting the Key light, you may find that the darker side
of the face is too dark for your tastes. There are several
methods for adding Fill light to reduce the shadows.
•
In the setup shown in the viewer at the beginning of this
lesson, we have chosen a Rifa-lite 44 soft light, with a 250-
watt bulb, with a soft Egg Crate to control the spill.
•
This doesn't just apply to lighting faces. Anytime you are
treating the side left shaded by the Key light you are working
on the Fill.
•
The amount of Fill that is added depends on your taste (or the
preference of the person who hired you). Keep in mind the
'look' you are attempting; especially if you are shooting
something that is dramatic.
•
Generally you can most easily alter the mood of a shot by
raising and lowering the intensity of the Fill. In fact on some
soap operas the main difference in lighting between a
daytime interior scene and a night setting is they drop the Fill
almost all together and light the background a darker than
normal.
Fill light alone
Rifa 44, 250W Soft
light
18. Fill Light Techniques
• More commonly, you may begin to consider light placement
positions near the camera to hide the shadows behind the
subject or more off to the opposite side from the Key light.
•
When the Fill is directly over the camera it adds to the Key light's
exposure so consider adjusting for it. The near-the-camera
position can be considered when you want to both fill shadows
and still maintain a little modeling on the subject. You will most
often need a less intense light for the Fill side.
•
As with the Key light you could adjust the distance to lessen the
intensity as well as by adding scrims or neutral density gels to
the light. While it could be most any kind of light, a Fill light is
usually a soft source so using an umbrella or a softbox is
common.
•
Images A & B to the right show differing levels of Fill light. Notice
how image A looks more fully lit, while still maintaining the Key
as the dominant light source, and the reduced Fill in image B
increases its dramatic effect.
•
A) Lower ratio of Key to Fill lightB) Higher ratio of Key to Fill
lightC) Double Nose Shadow
• Probably the only wrong way to do Fill is if it adds another set of
visible shadows; visible to the camera that is (you only need to
worry about what's in your frame). A) Lower ratio of Key to Fill light
B) Higher ratio of Key to Fill light
•
Image C shows a closer view with a double nose shadow. This is
caused by having a Fill light that is almost as strong as the Key,
placed in a position so that the shadow the nose throws on the
opposite side of the face, visible to the camera. Always look
closely at your shot to see if your lights are creating unintended
C) Double Nose Shadow
consequences.
19. Reflected Fill Light
• Another method of providing Fill is by bouncing
the Key light off of a reflector. A specular reflector
(the shiny hard side) will kick back nearly as much
light as the Key light shining on it, in the same
degree of hardness that strikes it.
•
In the example shown, the soft Key light is being
reflected. A stippled reflector surface will soften
the reflected light more and give less chance of
secondary shadows.
•
Using a matte white card will provide a very soft
reflected fill at close range. You may have natural Specular Reflector bouncing Soft
fill already happening from light colored walls
reflecting back to the subject. Indeed you might Key light to create Fill
even plan such a situation.
•
Closeup detail
Note: In highly reflective rooms, if your lighting is
too flat, you might consider a technique called
negative fill. This is often done by hanging a dark
cloth or piece of black foamcore on the fill side to
prevent stray light from providing too much fill.
Experiment with different amounts of fill and see if
you can manipulate the effect to change the feel of
the lighting.
20. Hair Light
• Hair light defined: A light from
behind the subject, often
weaker than the Key or Fill,
aimed at the head & shoulders.
It may also called a backlight. It
creates a sense of separation
between subject and
background, and adds
highlights & shine to hair, and
is often widened to include a
subject's shoulders. Working
with Hair light gets trickier with
receding hairlines, and may be
done without in that situation.
21. Hair Light Techniques
• Along with the amount of Fill light you use, you can continue to add finesse to the
lighting to reveal the subjects form by using light from angles beyond what you
use for the Fill. Both Hair lights and Edge lights fall into this category.
•
Traditionally Hair lights are placed directly opposite the camera. It creates
highlights and gives a nice shine to the hair. Small hard lights will make small hard
lines and edges, which are appropriate if you are implying the motivation for the
light is a hard source. Larger sources provide an even, gentle wash.
•
In the nineteen seventies the extreme backlight was the rage. Find a glamour
photo from the era and it will likely have a strong back light blasting directly at the
back of the head causing the lion's mane hair style in fashion at the time to glow. If
this is what you're after, just try to keep the light far enough back so it doesn't
start your subject's hair on fire.
•
If you are dealing with thinning hair or bald heads, you probably already have
enough separation from the background; either because of the contrast or color
differences, and only want to play with adding a subtle edge to the side of the
head and neck. You may just need an edge on the shoulders of a dark garment
that is blending into the background. See the Edge Light description below for
more information. For shiny heads you could have separate lights for each
shoulder or put up a traditional hair light and block, or flag, the part of the light
falling on the head.
•
•
Hair light aloneRifa 44, 250W Soft light
Since all backlights are aimed in the direction of the camera be careful to keep any
Hair light alone
light from shining into the front of the lens, causing lens flare. Wave your hand in
front of the light and see if a shadow falls on the camera.
Rifa 44, 250W Soft
•
With the advent of modern cameras there is less need for the really heavy use of
light
hair light unless it is to appear as motivated or logical in the scene. Watch for
programs done in film or HD and notice how natural these highlights are
compared to older video programming.
22. Edge Light
• Edge light defined: A light from behind the
subject, often weaker than the Key or Fill, is
placed to create an edge of definition
between subject and background. Similar in
practice to Hair light, it is also a form of
backlight normally used to define one dark
object from another, for example a dark
jacket from a similarly dark background.
23. Edge Light Techniques
• Edge lights create subtle defining 'edges', and line-
like highlights, which can be added to your setup
to delineate the edge of your subject. You may
hear them referred to as kickers, liners or edge
lights.
•
If your subject's dark hair or jacket seems to blend
into a similarly dark background you can add an
'edge' to visibly separate, or cut them away, from
the background. You provide a clue to the viewer
where the subject leaves off and the background
begins. If you have decided to use little or no fill an
edge of some sort can enhance the dramatic
effect.
•
To experiment with these effects start with small
fixtures and keep an eye on the shadow from the
subjects ear. It is popular to have a light edge along
the jaw line. Try hard sources at different distances
and angles. Try using a small light with an umbrella
or with a diffusion gel.
•
Edge lights are also aimed in the direction of the
camera, so be careful to keep any light from Edge light alone
shining into the front of the lens, causing lens flare.
Wave your hand in front of the light and see if a L-light, 100W
shadow falls on the camera.
24. Background Light
• Background Light defined:
Used for lighting the
background of a set, as a
whole or specific areas. Or for
lighting objects in the
background of the set that are
significant to the image. It also
contributes to creating
separation between subject
and background. Often the
function of the light is fulfilled
by more than one fixture at a
time. It is possible to use
multiple background lights.
25. •
Background Light Techniques
How you deal with backgrounds depends on whether it is part of
the story or just a neutral setting for your subject. Either way
you may notice the background level is usually down, or less
bright than the subject. However it is not unusual to highlight
something in the background for interest. A plant or dim lamp is
a common set dressing.
•
For the setup used in the Viewer above, we created a mottled
shadow pattern on the background by shining a hard light
through a cookaloris (a random pattern cut into wood,
foamcore, or black foil). It was lit by a 250W focusable Pro-light,
a hard source. If you look at the Setup shot in the Viewer, you
will see the cookaloris, tho' the Pro is hidden from view by the
Rifa Key light.
•
By the time you've put up your Key, Fill, Hair and Edge lights you
might have light bouncing off the walls and ceiling lighting up the
background too much. You can try turning off any room lights, or
by adding distance between the subject and the background. In
combination with these is the ability to control the lights you've Setup with cookaloris
placed in the setting.
• pattern
Setup with cookaloris patternPro-light, 250W
• Since large broad sources tend to spill on the background Pro-light, 250W
consider using an Egg Crate on any softlights you use. Other
lights should all have barndoors to direct light only where it's
wanted. You can finesse more by specifically flagging spilled light
from where you don't want it.
26. Background Light Options
• Slash Accent
• It is also common to 'treat' the
background using a slash of light made
by putting two barndoors close
together on a hard light source.
•
The image to the left shows a slash
created by a focusable Omni-light.
Focusing the light to flood will give a
larger and more consistent output level
to the slash.
•
You can mix the slash with general
background fill, making it less
prominent, or use the slash accent
alone in a darker background to
increase its effect. Coloring the slash Setup with Slash
with a gel is also a common approach. Accent
Omni-light 500W
focusable
27. •
Background Light Options
Highlight Accent
• A more practical approach to adding
visual interest to the background
would be to add a highlight to an
object in the setting.
•
In this shot, we used a tiny L-light
with 100 Watt lamp directed to
place a small pool of light on the
flowers and the picture frame. The
hard light character of the lamp
created a sharp shadow.
•
The result looks like it have could
come from track lighting or a
recessed ceiling light, adding to the
natural feel of the effect.
Setup with Highlight
AccentL-light with
100W lamp
28. •
Background Light Options
Color Background
• A popular technique in news
magazine format TV over the past
10 years has been to give the
background a more obviously
treated / theatrical effect. It
provides a contrast of color and feel
between the environment and the
subject.
• Setup with Color
In this shot, we added red gel to an background
Omni-light, focused wide enough to Omni-light 500W
cover the background area of the
shot. focusable
•
Use barn doors on the fixture to
trim any spill that may fall on the
subject, as its color will make it very
noticable.