Lighting Considerations

Three Point Lighting: Key Light, Fill Light, Backlight

Key Light: 

• The key to whole set up
• Main source of illumination in the scene
• Best spot for a key light is at 45 degree angle from where the camera is set up
• The reason why it is not placed directly to your subject, is because you want to add some definition  to the edges of the face and shoulders.

Fill Light:

• Fill in the dark shadows on the opposite side of the face to where the key light is set up
• Set up 45 degrees away from the camera (45 degrees opposite of the key light)
• Less intense than the key light so it doesnt compete with it. A few ways to do this are: 

1. use a lamp or bulb with less watts
2. move the light further away 
3. use a neutral density gel  over the light

• When the key light and fill light are both turned on, you get a much more even light around the whole face
• The shadows from the key light is still there, the idea is to not get rid of all the shadows but to soften them
• A more pleasing natural appearance

Back Light: 

• Stops the subject blending in with the background
• Placed behind the subject, set off to an angle where the light itself is placed above and out of the frame
• The light spills on to the subject, not on the camera lense
• Fairly low intensity 
• Shine down on the subject and create a rim of light around the shoulders and head.
• When combined with the other two lights, the back light makes the subject stand out abit more from the background and focuses your attention on the subject