Lighting

A Basic Introduction to

Lighting

Rachel Heyes – The Manchester College

Why use lighting?

Style – Film NoirStyle – Film Noir

Particular MeaningParticular Meaning

Add atmosphereAdd atmosphere

Emphasise SubjectEmphasise Subject

Direct the audience’s Direct the audience’s eyeeye

Types of Lighting

Sunlight – Dramatic Landscape, Not InterviewsSunlight – Dramatic Landscape, Not Interviews

Cloudy Days – Moody, Looks flatCloudy Days – Moody, Looks flat

Directionality – Sun behind, Silhouette, FlareDirectionality – Sun behind, Silhouette, Flare

Artificial – Double ShadowsArtificial – Double Shadows

Reflected – Boards, Mirrors, WallsReflected – Boards, Mirrors, Walls

Fill Light – Gently lights shadowsFill Light – Gently lights shadows

Top Tips

Use ‘available light’Use ‘available light’

Make the most of Make the most of whatever is availablewhatever is available

Supplement in some Supplement in some circumstancescircumstances

Choose a location with a Choose a location with a good amount of lightgood amount of light

Ensure your subject is Ensure your subject is facing the light sourcefacing the light source

Exteriors

Bright Sunlight creates Bright Sunlight creates bright highlights and bright highlights and dense shadowsdense shadows

Bleached outBleached out

Black voidsBlack voids

Cloudy day is colder/bluerCloudy day is colder/bluer

Light shadowsLight shadows

Reflect the sunReflect the sun

The Sun

‘‘Gods Key Light’Gods Key Light’

Avoid midday, Overhead sunAvoid midday, Overhead sun

Few Shadows, Flat, Few Shadows, Flat, ColourlessColourless

High temperature, Blue lightHigh temperature, Blue light

Late afternoon, Early Late afternoon, Early morningmorning

Good definition, Orange Good definition, Orange TextureTexture

Interiors

Bounce LightBounce Light

Point lamp at a wall or Point lamp at a wall or reflective surfacereflective surface

Soft Light, Natural EffectSoft Light, Natural Effect

Polystyrene, Reflect Polystyrene, Reflect towardstowards

One Lamp

UnderlightUnderlight

Lower level, Lower level, SupernaturalSupernatural

HaloHalo

Lights hair, Face darkLights hair, Face dark

Colour Temperature

Colour temperature is a Colour temperature is a standard method of standard method of describing colours for describing colours for use in a range of use in a range of situations and with situations and with different equipmentdifferent equipment

Colour temperatures Colour temperatures are normally expressed are normally expressed in units called kelvins in units called kelvins (K)(K)

Colour Temperature

Temperatures range from Temperatures range from around 2,000K to 8,000K around 2,000K to 8,000K

Common lighting Common lighting conditionsconditions

Selecting lights, gels and Selecting lights, gels and filters most appropriate filters most appropriate to the prevailing light or to the prevailing light or to create a particular to create a particular colour effectcolour effect

Shooting at Night

Picture NoisePicture Noise

Graininess increaseGraininess increase

Natural SourceNatural Source

MoonMoon

StreetlightStreetlight

Considerable amount of Considerable amount of lightlight

Platforms (Shadows)Platforms (Shadows)

3 Point Lighting

Main Light (Key)Main Light (Key)

Lights SubjectLights Subject

BacklightBacklight

Defines Subject from Defines Subject from Surroundings Surroundings

Fill Fill

ShadowsShadows

Task(s)

1.1. Set up 3 point lighting for an internal sceneSet up 3 point lighting for an internal scene

2.2. Light a scene externallyLight a scene externally

3.3. Light a scene at nightLight a scene at night