Three Point Lighting
Let’s talk a little about lighting today. The first design that people learn when lighting is the three point style. They call it that because you use three lights. It is easy to set up and can produce some great images if you do it right.
First light is the Key Light. It goes 30-45 degrees up and to the left or right of the subject. It is the most important light in the design. You usually set it up first and then add the others to enhance the effect. The light can be either a hard light to produce defined shadows or a soft light to wrap the light around. Each produces a different feel for the shot. In some cases you can just use this one light and get a pretty good effect, but most prefer to add more lights.
Next light is the Fill Light. It is place on the opposite side of the subject, usually at eye level or just a little above. This lessens the shadows created by the Key Light. The ratio between the Key and Fill Light create the mood of the scene. A low ratio, where the fill is almost as bright as the key, is usually for lighter scenes in comedies or sitcoms. A high ratio adds drama to the scene. The overall value of the scene is usually referred to as high or low key. A high key scene will have a brighter overall picture than a low key scene where shadows play a larger roll. Usually the low ratio and high key go together and high ratio and low key also go together.
Last light in the three point scheme is the back light. It goes behind the subject, usually on the opposite side of the key. Its job is to add a rim of light around the subject to provide a little separation between the subject and the background. I like my back lights a little higher than most. I also like to add a little bit of color to my backs. Usually a little straw or blue to add effect.
Once you have mastered these three lights you can experiment with removing some of them or adding others. Most scenes require some lights on the background. This can be as simple as a single light or as complex as a whole truck load. Some people use a back light from a lower level called a kick(er). It adds a rim around the whole side of a persons body on the opposite side of the key. It can be used in conjunction with the back light or as an alternative. For some shots there will be other things that you want to highlight. These a very small lights that just add a little punch to either the persons eyes, a body part, or some other item in the frame.