LIGHTING

Why is lighting so important?

Lighting works in mysterious ways that we may not consider, it does more than just the obvious which is illuminate the subject. Lighting can create constructs within your production through colours and intensity.

Three Point Lighting

Three-point lighting refers to the use of three different types of lighting all being used at once to illuminate a subject. The three types of lighting used are:

KEY LIGHT - This type of lighting is the primary lighting source, it is also the most intense. The purpose of the light is as the prime light to illuminate the subject.

FILL LIGHT - This type of lighting is the least intense of the three. It is positioned to the right of the key light on the opposite side of the camera. The purpose of the light is to remove any shadows in which the key light might have created.

BACK LIGHT (AKA HAIR LIGHT) - This type of light is an extra light that is positioned behind the subject however higher than the subject, this is why it is commonly referred to as the 'hair light'. The purpose of this light is to separate the background from the foreground, giving the audience a clear sense of dimensions.

Colours

Kelvin Colour

All lighting has what's known as a colour temperature based on its source. The colour temperature goes from warm to cold and is measured in Kelvin (K). Kelvin scales from 1000K - 10,000K with 1000K being the warmest and 10,000K being the coldest.

The Kelvin Scale:

1000 - Candlelight
2000 - Tungsten Light
3000 - Early Sunrise
4000 - Household Light Bulbs
5000 - Electronic Flash
6000 - Noon Daylight Direct Sun
7000 - Overcast Daylight
10000 - Blue Sky

How can I apply this to my work?

I can apply this to my work as I can use the different Kelvin numbers to create different scenarios with lighting without actually having

Colour Gels

Sometimes when filming, we don't have access to particular types of colours - for example, filming outside we may not always have a sunny day. The way we can help to change this is by using colour gels hand in hand with the kelvin colours. When using both of these techniques together, we are able to create a harsh colour for a particular circumstance.