Lighting Report

LIGHTING

HIGH KEY LIGHTING


High key lighting is mainly used in beauty advertisements as it creates fewer shadows which makes the person look flawless. This is because it creates an even amount of light across the entire face. The technique usually involves having a soft key light above the camera, but not too close to the subject. This means that there are fewer shadows so the skin looks smoother. The light is positioned further away so there is a smoother transition between highlights and shadows in the shot. A high key lighting set up is also ideal when there are two subjects because it ensures that both the subjects are evenly lit and, therefore, there are fewer shadows cast. 








LOW KEY LIGHTING

This type of lighting is much more dramatic and therefore there are a lot more contrasts to create an entirely different mood to the shot. The lighting is generally a lot harsher and positioned closer to the subject. Due to this, the light is dimmer and generally, the outcome makes the background look black because of how close the light is to the subject. Low key lighting is best for creating the right mood for a dramatic scene. 









THREE POINT LIGHTING TECHNIQUE 

The key light is the main light which will have the most influence on how the scene looks. This is because it is the strongest. The key light is generally placed to one side of the camera or subject so that it is well lit on one side but there is also some shadow on the other side. 

The secondary light which is placed on the opposite side of the key light is called the fill light. This is in place to fill the shadows that the key light has created. This needs to be more of a flood light than the key light in order to fill this. 

The backlight is placed behind the subject so it lights it from behind. This light isn't to provide key lighting but is in place to help provide definition and subtle highlights around the outline of the subject. This helps to separate the subject in the shot from the background, making them look more 3D. 






CHIAROSCURO LIGHTING

Chiaroscuro is the use of contrast in light and shading across an image. This creates a 3D quality in an image that is 2D. This is developed by Leonardo Davinci along with others and is signature of the Renaissance art movement. Today it is known for its role within the genre of film noir through low key photography. By adding depth to a shot, whether that be through placing objects in the foreground and background, using a shallow depth of field or either employing the parallax effect, you can achieve this technique. Chiaroscuro is referred to as painting with light as it creates a story.