lighting: kinds of lights

3 POINT LIGHTING

Key Light - main light on a subject (not always the brightest)

Fill Light - softens the hard edges of the key and balances the light.

Back Light- light behind a subject creating separationfrom the background.

Kicker - is a light behind a subject but enough to the side so it skims along the face.

Rim - is the same, sometimes used interchangeably, but most of the time refers to an object rather than a subject.

Eyelight - is the little gleam of light in the eye that makesa subject look alive; a specialized type of fill.

Hard light - Light that creates strong contrast and heavy shadows, usually from a direct source.

Soft light - Where there are no hard shadows or bright areas of contrast. Early morning or late afternoon light is often soft.

Fill Ratio

If the key light is twice as bright as the fill, the ratio will be 2:1, which is the standard for most TV applications. At the same time, some lighting directors, especially in TV news, prefer to make the key and fill the same intensity, resulting in a flat, high-key effect.

Key : Fill

2:1

Lighting RatiosWith differences (in f-stops) requiredbetween key and fill light intensities

1:1 - no difference (flat lighting) 2:1 - One f-stop (for general color photography,

videography)

3:1 - One and two-thirds f-stops (for general black and white photography)

4:1 - Two f-stops (for low-key dramatic effect) 8:1 - Three f-stops (film noir)

3 kinds of studio lights:

QUARTZ

HMI

FLUORESCENT

Also called tungsten. (3200K)This kind of light uses a tungsten filament in a quartz container.

This light is explosive when touched with bare hands.

Hydro Mercuric Iodide lamps that reproduce daylight (5000K).

Studios don’t use conventional tri-phosphor fluorescents.Studio fluorescents, like KinoFlo, are high frequency,color balanced and take less electricity to run.

All lights are categorized according to their wattage.

The higher the wattage, the more intense the light.

Usually intensity = heat

So, the higher the wattage, the more intense the light, And the hotter the light is. That’s why you use gloves.

QUARTZ

0-500wPepper150w Dedo150w

InkyDinky 150w

QUARTZ

500w-1k

Broad (1k)

Mickey Mole (750w)

Lowel Omni (650w)

The broad and the omniare both open face lights.

Lowel Rifa (1K)The rifa is a soft light.

QUARTZ

500w-1k

This is an Arri 650w.You can find this light in our Arri light kit.

This light is called an INKY.

This light is called a cyc, can be 650 to 1KIt’s similar to a broad light.

QUARTZ

2K-3500Kw

2K ZapThis is a soft light.

MiniBrute

This is a PAR light.PAR stands for parabolicaluminum reflector.

QUARTZ

5K and over

Sky pan 5K

Wendy 5K

Baby 5K senior

QUARTZ

specialty

Sunguns areBattery operated

A chimera lantern is often usedto soften the face or provide aneyelight. They were created asa professional version of the Chinese paper lantern.

Ringlight

Balloon lights are filled with helium so you don’t have to “Fly” a light. You can also get the fill needed for green screen shoots. And get a beautiful moonlit, luminescent quality.

HMI’s

12K fresnel 575w PAR Balloon 5K HMI

HMI’s are super expensive, could be from $10 grand and up.

FLUORESCENTS

4 bankAlso called a Diva

2 bank

Micro flo

These are stand alone lights that can go on a car dashboard to light faces or even underneath a desk, or plant.

BallastAn electrical device for regulating fluorescent and discharge lamps. It makes sure the voltage and current stay constant.

DimmerAllows lights to becontrolled to variousintensities.