Lighting

Three Point Lighting: 

Key Light:
The first light you should set up is the key light its use is to illuminate the subject and should always be the most intense light. If placed to close to the camera the key light can make the subject look flat when setting up the key light you want it to highlight at least half of the subject. However if the key light is placed too far to the side or back of the subject it can cast too big of a shadow.

Fill Light:
This light is used to highlight where the key light makes shadows and is placed on the opposite side of the key light. However if you don't have an extra light then you can use a reflector which works just as well.

Back Light:
The use of this light is to break the subject from the background giving the subject more shape and depth the light is normally placed towards the back of the subject.

Our Three Point Lights all in affect:

Lighting Technique:

Split Lighting:

This technique involves dividing the subject in half using light so that one half of the subject's face is in light and the other covered in shadow. The effect is simple and can add a very dramatic tone and is also used to convey mystery as it shows very few features. To achieve this lighting place the key to the side of the subject which you wish to illuminate. 

Butterfly Lighting:

Butterfly is reference to the shape that is cast by shadow under the subject's nose to get this effect the light must be directly in front of the subject which often means behind the camera. Therefore sometimes this lighting can make the subject look flat but also defines the jaw and cheek bones which means it is often used for beauty shots.

Loop Lighting:

This technique refers to the shadow cast appearing to loop around the subjects nose.The shadow of the subject’s nose is reflected on their cheek but the nose’s shadow should never touch the cheek’s shadow. This technique is often used as it's considered easy to set up and achieve.

Rembrandt Lighting:

The technique is named after a famous painter who often used this lighting in which a triangle of light is seen on subjects cheek. This lighting is much more dramatic than loop or butterfly lighting as it shadows more of the face, the triangle should be no longer than the nose and no wider than the eyes. It's ideal for rounder faces as it adds more definition and slims the face.

 

Short Lighting:

This is commonly used to make the subjects face appear slimmer to create this effect the side of the subjects face is towards the camera. By doing this technique the subjects face has more depth as the side of the face subjects face is shrouded by shadow.

Broad Lighting:

This technique is the opposite to short lighting because most of the subjects face is in light and only a smaller part is covered in shadow. it is mostly used on people with a slim face to it appear broader.