Skip to main content

Three Point Lighting Setup

 What is a Three Point Lighting Setup?

The three point lighting setup is a traditional setup used to light a subject. The lights are placed in three distinct positions which all have different purposes. Three different lights are used in this setup, you have your key light which is your primary light, this usually is in front of the subject; you also have a fill light, this light is used to reduce contrasts, the last light used is the backlight, this light is used to separate the subject from the background. Using the three point setup allows us to create a three-dimensional look by the strategical placement of lights (Lannom). The intensity of each light needs to be taken into consideration as well as the placement as this will affect the overall outcome of your shots. To create a cinematic look the intensity of the key light should be double the fill light, this will create some contrast however, it will not be too strong of a contrast. if all lights are as intense as each other you will end up with a shot that looks flat therefore, it is always a good idea to play around with your lights so that you can find the most suitable lighting for the desired shot. in order to change the intensity of the lighting in some case you can manually change it on the light if not you could cover the light to diffuse it or you could move the light further away from the subject (Masterclass). 


Key Light

Your key light should be your primary lighting source for the scene this light will be placed in front of the subject, usually at 45 degree angle, this is can be changed of course, it is based on each camera operators discretion really. It is best to setup your key light first as this will help you determine where the backlight and the fill light should be placed in consideration of the placement of the key light (Lannom).

Fill Light

Your fill light is used to fill in any unlit spots in the scene this reduces contrasts. This light is usually also placed in front of your subject on the opposite side of your key light. This light should be around half as bright as you key light in order to create some depth to your shot giving it a more cinematic look (Masterclass). The intensity of the light depends of the look you want to achieve, for a very dramatic look it shouldn't be very intense as this will create more contrasts and shadows which link to drama and tension. When shooting commercials or interviews using a brighter light will create less shadows on the face. The angle of this light matters less however, for a clean look using a similar angle as what you have used for your key light will help (Lannom). 

Backlight

The last light is your backlight (also known as a rim or hair light), this light offsets the flattening of dimensions caused by the key and fill light. The key and fill light can make the background merge with the foreground making the shot look flat, by placing a backlight behind you subject you are able to create some separation between foreground and background. This light should be placed on the same side as your key light but behind the subject rather than in front. Angle the light so that is faces the direction of your fill light. This light should be a lot less intense than both your key and fill light as you don't want it to overpower the shot (Guinchard). 

References 

Lannom, S., 2020. 3-Point Video Lighting: Key, Fill, & Backlight Setup Guide (Online)
Available at : https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/three-point-lighting-setup/
Masterclass, 2020. What is Three-Point Lighting? (Online)
Available at : https://www.masterclass.com/articles/what-is-three-point-lighting-learn-about-the-lighting-technique-and-tips-for-the-best-three-point-lighting-setups
Guinchard, A., 2020. 3 Point Lighting Setup : How to Shoot an Interview (Online)
Available at : https://www.freelancevideocollective.com/3-point-lighting-setup/

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Scheduling

 Gannt Chart  I have created a Gannt chart in order to plan out my the production/planning/editing/evaluating of the production. I have made sure to space everything out and give myself realistic timescales to finish each and every task. The tasks have been split into different sections in order to keep it organised and to show a better visual representation of which tasks should be started first. The first section is planning, I have put this first as you must plan a video before you can produce it, the planning section contains all the tasks which I believe relate to planning for example, analysing music videos, researching music videos theories, analysing the song I want to produce and create all relevant documents such as storyboards. The next section is productions, the sections contains all actions I must take in relation to shooting the video for example, finding equipment, actors and props needed, shooting the video, watching footage back and shooting more footage if n...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lighting Setups and Techniques

High Key Lighting  This is where there is a strong key light in the scene and the fill light is very intense causing softer shadows and less contrast. High Key lighting is used to create a very well lit scene usually with multiple light sources. This form of lighting is created when there are soft shadows and very little contrast therefore, the use of soft boxes and diffusers can help create a well lit scene which doesn't contain too many shadows. If the light source you used is very small this will create more contrast and shadows therefore, it is best to use large lights which will cover you entire scene. As well as being able to physically alter your lighting you can also change your brightness and contrast levels in post-production in order to make the shot exactly how you want it. High key lighting is used most commonly in commercials and interviews where you don't need shadows and contrast for dramatic effect (Adobe). It can also be used other situations for example in fi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Andrew Goodwin - Dancing in the Distraction Factory

 Introduction Andrew Goodwin's music video theory states that every music video consists of 8 key principals. all of which I will analyse individually using example music videos to evidence the truth in the theory. I have analysed Goodwin's book "Dancing In The Distraction Factory" in order to inform my own music video production process.  Links Between the Music and the Visuals In Goodwin's book "Dancing in the Distraction Factory" he theorises that there is a distinct link between the music and the visuals of a song. This is mainly in regards to the beat; if a song is very upbeat like "Locked Out Of Heaven" (Mars, B., 2012) the visuals will represent the upbeat nature of the song, this can be done by providing visuals of people dancing to indicate to the audience that it is an upbeat party anthem. The beat can similarly affect the editing style, when as song has a slow tempo such as "Take Me To Church" (Hozier, 2014) the cuts in the...
Post a Comment
Read more