Light Source: Three-Point Lighting Designs
Classic three-point lighting (key, fill and back light) is sometimes dismissed as "yearbook lighting." True, it can look hokey in story videos, but whenever you have a narrator, a spokesperson, an interviewee or anyone who stays in one place and talks, three-point lighting is bullet proof.
Why? The small-source key light models the face, adding dimensionality and character. The large-source fill light moderates shadows and reduces overall contrast. The small back light dusts hair and shoulders with enough light to separate the subject from the background. In addition, the slightly theatrical feeling of this lighting style makes the subject more interesting by literally putting them in the spotlight.
So let's look at strategies for placing and controlling the classic three-point instruments: key, fill and bac…
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