Three-Point Lighting

Three point lighting is a technique used in visual media such as film or video. This technique uses three lights.

1. Key light: This point to the object or person diagonally and is the main light and the more stronger light of the three, however if only this light was used it would form a shadow on the one side of the face or subject, so to cancel the shadow out a second light is used called the,
2. Fill light: This is placed on the opposite side to the main light ( key light) and its use is to cancel out the shadow that is created by the key light. The fill is a softer light compared with the key. How ever if you only use these to light the subject or person would look as if their in the back ground so to correct this and bring the subject to the front a third light is added this is called the
3. Back light this is placed at the back of the subject. and its purpose is to highlight the subject outline and helps it separate the object from the background. (bringing the subject to the front)

Here's a link to show 3  point lighting

http://www.mediacollege.com/lighting/three-point/simulator.html

So that we could gain further knowledge of what three point lighting is we did a mini work shop to explain. This is shown below. PS excuse my stuttering voice on this video.

In my next post i will talk about film openings