Lighting
The camera doesn't see the way your eyes do: it needs more light and, above all, light with intention. Knowing where the light comes from, how hard it is and what it leaves in shadow is what turns a flat video into an image with depth.
Three questions to ask about any light
- Where does it come from? Frontal light flattens the face; side light gives it shape; light from behind separates it from the background.
- Is it hard or soft? A source that's small relative to the subject (direct sun, a bare bulb) creates sharp-edged shadows. A large one (an overcast sky, a window, a softbox) creates soft, diffused shadows.
- What color is it? You saw this in the lesson on white balance.
A light gets softer when you move it closer to the subject, because it takes up more of their field of view. It's counterintuitive: the same softbox at about 20 inches (half a meter) gives much softer light than at 10 feet (3 m).
Three-point lighting
It's the foundation of lighting for interviews, film and television. It isn't a fixed recipe, but a starting point.
- Key light (the key): the brightest. About 45° from the camera axis and a little above eye level. It sets the exposure and the mood.
- Fill light (the fill): on the other side, weaker, to soften the shadows from the key. It can be another light, a reflector or a white wall.
- Backlight (hair light, rim light): behind the subject, aimed at the back of the head or the shoulders. It draws an edge of light that separates them from the background.
Contrast between key and fill
| Key : fill ratio | Look | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 1:1 | Flat, no shadows | Studio TV, tutorials, bright commercials |
| 2:1 | Gentle shape | Corporate interviews, YouTube |
| 4:1 | Strong shape | Documentary, interviews with character |
| 8:1 or no fill | Dramatic | Fiction, mystery, film noir |
In an interview where the person looks to one side of the camera, put the key light on the side they're looking toward, so the side of the face farther from the camera is lit. This is called short side lighting, and it gives more shape than lighting the near side.
The window: the best free light
A large window without direct sun is a huge softbox. To use it:
- Place the person side-on or at a diagonal to the window, never with their back to it (full backlight) or facing it (flat light).
- Use a white poster board, a sheet or a reflector on the other side as fill.
- If direct sun comes in, diffuse it with a white curtain or tracing paper.
- Turn off the ceiling lights: they mix colors and create shadows in the eyes.
Don't
A person sitting with their back to the window: dark face and a blown-out background.
Do
The window at 45° to the person, the camera on the shadow side and a soft reflector.
Practical lights
A practical light is any lamp that appears in the shot: a desk lamp, string lights, a candle or an LED strip. They add depth, atmosphere and a reason for the light in the scene. They're usually warmer than the subject and a little dimmer.
Gear and cheap alternatives
| Tool | DIY alternative |
|---|---|
| Bi-color LED panel | A desk lamp with a high color quality LED bulb (CRI 95 or higher) |
| Softbox or diffuser | Tracing paper, a thin white sheet or a translucent shower curtain |
| Reflector | White poster board, foam board or crumpled aluminum foil (harder) |
| Flag (to block light) | Black poster board, a dark blanket |
| Colored background light | RGB LED strip or a smart bulb |
Some LED and fluorescent bulbs flicker in a way your eyes can't see, but the camera can: bands roll up through the image. Match your shutter to the local power frequency: in the US (60 Hz), shoot at 30 or 60 fps with a shutter of 1/60 or 1/120; in the UK and Europe (50 Hz), at 25 or 50 fps with 1/50 or 1/100. If it persists, change the bulb. Check it on camera before you start recording.
Lighting the background
A very common mistake is to light the face well and leave the background flat or just as bright. The background should usually be a little darker than the subject, with a point of light or two for depth. Keep the subject away from the background so the light on one doesn't spill onto the other.
- Direction, hardness and color: the three questions.
- Three-point lighting: key at 45°, a weaker fill and a backlight.
- A window to the side plus a reflector is already great light.
- A background slightly darker than the subject, with practical lights.
Your turn: three-point lighting with what you have at home
Light a person using only what you have around the house.
- Key: a window, or a desk lamp with a sheet in front of it.
- Fill: a white poster board or an open book on the opposite side.
- Backlight: a lamp behind them, out of shot. Film with and without each one and compare.