How to record your video in a creative way with high quality? In addition to needing an idea (of what you want the video to show, or what you want to say in it) one of the key aspects of good videos is lighting.
In the last blog we wrote about two types of lighting that are effective, but also not expensive. In this blog we continue to think about the same topic and offer you another way you can use lighting when shooting video. It is about the so-called three-point lighting – a way of lighting that is often used in professional work with video (and photography).
WHAT IS THREE POINT LIGHTING?
As the name implies, this type of lighting means lighting a specific subject from three points / sides. To achieve this type of lighting you need three light sources. This means that compared to the previous two types of lighting, this one requires a larger financial investment. But depending on how serious you are about increasing the professional look of your video / photography, the investment is worth it.
The three light sources in this type of lighting are:
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Key light: as the name implies, the main light is the main light source in this type of lighting. This light is the primary and most important source of light.
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Fill light: this light is the second most important light source. Used to fill in the shadows on the face that the main light creates. The purpose of this light is not to completely remove the shadows from the face, but to soften them and partially fill them.
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Backlight: this light source helps to separate the subject from the background and give it some depth.
WHY IS IT USED?
The purpose of three-point lighting is to create a three-dimensional look in the video. By placing the three light sources in a specific position around your subject, each light source will illuminate the subject by creating an image with a better view of the height, width and depth of the subject you are shooting / photographing.
HOW TO ACHIEVE?
There are several important rules to follow to achieve the desired effect with this type of lighting.
The key light is placed first, in front of the subject on the left or right side. Its position is usually 45 degrees from the main camera and is set slightly higher than the subject’s height. It is very important to pay attention to how far you place the light source from the subject, so that the subject does not happen to be too dim or too bright – something that is difficult to fix in post-production.
The fill light is in a way an auxiliary light and is a second light that is placed on the scene. It is placed on the side opposite the main light, which means that if the main light illuminates the right side of the face of the person you are shooting, the filling light should be on the left side. The important thing about this light source is that it should not be as bright as the main light. If you do not have a light source, you can use a photo reflector for this purpose.
The backlight is placed on the opposite side of the main and the fill light, i.e. behind the subject. When it comes to shooting a person, the backlight should be directed at the person’s head and shoulders.
CONCLUSION
The three-point lighting setup is a kind of standard in professional lighting, both in video recording and in the world of photography. If you have never shot one you owe it to yourself to give it a try. Working with this lighting setup will help you increase your creativity and will help you gain more confidence and experience.
LinkAcross Video Production has its own studio that has professional lights for video and photography. If you would like to try out a photo shoot using three-point lighting, please contact us for a great studio rental offer.
