Warm Up What is diffused light, falloff, and reflected

light?

Lighting Instruments

TEKS: Understand the industry, including history, current practice, and future trends by defining terminology associated with the industry.[11Aiii]

Categories of Lighting Instruments Spotlights Floodlights Softlights On-camera lights Practicals

Spotlights A spotlight is a small-source lighting

instrument that produces a narrow, hard-edged light pattern.

This means that the light illuminates a relatively small areas, casts distinct, hard-edged shadows, and is easily masked by barn doors or flags.

Small source spotlights are often used as key (main) lights on subjects.

Floodlights A floodlight is a large-source instrument

that is used for lighting wide areas. It is used to fill in shadows created by spotlights and to light backgrounds.

Softlights A softlight is a lamp or small light enclosed

in a large fabric box, which greatly diffuses the light.

Softlights are very large light sources that deliver almost shadowless, directionless illumination.

Softlights are easy to use because they do not throw distinct shadows.

Camera Lights A camera light is a small light mounted on

the camera to provide foreground fill.

Practicals A practical is a lighting instrument that is

included in shots and may be operated by the actors.

Examples would include table laps and wall sconces.

Barn Doors Barn doors are pairs of metal flaps hinged

to the sides and/or top and bottom edges of the lamp.

Their front edges are moved into and out of the light path to control the beam edges.