Lighting

Basic Types of Light

Hard LightSoft Light

Types of Light

Hard Light

•highly directional

Types of Light

Hard Light

•highly directional •creates a relatively sharp, straight shadow – very dramatic

Types of Light

Hard Light

•highly directional •creates a relatively sharp, straight shadow – very dramatic

Types of Light

Hard light is created when the light source is small relative to the subject.

Types of Light

Hard Light

•Fresnel on SPOT•Spotlight•Bare bulb

Types of Light

Soft Light

•fills shadows and lowering contrast.

Types of Light

Soft Light

•fills shadows and lowering contrast.

•wrap around the contours of a subject

Types of Light

Soft Light

•fills shadows and lowering contrast.

•wrap around the contours of a subject

Soft Light

Often create with a soft light such as a SCOOP or a FLOODED FRESNEL

Types of Light

Soft light is created when the light source is large relative to the subject.

Types of Light

Hard light Needs to be small like a bare light bulb

vs Soft LightSome diffusion or softening material.

Light Fixtures

FIXTURES Lamps / Lights

There are several types of light fixtures to be familiar with:

• Fresnel• Ellipsoidal Spot• Scoop

Fresnel

Fresnel lens can be adjusted to either spread out (flood), or concentrate (spot or pin) the light's beam.

• Flood = Soft light• Spot = Hard light

Ellipsodal

The ellipsoidal spot produces a hard, focused beam of light.

Scoop

Scoops produce a softer light than Fresnels. Usually used as FILL light

Things in front of Lights

Barn doors, flags, scrims, diffusion, gels

Barn Doors

Adjustable black metal flaps called barn doors can be attached

They mask off unwanted light and to keep it from spilling into areas where it's not needed.

Flags

Flags consist of any type of opaque material that can block and sharply define the edges of the light source.

Gels

Gels change the colour of the light

How to make light SOFT

Reflectors and Diffusion

Fill Cards and Reflectors

to soften light indoors you can:

1. Move a light closer to the subject

Fill Cards and Reflectors

to soften light indoors you can:

1. Move a light closer to the subject

2. Use reflectors and diffusers

Fill Cards and Reflectors

Reflectors or Fill Cards can be simply made from highly reflective sheets of white cardboard, metal or tin foil

Fill Cards and Reflectors

By placing a reflector on one side, you bounce light back onto the subject

This softens the harsh shadows

Fill Cards and Reflectors

Umbrella

The open side of the umbrella faces the subject and the light shines into it.

Diffusion

Diffusion softens the light source by making it less focused and larger.

Diffusion

The hard light from the lamp hits the diffuser and some light passes through making the diffuser the light source.

Diffusion

Place a diffuser between the light and the subject.

Non-flammable Screens and sheets can be put in front of the light as well as a softbox.

Shoot

One well composed example of HARD LIGHT SOFT LIGHT