3-Point Lighting - Notes

• The Three Point Lighting Technique is a standard method used in visual media such as films, still photography and computer-generated imagery.
• It is a simple but versatile system which forms the basis of most lighting.

• The technique uses three lights called the key light, fill light and back light.
• You need these lights to utilise the technique fully, but the principles are still important if only using one or two lights.
• As a rule:
  • If you only have one light, it becomes the key.
  • If you have 2 lights, one becomes the key and the other is either the fill or the backlight.

• This is the main light.
• It is usually the strongest and has the most influence on the look of the scene.
• It is placed to one side of the camera/subject so that this side is well lit and the other side has some shadow.

• This is the secondary light and is placed on the opposite side of the key light.
• It is used to fill the shadows created by the key light.
• The fill will usually be softer and less bright than the key.
• To achieve this you could move the light further away.
• You might also want to set the fill light to more of a flood than the key.

• Placed behind the subject and lights it from the rear.
• Rather than providing direct lighting (like the key and fill), its purpose is to provide definition and subtle highlights around the subject's outlines.
• This helps separate the subject from the background and provide a three-dimensional look.

If you have a fourth light, you could use it to light the background of the entire scene.