Lighting- Notes

04/10/17

The Key light is a hard light usually set 35 degrees above horizontal from the subject. This emulates the Sun as the main source of light and, due to its harshness, creates shadows.

The Fill light is placed at eye level on the opposite side from the key light. This light is diffused by using diffusing paper as it softens the subject by filling in the shadows created by the key light.

The Back light adds a sense of depth by bringing the subject out from the background. It is placed between 50 and 80 degrees above horizontal.

The “Red Head” – 800W. Has the following elements. Other lights are often used including blondes (2KW).

1. Barn Doors – Metal doors on the side of the light used to block out / direct light.

2.Scrim / safety glass – Used to protect against bulbs blowing

3.Spot / Flood wheel – Used to direct the beam of light.

4.On / Off switch – always check no-one is looking at the light before turning it on. Always give an audible warning before switching on!

5.Fresnel (pron. freynell) – Lightweight and heatproof lens used to focus a steady light beam.

Human and Electronic Eyes Remember that video cameras “see” things differently to the human eye and your set will look different on camera.

Mixed Lighting Conditions Light is measured in degrees kelvin (°k). Daylight is 5,600 °k and is blue in colour. Artificial / Tungsten is 3,200 °k and is orange / red in colour. Modern video cameras are generally very good at shooting in mixed colour temperatures. An automatic white balance will suffice in most situations.

Health and safety:

1.Lights become hot – wear lighting gloves at all times.

2. Wait for lights to cool down before packing them away.

3. Never move a lamp whilst it is on or still hot.

4. Never operate a lamp without a safety glass / scrim in place.

5. Make sure the legs on the stand are spread sensibly. Keep parallel to the ground.

6.Gaffer tape leads and cables correctly.

7. Don’t overload your power supply – 2400w is the most standard power points can handle. 8. Always use a circuit breaker (supplied)

The inverse-square law, in physics, is any physical law stating that a specified physical quantity or intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source of that physical quantity.

Definition of law of reflection. : a statement in optics: when light falls upon a plane surface it is so reflected that the angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence and that the incident ray, reflected ray, and normal ray all lie in the plane of incidence.