Common Lighting Terminology

8/3/2019 Common Lighting Terminology

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Common Lighting Terminology

Ambient Light The light already present in a scene, before any additional lighting is added.

More info:Ambient Light

Incident Light Light seen directly from a light source (lamp, sun, etc).

Reflected

Light

Light seen after having bounced off a surface.

Colour

Temperature

A standard of measuring the characteristics of light, measured in kelvins.

More Info:Colour Temperature Chart

Contrast Ratio The difference in brightness between the brightest white and the darkest black

within an image.

More Info:Contrast Ratio

Key Light The main light on the subject, providing most of the illumination and contrast.

More Info:3 Point Lighting

Fill Light A light placed to the side of the subject to fill out shadows and balance the keylight.


Back Light A light placed at the rear of a subject to light from behind.


Hard Light Light directly from a source such as the sun, traveling undisturbed onto the

subject being lit.

Soft Light Light which appears to "wrap around" the subject to some degree. Produces

less shadows or softer shadows.

Spot A controlled, narrowly-focused beam of light.

Flood A broad beam of light, less directional and intense than a spot.

Tungsten Light from an ordinary light bulb containing a thin coiled tungsten wire that

becomes incandescent (emits light) when an electric current is passed along it.

Tungsten colour temperature is around 2800K to 3400K. Also known as

incandescent light.

Halogen Type of lamp in which a tungsten filament is sealed in a clear capsule filled

with a halogen gas.

Fresnel A light which has a lens with raised circular ridges on its outer surface. The

fresnel lens is used to focus the light beam.

Incandescent Incandescent lamps produce heat by heating a wire filament until it glows. Theglow is caused by the filament's resistance to the current and is called

incandescence.

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Ambient Light

Ambient lightmeans the light that is already present in a scene, before any additionallighting is added. It usually refers to natural light, either outdoors or coming through

windows etc. It can also mean artificial lights such as normal room lights.

Ambient light can be the photographer's friend and/or enemy. Clearly ambient light is

important in photography and video work, as most shots rely largely or wholly onambient lighting.

Unfortunately ambient light can be a real nuisance if it conflicts with what the

photographer wants to achieve. For example, ambient light may be the wrong color

temperature, intensity or direction for the desired effect. In this case the photographermay choose to block out the ambient light completely and replace it with artificial light.

Of course this isn't always practical and sometime compromises must be made.

On the other hand, many of history's greatest photographs and film shots have relied on

interesting ambient light. Unusual lighting can turn an otherwise ordinary shot intosomething very powerful.

Colour Temperature Chart

Colour temperature is a standard method of describing colours for use in a range of

situations and with different equipment. Colour temperatures are normally expressed in

units called kelvins (K). Note that the term degrees kelvin is often used but is nottechnically correct (see below).

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Technically speaking...

Colour temperature means the temperature of an ideal black body radiator at which thecolour of the light source and the black body are identical. (A black body is a theoretical

radiator and absorber of energy at all electromagnetic wavelengths.)

Colour Temperature in Video

For video operations the relevant temperatures range from around 2,000K to 8,000K these are common lighting conditions. In practical terms this usually means selecting

lights, gels and filters which are most appropriate to the prevailing light or to create a

particular colour effect. For example, a camera operator will select a "5600K filter" to useoutside in the middle of a sunny day.

Terminology

When referring to the unit kelvin, it is not capitalised unless it is the first word of

a sentence. The plural is kelvins (e.g. "The light source is approximately 3200kelvins").

The symbol is a capital K (e.g. "The light source is approximately 3200K").

When referring to the Kelvinscale, it is capitalised (e.g. "The Kelvin scale is

named after William Thomson (1824 1907), also known as Lord Kelvin".

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Degrees kelvin

According to the The International System of Units (SI) , colour temperatures are

stated in kelvins, not in degrees Kelvin. The "degrees" part of the name was madeobsolete in 1967. However, the "degrees" reference has remained in common use in

media industries.

Contrast Ratio is a measurement of the difference in brightness between the whitestwhite and the darkest black within an image. A ratio of 300:1 means the brightest point in

the image is 300 times as bright as the darkest point. A higher contrast ratio therefore

means a larger difference in brightness.

Contrast ratio is of interest in two situations:

1. Cameras: When recording an image (video, film, photography)2. TVs, Monitors, etc. When choosing or setting up a playback device (TV,

computer monitor, etc

The Standard 3-Point Lighting Technique

The Three Point Lighting Technique is a standard method used in visual media such as

video, film, still photography and computer-generated imagery. It is a simple but versatile

system which forms the basis of most lighting. Once you understand three point lightingyou are well on the way to understanding all lighting.

The technique uses three lights called the key light, fill light and back light. Naturally

you will need three lights to utilise the technique fully, but the principles are still

important even if you only use one or two lights. As a rule:

If you only have one light, it becomes the key.

If you have 2 lights, one is the key and the other is either the fill or the backlight.

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Key Light

This is the main light. It is usually the strongest andhas the most influence on the look of the scene. It is

placed to one side of the camera/subject so that thisside is well lit and the other side has some shadow.

Fill Light

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. The fill will usually besofter and less bright than the key. To acheive this, you

could move the light further away or use some spun.You might also want to set the fill light to more of a

flood than the key.

Back Light

The back light is placed behind the subject and lights it

from the rear. Rather than providing direct lighting

(like the key and fill), its purpose is to providedefinition 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.

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Measuring Light

There are many different units for measuring light and it can get very complicated. Hereare a few common measurement terms:

Candela (cd)

Unit of luminous intensity of a light source in a specific direction. Also called candle.

Technically, the radiation intensity in a perpendicular direction of a surface of 1/600000square metre of a black body at the temperature of solidification platinum under a

pressure of 101,325 newtons per square metre.

Footcandle (fc or ftc)

Unit of light intensity, measured in lumens per square foot. The brightness of one candleat a distance of one foot. Approximately 10.7639 lux.

Lumen (lm)Unit of light flow or luminous flux. The output of artificial lights can be measured in

lumens.

Lux (lx)

Unit of illumination equal to one lumen per square metre. The metric equivalent of foot-

candles (one lux equals 0.0929 footcandles). Also called metre-candle

Types of Lighting

These are some common types of light you'll often hear about in film, video and

photography. Note that these definitions are not always rigid and some people mayinterpret them a little differently.

Blonde 1000-2000w, used as a key flood light for large areas.

Redhead 650-1000w, used as a key flood light for large areas.

Pepper Light 100-1000w, small light used as a more focused key or fill light.

HMI A high-quality type of light which uses an arc lamp instead of filamentbulb.

Halogen Work

Lamp

150-500w, used as a key flood light for lighting large areas. This is a

low-budget lighting solution.

Other Lights Domestic light bulbs can be used at a pinch, ideally as a secondary

light such as fill or backlight.Many video cameras have built-in lights or the ability to mount a light

these are useful in emergencies but provide poor quality lighting.

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Chinese

Lanterns

A low-cost light, useful in some situations.

Instruments / Housing

Fresnel A light which has a lens with raised circular ridges on its outer surface

which are used to focus the light beam.

Blonde LightsA blonde light is basically a bigger version of aredhead. Power rating can be 1000 to2000 watts, although the term generally refers to a 2000w open-face unit.

These are powerful lights, useful as key floodlights for lighting large areas.

The example pictured here is an Ianiro 2Kw blonde.

Note: The term "blonde" is often used loosely there is no rigid definition.

Red Head Lights

Red Headis a term used to describe general-purpose lightscommon in visual media work. Power rating is around 650-

1000w, typically 800w.

Red heads can be used as a key flood light for large areas, butare also useful as fill and backlights.

The example pictured here is an Arrilite 800w open-face

focusing tungsten floodlight. The beam is focused using theyellow control at the back this adjusts the reflector ratherthan the lamp, which should give the lamp a longer life

because it is not being moved.

Note: The term "redhead" is often used loosely there is no rigid definition.

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Pepper Lights

Pepper lights are small lights, around 100 - 1000w (200w iscommon). They can be used as key or fill lights in small

areas, or to light a certain feature, create lighting contrast andeffects, etc.

Pepper lights can be also be used to accent a person's eyes.

HMI LightsHMI (Hydrargyrum Medium-Arc Iodide) is a type of lightwhich uses an arc lamp instead of an incandescent bulb to

produce light.

HMI lights are high-quality and correspondingly expensive.

They are popular with film and television productioncompanies but their price puts them out of reach of those

with modest budgets.

HMI lights require a ballast, an electronic (or magnetic) device which provides the

ignition pulse and regulates the arc.

Advantages of HMI lights include:

Efficiency: 2 to 5 times as efficient as incandescents. This means they use less

power and run cooler.

Colour temperature: HMIs run at around 5600K, daylight temperature. This

makes daylight shooting easier, as well as eliminating loss of light from gels(which are necessary with incandescents).

Light Quality: Directors of photography speak highly of the light produced byHMIs.

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Halogen Work Lamp

Halogen work lamps are designed for workplaces and similar situations

where a flexible means of providing strong lighting is required, e.g.

builders, mechanics, etc. Work lamps come in various sizes andconfigurations, from portable units with handles to stand-mounted multi-

head versions. Power rating is generally 150w to 500w.

Halogen work lamps are sold by trade suppliers and DIY stores.

Work lamps can be a cheap option for video lighting. They are useful as

a key flood light for lighting fairly large areas.

You must remember though, that these lamps are not specifically

designed for video or photography. They are not ideal and usually

require a diffusion gel for the best effect. The protective grills may also

interfere with the light (you may be able to remove them).

You might also want to consider waterproof work lamps for extra

safety, especially if you are working outdoors.

Chinese Lanterns

A chinese lantern is a paper ball (or cylinder, cube, etc)

with a light bulb in the middle. They are very cheap to

buy and use a standard household light bulb.

For video and photographic work, chinese lanterns are

obviously limited by the small amount of wattage.

However they do create a nice light that can be usefulfor close-up shots. In a wider setting, multiple lanterns

can be used for effect.

Being made of paper, chinese lanterns are potentially

dangerous. They can catch fire so be careful. Forstorage they can be collapsed to a disk the same diameter as the expanded sphere.

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Fresnel Lenses

Afresnel lens (pronounced fra-NELL) is a special type of lens with raised circular

ridges on its outer surface. The illustration on the left shows a cross-section of a fresnel

lens.

Fresnel lenses are much thinner than conventional lenses, so they are lighter and loseless light through absorption.

Lights with fresnel lenses are often referred to simply asfresnels.

The light from a fresnel can be made to spread out (flood)or concentrate into a tight beam (spot) by adjusting the

distance between the lamp and the lens.

The fresnel lens was invented by Augustin-Jean Fresnel in

1821 for use in lighthouses. Modern uses include overheadprojectors, projection televisions and solar energy systems.

Lighting EquipmentSome common types of equipment used in video and photography lighting.

18% Gray Card A gray-coloured card which reflects 18% of the light which

falls upon it. Used as a reference to calibrate light meters and

set exposure.

Ballast A device used to control the electrical current in a light.

Consoles Hardware and software systems which control lighting.Operated by the lighting technician, consoles coordinate

lighting displays on stages, studios, etc.

Light Meter A tool used to measure light and indicate the ideal exposure

setting. Also known as an exposure meter.

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Reflector Board A specially-designed reflective surface used to act as a

secondary light source. The board is lightweight and flexible,

and is normally folded up for transport in a small carry-case.

Gels Materials which are placed in front of a light source to alter it's

characteristics, e.g. colour temperature or dispersion (seediffusion gels).

Spectrometer A professional-level instrument which measures the spectrum

of light. Technically speaking, a spectrometer analyses the

electromagnetic spectrum and measures the intensity ofradiation as a function of wavelength.

Stands &

Clamps

Systems used to support lights and hold them in the correct

position.

18% Gray Card

An 18 Percent Gray Cardis a simple gray-coloured

card which uniformly reflects 18% of the light

which falls upon it. Gray cards can be used as areference to set the camera exposure or to calibrate a

light meter (light meters are used to determine which

exposure setting is required to produce a medium

gray tone).

Gray cards are usually made from coated cardboard or polystyrene and come with a

protective cover. They are an inexpensive and useful addition to the photographers' kit.

How to Use a Gray Card

To set your exposure with a gray card, first make sure the camera is in manual mode or isable to hold its settings when you half-depress the shutter button.

Position the card immediately in front of the subject, ensuring that the lighting on the

card is exactly the same as the lighting on the subject. If you are using a light meter, take

your reading now. Otherwise, half-depress the camera shutter button to save the exposuresetting until you fully depress the button (and take the picture).

(Note: This process is very similar to performing a white balance).

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Tips

At the start of your roll of film, take one photo of a gray card. This acts as a

colour correction reference for the film processor.

Do not use any old gray piece of cardboard for a gray card. You really need a

professionally-made one. When you first purchase a gray card, run a series of tests to establish exactly how

it performs in both bright outside light and lower artificial light. Use slide filmrather than print, as slide film does not correct exposure errors.

Ballast

A ballastis an electrical device used to control the current in an electrical circuit. Alighting ballast controls the start-up and regulation of fluorescent and high intensity

discharge (HID) lamps.

A ballast is necessary for fluorescent and HID lamps because they have a negative

resistance, which means if they are connected to a constant voltage source they willcontinue to draw more current until something melts down. The ballast controls the

current and keeps everything working correctly.

Ballasts come in many varieties and complexities, from a simple resisters to computer-

controlled units.

Lighting Consoles

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Lighting consoles are systems which control lighting - much as a sound mixercontrols

audio and a vision switcher controls video. Consoles are typically a combination of

hardware and software.

Operated by a lighting technician, consoles are used in a wide range of applications

including stage, studio, film set, etc.

Modern consoles include options for automating certain tasks and effects. Complex

productions rely heavily on such automation.

Light Meters

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A light meter, also known as an exposure meter, is a tool used to measure light levels.

Light meters are commonly used in photography, motion film and video to help

determine the ideal exposure setting.

Many cameras have built-in light meters and this function is often carried out

automatically. However serious professionals still regularly take manual readings.

Reflector Board

Sometimes referred to as a "flecky board", this is aspecially-designed reflective surface which is usually used

to act as a secondary light source. It is particularly useful

as a fill light when working in strong sunlight.

Reflector boards come in white, silver or gold surfaces.Many reflectors have a different type of surface on each

side, giving you two lighting options. Gold surfaces

provide a warmer look than silver or white.

If you don't have a reflector board you can improvise.Almost any suitably-sized object with a reflective surface

will do. Some examples include:

Windscreen sunshades for automobiles

Polystyrene sheets

Tin foil on cardboard (try both sides of the foil for different effects) Whiteboard

How to Fold Up a Reflector Board

Reflector boards are lightweight and flexible, and are normally folded up for transport ina small carry-case. They can be tricky to fold up if you've never done it you may want

to read the instructions below and practice in private before having to do it in front of the

whole crew!

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Hold the board with your left hand

facing forward and your right

facing backward. Move your lefthand forward and down, while

moving your right hand backwards

and up.

Keep moving your hands in a

smooth motion.

The board will end up folded in

a compact circle. You can then

return the board to its case.

Light Stands, Clamps, etc

In the context of lighting equipment, the termLighting Supportrefers to the range of

systems used to support lights and hold them in the correct position. This usually meanslight stands and clamps. Clamps and other accessories are sometimes referred to asgrip

gear.

Like microphone stands, most lighting stands and clamps use a

standard system of fittings.

On simple light stands like the ones pictured, the light slides

down onto the fitting and screws tight.

Clamps like those below can be attached to any appropriate solid

object.

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Lighting Interviews

The normal rules of lighting apply to interviews. This page covers some general tips

specific to interview lighting, whether or not you have your own lights. See ourlightingtutorials for more detailed information about lighting technique.

If You Have Your Own Lights

You need to decide whether or not they are actually

necessary. Although conventional wisdom says you

should control interview lighting yourself if possible, inmany situations the existing light will be fine and more

practical.

Shooting outside

The weather will obviously influence your decision. If thenatural light is sufficient there may be no need to add

artificial light. If you do use your own lights you will need

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to add the appropriate gels to match your lights to the daytime colour temperature. If the

sun is too strong you could find a shady location.

Shooting inside

Find the best location - ideally a room with plenty of space and the ability to controlexisting light. Unless you have a good reason to use existing light sources, try to

eliminate them all (close curtains, turn off lights, etc). Then set up your own lights.

If You Have No Lighting

In many situations you are limited to the available light.

This is where a reflector board (pictured) can be alifesaver. Easy to carry and use, it can create useful

lighting effects and compensate for unfavourable

conditions. If you don't have a reflector board you cansometimes improvise with other reflective objects.

Shooting outside

With luck the natural sunlight will be fine, using the sun

as the key light. If the sun is low, be careful not to make

the guest squint. Strong sunlight creates strong shadowswhich can be balanced with a reflector.

Shooting inside

Try to avoid mixed lighting, e.g. sunlight through a window mixed with artificial light.

Depending on the strength and quality of light sources, you could either turn the artificiallights off or block out the window light.

Overhead lights aren't desirable as they create ugly shadows on the face. If they are all

you have you may be able to balance them with a reflector.

Camera-Mounted Lights

In many situations a light mounted on the camera is all you have.This is common in mobile operations such as news coverage.Although it is a simple, practical solution, it does not produce

particularly good lighting and should only really be used when

better lighting is not possible.

Note: Lights which draw power from the camera battery willreduce the battery's charge time.

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General Tips for Shooting Interviews

The KISS Principle

When you're starting out shooting IVs it's probably best to keep it simple. It's better tohave a boring static shot for 60 seconds than an empty or soft shot. Remember, the

important stuff is what the guest is saying, not how creative your framing is.

Dealing with Newbie Guests

Guests who have never been interviewed before can be a challenge, especially if they are

very nervous. It's important to reassure them and make them feel comfortable. Here are a

few things you might find yourself saying to the nervous newbie:

"Just treat it as a normal conversation. There's no reason for you to worry about anything

else that's happening. The best thing you can do to look good for the cameras is to ignore

them."

"Don't worry if you make a mistake or muddle up your words - just carry on. It actually

happens all the time in interviews, but because it's something the audience is used to

seeing in everyday conversations they won't even notice."

"You look fine!"

Note: If the interview is to be edited, you can point out that any serious mistakes can becut out.

Pace Yourself (and Everyone Else)

Fatigue is the enemy. Interviewers and guests who are tired do not perform well, so be

careful not to exhaust them. When preparing the set, use stand-ins to take their placewhile you set up the shots. Do not ask for multiple takes unless necessary (you will often

find the first take is the best anyway).

Clothing

Beware of clothing which is un-camera-friendly. This includes shirts and jackets withfine patterns which produce the moire effect. Dark glasses or caps which obscure/shade

the eyes are not good.

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Be Prepared

Think about everything that could happen during the interview. Especially if you're

shooting off-the-shoulder and there's a chance that your subjects could move around, youneed to know how you're going to move. Try to ensure that unwanted bystanders aren't

going to interrupt the IV.

Summary

Interview technique is a required skill for any serious camera operator.

Know what the goal of the interview is and stay focused on that goal.

Know the editing requirements. Double-check everything, then do it again.

Be prepared for anything.

Lighting Safety Tips

Keep bystanders away from lights they are notorious for knocking them over.

Always be extremely careful with the heat created by lights. The barn doors can burn

your fingers. Wait until lights cool down before touching or moving them.

Don't handle bulbs with your fingers use a piece of cloth or something else.

Only use material for gels which is specifically designed for lighting. Don't use paper,

tracing paper, baking paper, plastic, etc. Never attach anything to a light which isn't

designed for the application.

Make sure stands are stable and loose cables are taped to the ground.

Lights are power-hungry don't overload sockets. Never plug more than 2Kw of

lighting into a domestic power point.

Make sure all lights have adequate ventilation and never cover them.

Tips for Lighting People

Harsh light is not flattering; soft light creates a warmer feel.

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Avoid strong nose shadows or any strong contrast on the face. Place the key light on the

same side as the camera and fill the shadows.

Avoid reflections from glasses. You may need to adjust the position of the subject and/orlights to do this.

Beware bald heads they can reflect a lot of light and appear over-exposed. Try

weakening or softening the light with a diffusion gel.

Soft light and diffusion helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

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Documents

Common Lighting Terminology