General lighting provides background lighting to the room. This can be electric lighting, usually from ceiling or wall lights, or from natural daylight.Task lighting directs light where it is required for detailed activities such as reading and writing, when using a magnifier and personal care.
Natural Light- Natural light is considered the default lighting. It shows the image exactly as it is, without any bias or indication of meaning. If i was to uses natural light, the only visual impressions on the audience would come from the setting, and the events of the scene.
Lighting Styles- There are a number of different lighting styles that a i can use to add an additional layer of meaning to the image that i will be presenting, with ambient, flood, spot, soft, and reflective being among the most popular.
This is an article i seen about lighting techniques for making a movie but as i am going to have dialogue in mine looking at some of the techniques in this article may help me for my music video
Lighting techniques
Side lighting can also add a dramatic look to your project. With a side lit shot, one side of your subject will be illuminated while the other side may be in total darkness. Obviously there are varying degrees to which you can exaggerate the effects caused by side lighting. You can alter the intensity of the shading by ensuring the dark side has very little lighting and the bright side has a lot of lighting. You can also alter the dramatization of the effect by positioning the light at different angles.
Next are two examples of shadows caused by effective side lighting.
Notice in this example, the light coming in from the window is enough to cast a substantial amount of light on his face, while the rest of the room remains dark.
You can also use side lighting in less extreme ways.
Notice how in this picture the side lighting is much more subtle. In nature, side lighting can be a filmmaker’s dream and at other times side lighting can be a nightmare. It all depends on what the Director of Photography (DOP or DP) is tying to capture.
Note, depending on the intensity of the light coming through, the shadows cast in the frame can be too dark, almost creating objects in and of themselves. Other times the lighting may not be strong enough giving a washed out look to the footage.
In the picture below, notice how side lighting caused an undesirable effect by creating dark shadows behind the model’s back.
Another benefit of side lighting is that it is great for bringing out texture in a shot. In fact there is no better way to bring out texture than by using a good side lighting source. You’ve probably seen movies before where you can see every single texture detail. Maybe it is the vividness of wrinkles in a person’s face, maybe it’s the fuzz on plant leaves. These things can be amplified and you can make texture a primary element by ensuring you are shooting when you have a good natural or artificial side lighting source. Look at the picture below to see how side lighting can really help bring out texture.
How to properly use lighting in your films
In this lesson we will be exploring the subject of lighting and how it will affect your video and film shoots. Lighting is referred to as the filmmaker's paintbrush or the raw material of the filmmaker’s world. Without any type of light, your footage would turn out too dark and ultimately underexposed. With too much light, your pictures would turn out overexposed. As a filmmaker, light is equivalent to the color palette of a painter. You need to understand your cinematic lighting conditions in order to take great shots based on the lighting situation that day.
Lighting, like other elements of composition helps you place emphasis on subjects that are of more interest, while taking away attention from objects that hold lesser importance to the overall shot. Light and shadows can also create mood, draw your attention to a specific area, modify shape, create a 3rd dimension or bring out texture in an object.
Shadows caused by lighting are another key element in filmmaking as they help create the illusion of three dimensions in a shot. Without shadows, your shots would record images without form or curvature and would appear lifeless and dull.
The Color of Daylight
As morning passes through to night, the color of natural light changes. Sometimes our skies are filled with bright white light. Other times there seems to be a predominance of purples or oranges.
The color of daylight has a profound effect on the atmosphere of a picture. Being conscious of the color of light around you will allow you to manipulate the mood set by each of your shots. Changes to the color of light are often more dramatic at the beginning and end of each day. At dusk and dawn, have your video or film camera ready and prepared to capture the experience, as this is when the most rapid changes in the colors of the sky occur.
Lighting techniques
Side lighting can also add a dramatic look to your project. With a side lit shot, one side of your subject will be illuminated while the other side may be in total darkness. Obviously there are varying degrees to which you can exaggerate the effects caused by side lighting. You can alter the intensity of the shading by ensuring the dark side has very little lighting and the bright side has a lot of lighting. You can also alter the dramatization of the effect by positioning the light at different angles.
Next are two examples of shadows caused by effective side lighting.
Next are two examples of shadows caused by effective side lighting.
Notice in this example, the light coming in from the window is enough to cast a substantial amount of light on his face, while the rest of the room remains dark.
You can also use side lighting in less extreme ways.
Notice how in this picture the side lighting is much more subtle. In nature, side lighting can be a filmmaker’s dream and at other times side lighting can be a nightmare. It all depends on what the Director of Photography (DOP or DP) is tying to capture.
Note, depending on the intensity of the light coming through, the shadows cast in the frame can be too dark, almost creating objects in and of themselves. Other times the lighting may not be strong enough giving a washed out look to the footage.
In the picture below, notice how side lighting caused an undesirable effect by creating dark shadows behind the model’s back.
Another benefit of side lighting is that it is great for bringing out texture in a shot. In fact there is no better way to bring out texture than by using a good side lighting source. You’ve probably seen movies before where you can see every single texture detail. Maybe it is the vividness of wrinkles in a person’s face, maybe it’s the fuzz on plant leaves. These things can be amplified and you can make texture a primary element by ensuring you are shooting when you have a good natural or artificial side lighting source. Look at the picture below to see how side lighting can really help bring out texture.
How to properly use lighting in your films
In this lesson we will be exploring the subject of lighting and how it will affect your video and film shoots. Lighting is referred to as the filmmaker's paintbrush or the raw material of the filmmaker’s world. Without any type of light, your footage would turn out too dark and ultimately underexposed. With too much light, your pictures would turn out overexposed. As a filmmaker, light is equivalent to the color palette of a painter. You need to understand your cinematic lighting conditions in order to take great shots based on the lighting situation that day.
Lighting, like other elements of composition helps you place emphasis on subjects that are of more interest, while taking away attention from objects that hold lesser importance to the overall shot. Light and shadows can also create mood, draw your attention to a specific area, modify shape, create a 3rd dimension or bring out texture in an object.
Shadows caused by lighting are another key element in filmmaking as they help create the illusion of three dimensions in a shot. Without shadows, your shots would record images without form or curvature and would appear lifeless and dull.
The Color of Daylight
As morning passes through to night, the color of natural light changes. Sometimes our skies are filled with bright white light. Other times there seems to be a predominance of purples or oranges.
The color of daylight has a profound effect on the atmosphere of a picture. Being conscious of the color of light around you will allow you to manipulate the mood set by each of your shots. Changes to the color of light are often more dramatic at the beginning and end of each day. At dusk and dawn, have your video or film camera ready and prepared to capture the experience, as this is when the most rapid changes in the colors of the sky occur.
