Video:Videography and Photography Lighting - Direction

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Transcript:Videography and Photography Lighting - Direction

Hi, I'm Leann Bello with About.com Gadgets.

Videography and Photography Lighting Direction

One of the most important factors in determining the mood of your photos or videos is the direction from which the light comes.
You can light a subject from any direction, from above, from the side, from behind and from below.
Usually light comes from a combination of sources in varying intensity. For clarity, this video will demonstrate the effects of the different lighting directions individually.

Videography and Photography Lighting Set Ups:

1. Frontal light. Frontal light is often considered Beauty light. It is the scheme that is most commonly used in magazine covers, for example.
In portraiture, frontal light emphasizes central features of your face, eyes nose and mouth, and can make the subjects face appear thinner.
A good way to create beauty light on a subject is to have a light directly from the direction of the cameras lens.

2. Side light. Side light is the most versatile direction and can be used to create a variety of looks.
In side light, the height of the light is also very important. While a light above the subjects eye level will accentuate shadows in the eye sockets and under the nose and chin, a light below the subjects chin level will light up its eyes and accentuate the volume of features such as nose and jaw.

3. Lighting from above. Light from above is very common in life. The sun lights us from above, as do interior fluorescents and ceiling lighting fixtures. This type of light can create shadows in the eye sockets if the source is too close to the subjects face. An overhead light, placed relatively far from the subject will give a good amount of light to its eyes and help define features in the way we are used to seeing them in everyday situations.

4. Light from below is a stylized choice. Often used in horror and suspense films for it eerie effect.
You can achieve this setup by placing your source under the level of your subjects shoulders. For better results with this setup, place your light close to the subject, as its dramatic tone usually calls for strong shadows.

5. Backlight. A Light source coming from directly behind a subject results in silhouette. Light coming from behind and above is a good complement in portrait photography. In order to get your subject silhouetted make sure your exposure is set for the light, not the subject.

Choose Your Videography and Photography Lighting Direction

Creating a well-lit image requires that you make several choices according to what you want to achieve.
When you light a portrait or a scene you must decide ahead of time the effect you want it to have on a viewer. By knowing the effect of each light direction you can choose the combination that best suits your goal.

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