Overview:

The three point lighting setup is a standard lighting setup used in all forms of visual media such as tv, film, photography and computer animation.  This setup is simple yet the underlying setup in mostly all lighting situations. Once the concept and technique of the three point setup is understood you are well on your way to understanding all lighting.

This setup consists of three lights; the Key light, Fill light, and Back light. As the name implies, all three lights are necessary for the full effect of the setup; however, with a strong understanding of this technique you may utilize it with two light or even one light for the more advanced.

The technique

Ok Let’s get started. First thing you need to be familiar with are the lights themselves. First up, the Key light! The Key light is the main light in this setup. Placed off to the side of the camera it is the strongest light utilized. It provides the main source of light for the subject matter being captured, creating a well defined contrast with the shadows produced on the side of the object facing away from the light.

Next is the Fill light. The Fill light is used primarily the same way in which the Key light is with a few differences. The Fill light provides subtle lighting to the side of the target object that is concealed by the shadow of the Key light and is often not as bright or a softer light than the Key light itself. The Fill light lightens up the shadows allowing for a more visible and balanced appearance.

Third is the Back light. The back light is primarily used to provide definition and subtle highlights around the target object. The Back light is placed behind and to the side of the object being lit helping the object stand out from the background and create a more three dimensional feel.

Other applications

Some other uses for this setup include blue/green screen filming often associated with visual effects. If a forth light is available it comes in handy when filming against a blue/green screen. Place the light behind your target subject and pointed toward your blue/green screen to help get rid of any shadows that may be cast on it. This light will need to very similar to the Fill, in that it’s a softer light that provides an even lighting to the screen. You may wish to use more than one light to light your screen to give it more unified light. This same technique can be used to light the background of any scene. You just have to experiment with different lights, number of lights, and also light colors. We’ll talk more about coloring your lights in another article.

Until next time, happy shooting.

James Pero