Three-point lighting is the conventional way to light film, television and photography. Basic understanding can deduce that there is the use of three separate light sources, from three separate angles – the key light, the fill light and the backlight. In the early history of Hollywood films, three-point lighting was the traditional way of lighting – this is not to say that productions today wholly disregard the technique, simply the standard of lighting has advanced and built on the fundamentals laid down throughout the techniques general inception.
Each light plays a separate role. Firstly there is the Key light. The key light is usually placed 45 degrees above the subject at a slight angle, which affects the subject’s sharpness and focus. This is the primary light source – it’s strength, colour and angle, while determining the direction of shadows, underlines the general ‘feel’ and design. A softer light is more likely to hide a persons skin imperfections, although at expense of things like the atmosphere and mood. If outdoors, the Key light is most commonly (and simply) the sun.
The fill light supports the subject, at an angle that removes the harsh shadows the key light makes – by balancing the light; the fill ultimately eliminates areas of shadow. This makes the subject look natural – imperfections [upon the subject], and harsh angles maintained by the subjects facial features now look less obvious. In some cases, a reflector can play the role of a fill light by simply reflecting light from the key, the sun or from the fill light itself – although this depends upon the level, softness and angle one desires.
The Backlight typically shines on the back of the subject. It can be placed on an angle (depending on the desired ‘feel’ or situation) that places an edge around the subject, separating them from the background.
One can go so far as to add another lighting position. This is obviously called Four-point lighting. The addition of this fourth light is to highlight and draw attention to the background – either eliminating shadows that create distraction or unbalance, to add a sense of depth or three-dimensionality or to simply create more of an atmosphere.
These are the basic roles of each light across the three-point lighting technique. Yet, as anyone would say – such basic principles are in no way fixed. When it comes to lighting, the way in which you choose to do it is fine – ideally, there are hundreds of ways to light a hundred separate things, and each one may create a varied ‘feel’ or design that differs from the last.
Generally, we should place more importance on the three-point lighting technique as a rule or principle rather than a benchmark in proper lighting. When lighting a subject, such as a single person, three-point lighting is more than sufficient. But considering a film or television set – the level in lighting advances, it ascends a few more steps. If there are multiple subjects than there should be multiple Key lights, multiple fill lights and multiple backlights. And yet, larger sets, bigger budgets, different conditions does not denote additional light sources – the three-point lighting technique is likely to resurface as a fundamental guideline, the tendency is that in these situations, the lights start to become increasingly bigger.
