Some info on Lighting

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 key light.More Info: 3 Point Lighting
Back Light	A light placed at the rear of a subject to light from behind.More Info: 3 Point Lighting
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. The glow is caused by the filament's resistance to the current and is called incandescence. 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 lighting you 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. Key Light This is the main light. It is usually the strongest and has the most influence on the look of the scene. It is placed to one side of the camera/subject so that this side 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 be softer 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 provide definition 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. 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 filament bulb. 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. 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.