CHAPTER 23 Why We Light

Okay, we get it: less lighting, no frontlight, maybe back cross light. How else can you deal with a scene? Well, you can try turning off all the lights in the room— movie lights and work lights—and then turn on one light and see what it does. Move it around until you like the look. It will suggest something to you. It may suggest that you need a lot more light. Or it may say, “Hey, this single source looks interesting. How can I get it to show what needs to be seen?” It's rare to be able to get away with only one lamp, but add your lights one by one—don't set up a bunch all at once—so you can see the effect of each light. You will probably need fewer lights than you first thought.

Another approach, particularly on location, ...

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