Three Point Lighting Setup

Today in class we had the opportunity to control a photo shoot and operate the camera and lighting. We cover a three-point lighting setup. There's three different lighting: key, fill, and back lighting. I took the photos of Jalen Gasque and below are examples of the different lighting.

A wide shot (also called a long shot) is a camera framing that shows the subject within their full environment, giving context, scale, and spatial relationships. Here’s how to talk about it clearly and effectively great for a class critique or presentation.

A close shot (often called a close-up) focuses tightly on the subject, highlighting detail, emotion, and texture. 

The key light is the main source of illumination in a photo or video setup. It defines the subject’s shape, form, and overall look, and it has the strongest influence on the mood of the image. The key light is the main light source in my setup. I placed it at a 45-degree angle and slightly above the subject to create natural shadows and define facial features. It establishes the overall mood and is the most influential light in the shot.

The fill light is the secondary light in a three-point lighting setup. Its main purpose is to soften or reduce the shadows created by the key light without overpowering it. Think of it as the light that brings balance and prevents the image from looking too harsh or dramatic (unless that’s what you want). 

The fill light softens the shadows created by my key light. I placed it on the opposite side of the subject at a lower intensity to reduce contrast without overpowering the key. This helps create a balanced and natural-looking image.

My three-point lighting setup includes a key light, a fill light, and a back light. The key light is my main source, placed at a 45-degree angle to create shape and shadows. The fill light sits on the opposite side and softens those shadows to control contrast. The back light is positioned behind the subject to create a rim of light that separates them from the background and adds depth. Together, these lights create a balanced and visually dynamic image.

Our last photo was a wide shot with all three lights on. The key light created the main illumination on the subject, the fill light softened the shadows to keep the scene balanced, and the back light added separation from the background. Because it was a wide shot, the lights had to cover more space and stay out of the frame, which gave us a clean, evenly lit image of the whole scene.