STG Studios

Using 3 Point Lighting Setup in Studio and Stage Lighting

When setting up the studio for news video or photograph shooting it is important to prepare the lighting to be as close to natural light as possible in order to produce the best results. To do this we need a mixture of tungsten and compact fluorescent. The color temperature use in the studio lighting has to produce a balance in color temperature of 3200 K to 5400K from the white light to daylight.

Compact fluorescent that can produce good natural source as it is preferred in studio setup. The fluorescent light produce less heat (about 100W) can place nearer to the subject to get the balance of daylight without worry that it will "melt the actors" if using 800W source.

The key to setup the studio is to use 3 point lighting that commonly known as key light, fill light and back light.

The key light is the most important as it will highlight the subject and used to contour the face and add depth and interest to the subject. It is normally brighter and can place nearer to the subject if use compact fluorescent fitting. The position is about 45 degree angle away from a line running between your subject and the camera.

The second position is the fill light also shines on the subject from the front but at the other side angle relative to the key light. Normally it is softer compare to the key light and place further away to get the overall balances by illuminating the shaded surfaces like the shadow of the person face and nose.
The third point is the back light that shines the subject from behind at the side with the purpose to create the rim of light at the hair or shoulder serving to separate the subject from the background and highlighting the contours. This creates a fringe of light around the edges of hair and clothing, which is a good effect in professional type of photography.

With the correct type of lighting and using 3 point lighting position the photo or the video will look more natural in color and balance of light and your customer will be pleased with the result.

For a start you can get the portable lighting kit that called redhead kit which is supplied complete with three Redheads, three 800W bulbs, three wire guards, three lighting stands and a padded case with shoulder strap.

Apart from using 3 point lighting in the studio we also use this setup for the stage lighting for the purpose of video recording of the event. Many operators forget that apart from the audience coming to watch the performance on the stage they will have video shooting to appear in the TV or recording.  A proper setup of the stage lighting will enable the subject to appear to have the depth separating from the backdrop.

About the Author

Artistic Controls is a specialized Light and Sound company in Malaysia providing solution for Stage Lighting, Sound System, Public Address System, Dimming System, and Audio Visual System for venue like Ballroom, Auditorium, Meeting Room, Churches and Houses of Worship, schools, universities.

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