What is 3-Point Lighting?

There are 3 type of lighting

3-point lighting is the standard form of lighting in video making and photography. The 3-point lighting includes key light, fill light, and backlight which has their own respective function.

Key Light

Key light is the main source of light in video making and photography. The key light is placed at an angle in front of the object to be taken. The light coming from the key light is the dominant light in the setting. The purpose of the key light is to highlight the form and dimension of the subject.

Fill Light

The fill light is a less powerful light that sits at the opposite of the key light. From this different angle, it will fill in the high-contrast shadows that the key light creates on a subject’s face. Fill light helps to reduce the shadow so that the subject looks more natural.

Back Light

Backlight hits an object from behind and is usually placed higher than the object it is lighting. A backlight is often used to separate an object or an actor from dark background and give the subject more shape and depth, thus making the image look 3-dimensional. Backlighting also can produce a dramatic contrast between the subject and the background.