Portrait Lighting

[RONDAL]

does someone mind writing up a brief definition of;

1. catchlight
2. key light
3. main light
4. hair light
5. fill light

??? I think im getting mine confused when reading this, and think some are called 2 different things.

 

[LBPhotog]

Yes, KEY and MAIN light are the same thing ... Catch light, isn't a light at all, rather a reflection of your KEY/MAIN light in the eyes of your subjects ...

Hair light is a light position above the subject (usually on a boom arm, or fastened to the ceiling) and gives some separation between the subject and the the background ...

A FILL light is any light used to fill in the shadows that are caused by your KEY/MAIN light ...

 

[Christie Photo]

OK.

Catch-lights are merely the reflections of light sources appearing in the eye(s) of a subject/model. Often, if you look closely, you can see the shape of a soft-box or the ribs of an umbrella.


All the other terms you cited are sources of light.

A fill light is general illumination of the scene. It should be even (edge to edge) and flat (causing no obvious shadows). The viewer should be unaware of the fill lighting. It preserves detail in shadows created by the main or key light.

A main light and key light are the same thing. Either name is acceptable.
The main light is added to communicate shape and texture. It should result in causing visible shadows to achieve this. In portraiture, a good starting point is a main light that has twice the output of the fill light, resulting in a 3:1 lighting ratio or scheme.

A hair light is an accent light, added to cause highlights in the hair, showing texture and affording separation of the subject from the background.

I hope this helps.

-Pete

 

[RONDAL]

it does, and actually confirms what i thought originally, but some of the posts earlier had me a little confused.

thanks