Technique
In photography, your main light source is the key light. Depending on its direction, diffusion, temperature and output, you can achieve many looks and effects. Whether in portrait or product photography, you can achieve great results in the studio using just a key light. For a natural look, use a single light source angled downwards onto your subject from behind the camera. What Is a Key Light?
Placing your key light to one side of the subject will start to create dramatic shadows on the far side. The more side-on the key light, the more pronounced the effect. Adjusting the height and vertical angle of the light will also affect the direction of the shadows, while moving the light further away from the subject will make the shadows more defined.
Typically, the second light you would introduce to a set-up, the fill light is used to reduce the depth of the shadows cast on your subject by the key light. Imagine the second set-up described above – you could point a fill light at the dark side of the subject to create a look that retains some dramatic shadows, but exposes the details within those shadows. Commonly, the fill light matches the key light in diffusion and temperature. A usual set-up would mirror the key light’s angle. What Is a Fill Light?
Lighting Ratios
The extent to which shadows are exposed is determined by the intensity of the fill light. If the key and fill have the same intensity – a lighting ratio of 1:1 – your subject would have no shadow on their face, resulting in a flat-looking image. Halving the intensity of the fill light – for a lighting ratio of 2:1 – results in a high-key look with very little shadow. You can keep increasing the lighting ratio to boost the contrast and attain a more dramatic aesthetic – a ratio of 8:1 would give a moody, chiaroscuro look, for example.
FUJIFILM Focus Magazine 27
Summer 2025
Powered by FlippingBook