Available Lighting:
Available light is light which already exists in the location
Three point lighting:
This is the most basic lighting setup. It consists of a key light, a fill light, and a backlight. The key light aims directly at the subject most likely the main character or object in the shot and is the brightest light source for the shot. The fill light is a softer light, and is usually placed opposite the key light; the fill light cuts down on shadows created by the bright key light. The backlight shines behind the subject or object, separating him, her, or it from the background in other words, enhancing the sense of depth in the shot. Backlighting sometimes creates a halo effect around a character’s head, particularly at the edge of the hair.
Key Light
The key light is the first and usually most important light that a photographer, cinematographer, lighting cameraman, or other scene composer will use in a lighting setup. The purpose of the key light is to highlight the form and dimension of the subject. The key light is not a rigid requirement; omitting the key light can result in a silhouette effect. Many key lights may be placed in a scene to illuminate a moving subject at opportune moments.
High and low-key combination
Many films use a combination of high-key and low-key lighting set-ups, depending on the nature of the scene. Imagine a western outlaw, for instance, walking from a brilliantly lit, high-key exterior into a darker, more low-key saloon. The director might be contrasting the external world of bright nature with the confining, dark, interior world of civilization.
Backlighting
Backlighting is the process of illuminating the subject from the back. It lights foreground elements from behind. In other words, the lighting instrument and the viewer face each other, with the subject in between. This creates a glowing effect on the edges of the subject, while other areas are darker. The backlight can be a natural or artificial light.
Under Lighting
Under lighting is when the main source of light comes from below the subject. This can have a distorting effect on the object or characters being lit as large shadows form, masking the identity of the figure.
