Lighting Characters

 Lighting is very important when you are presenting something, not just in the real world, but also in the 3d universe. After all, it is the thing that literally shapes everything we see. The power it holds is huge. When used correctly, we can induce certain feelings to the viewer, showcase important parts of our work, and more... 

The lighting is crucial when displaying a 3d object, even more so a character. As a follow-up to this fact, I started researching some different lighting scenarios that are highly used in photography but also in cinematography. 

These are just some of the setups I have found:

The Rembrandt Brolly Portrait Lighting is a lighting scenario where the light is coming from the top and the side of the model, in order to create triangles on the face. This gives the image a dramatic look.

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The Split Portrait Lighting is a lighting scenario where the light is coming perpendicular to the model, in order to emphasize the details and texture of the skin. It gives the image a glamorous but also powerful feel. 

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The 3 point lighting setup is a lighting scenario used in professional video production and still photography. It is composed of three lights coming from three different positions. These are called the key light, the fill light, and the backlight.

The key light is the main and most powerful light source and it gives the scene the overall exposure. It is usually placed in front of the model.

The fill light is mirroring the key light on the opposite part of the camera, brightening the parts that are in shadow due to the key light. The intensity of this light may vary depending on how much we want the other parts to be seen.

The backlight, also known as the rim light or hair light is coming from the back of the subject, completing the setup. This creates a rim of light around the model's head, emphasizing the form and pushing it away from the background, creating a sense of depth. 

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