Datasheet

14
c h a p t e r 1: UNDERSTANDING LIGHTING, COLOR, AND COMPOSITION ■
Ph o to s © 2008 Ju P i t e r i m a g e s Co r Po r atio n
Figure 1.17 Three variations of glamour lighting, as seen in photographs of Jane Wyman (left), Ida Lupino (center), and Mary
Pickford (right).
Proper 3-point lighting is fairly difficult to find in the world of painting.
Clearly defined rims are not generally painted in. In many cases, a portion of a sub-
ject that is dark is allowed to blend into a dark background (see Figures 1.4, 1.5,
and 1.6). In other situations, the chosen background is bright enough to delineate
the outline of the subject. In Figure 1.18, the man’s dark hair and the shadow on his
left shoulder are offset by a pool of light on the back wall. This strategically placed
pool serves the same function as a rim light, but isn’t part of the modern 3-point
lighting method.
On the other hand, rim lighting can often be found in nature. For example, in
Figure 1.19 a cloud covers the sun and picks up a bright rim. Intense sunlight strikes
a cactus from behind, thereby illuminating its spines. A woman’s hair is lit from light
streaming through a window. These natural occurrences, however, do not fit the
standard 3-point lighting system. None of the subjects are affected by more than two
distinct sources of light.
Many contemporary cinematographers and videographers consider 3-point
lighting either antiquated or unsatisfactory for many lighting situations. The necessity
of specific positions for key, fill, and rim lights guarantees that 3-point lighting does
not match many real-world situations. The alternative to 3-point lighting is thus natu-
ralistic lighting.
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