chapter 15

diffusion

A Traslucent material that is placed in front of a lighting instrument to soften and reduce the intensity of light without altering the color temperature.

trianlge lighting

A common lighting technique that uses three lighting instrument for each person or object photographed a key light , a fill light, and a back light.

scoop

A common type of flood light with a half-spheroid shape that produces a great deal of light.

dimmer

A device attached to the power control of a lighting instrument that can reduce or increase the amount of electricity that flows to the lamp.

honeycomb

A device that attaches to fluorescent instruments to reduce the shape and size of the light beam, making the light more directional and easier to control

fresnel

A hard light instrument that is lightweight and easily focused

background light

A light is placed behind the subject(s), on a high grid, or low to the ground. Unlike the other three lights, which illuminate foreground elements like actors and props, it illuminates background elements, such as walls or outdoor scenery. This technique can be used to eliminate shadows cast by foreground elements onto the background, or to draw more attention to the background.

spotlight

A lighting instrument which can be focused upon a limited area.

bounce lighting

A lighting technique where a lighting instrument is not pointed directly at the subject of the shot, but the light is bounced off another object, such as a ceiling, wall, or the ground.

kelvin color temperature scale

A scale developed by the scientist Lord Kelvin that measures color temperatures of light in degrees Kelvin

hard light

A type of illumination used in the studio that creates sharp, distinct, and very dark shadows

light hit

A white spot or star shaped reflection of a lighting instrument or sunlight off a highly reflective surface on a set.

c-clamp

Clamp shaped like a "C" that is used to attach any item to a pipe

fill light

The lighting instrument that is placed opposite the key light to provide illumination on the other side of the talent's face or object in the shot

back light

The lightning instrument placed above and behind, at the twelve o'clock position, the talent or object in a shot to seperate the talent or obejct from the background

incandescent lamp

Type of lamp that function when electricity is applied and makes a filament inside the lamp glow brightly

three-point lighting

a common lighting technique that uses three lighting instruments for each person or object photographed: a key light, a fill light, and a back light

light plot

a diagram showing the placement of the lighting instruments and plugging system and where the beams from all the lighting instruments fall

flag

a flexible metal rod with a flat piece of metal attatched to the end used to block light from hitting certain objects on the set.

gel

a heat resistant, thick plastic sheet placed in front of a lighting instrument to turn the white light from a lamp into a colored light

floor stand

a lighting support with three or four legs and a long vertical pole to which a lighting instrument is attached

limbo lighting

a lighting technique in which the background of the set is lit to create the illusion of a solid-colored, indistinct background

cross key lighting

a lighting technique that covers more than one person or object in the lighting spread using only two key lights and one back light

four-point lighting

a lighting technique that uses four lighting instruments for each person or object photographed: two key lights and two fill lights. The two key lights are positioned diagonally opposite each other, and the two fill lights are placed in the remaining two corners.

grid

a pipe system that hangs from the studio ceiling and supports the lighting instruments

flood light

a soft light instrument that provides general lighting in a large area

scrim

a wire mesh or woven material placed in front of an instrument to reduce the intensity of light .

instrument

device that makes observations or measurements easier to perform or more precise

barndoors

fully moveable black metal flaps attached to the front of a lighting instrument, used to block or reshape the light

basic hang

the initial process of hanging instruments over the set according to the light plot and plugging them into the raceway; also called a rough hang

key light

the lighting instrument that provides the main source of illumination on the person or object in a shot

lamp

the part of a lighting instrument that glows when electricity is supplied

raceway

the system of electrical cables and outlets used to power lighting instruments on the grid; the raceway either hangs beside the grid pipes or is mounted to the ceiling above the grid

3200 kelvin

the temperature of white light degrees Kelvin. Also noted as 3200 K or "32K" when spoken

soft light

type of illumination used in a studio that creates indistinct shadows

fluorescent lamp

type of lamp that functions when electricity excites a gas in the lamp, which causes the material coating the inside of the lamp to glow (fluoresce) with a soft, even light