Lighting Information

Soft Light shadows created by soft light are much less defined but still clearly visible. The objects shadow can appear blurred or warped. The texture of the object is shown in lower contrast and is therefore not as clear as in hard light.

Hard light produces very clearly defined shadows. On a background or underground there is either light or shadow, but nothing in between, no gradations. Even the finest details provoke a clear shadow. The structure of any object (e.g., textile, skin) is pointed out very clearly.

Low key light refers to when a scene is very dimly lit for affect. The subjects in the scene are visible, but there are often lots of dark areas left for affect.

It is generally preferred to use soft light for portrait photos, as the harshness of the light gives the skin a warmer glow. Rather than focussing hard light and creating deep shadows in the defined features of the face.

The high-contrast nature of hard light creates a strong sense of drama and gives your video or image an edgy, gritty look. A hard light source makes subjects appear strong and serious. It's also used to give a raw, hard-edged feel to moments in film noir, drama, and action movies.

High key light is most commonly seen in a daytime scene. It refers to a predominantly bright scene, this gives the image a light and airy feel and feels more spacious over the closeness of a low key light scene.