The strategy I utilize for lighting faces is as follows:
I first decide on my camera angles for staging of the actor in the scene.
I then establish which direction I want the light and shadow to fall onto the actor’s face, and the surrounding scene.
I then logically motivate the direction of the light with on-set practical props, such as candles, lamps, window frames etc, in order to support the scheme of my intended lighting direction.
Pictures 3. Look at the actor’s face on the set and decide which direction you want the light to come from.
Once my key light is established, I add a supplementary fill light to control the level of detail I require in the shadows. I prefer fill light to have no source direction to it, so I usually keep it close to the camera so any potential shadow falls directly behind my talent, thereby becoming invisible. Another option implemented by master Swedish cinematographer Sven Nykvist is to use fill light from a high angle. This approach helps the shadow from the fill fall on the ground and not walls, thus lessoning the risk of casting multiple shadows. I personally like to keep my shadow level at about two and two-thirds of a stop under my key light exposure.
Because eyes are the windows to the soul, I’ll then consider supplementing my lighting with an eye light, unless the key light is already doubling up as an eye light.
Picture 4. Eye light draws you into the performance.
When I use eye lights I keep the exposure at around 3 stops below my key light, as eye lights are merely to reflect twinkle highlights into the eye, not as instruments to cast exposure into the eye. I only use eye lights on close-ups, never on wide shots, as wide shots are for creating overall visual mood, while close-ups are about reinforcing the connection between the audience and the actor.
