Microfilmmaker Magazine - Tips & Tricks - Secrets of Professional Lighting: Mastering the Art of Lighting Faces, Pg. 6 of 7


	Mastering the Art of Lighting Faces, Pg. 6

Back light
Back light will desaturate and mute faces. Back light separates the face from the background and helps create the illusion of depth.

Picture 13. Back light with some return bounce fill light.

Picture 14. Back light will desaturate and mute tones.

I like to keep my back light at approximately a 45-degree angle, so the light kisses the cheeks, but never quite reaches far enough around to touch the nose. A back light hitting the nose is my pet peeve. I also like the height of the back light to be at least at a 45-degree angle onto the back of the actor’s face, to avoid shoulder or shirt collar shadows cast onto the side of an actor’s neck.

Picture 15. Back light is also an effective tool to light fog, water and rain.

Picture 16. Back light should be 45 degrees in height and angle to avoid shirt collar shadows cast onto the side of an actor’s neck.

Picture 17. Balding heads don’t take well to back light as you end up with head reflection issues.