Light

ambient light

The use of natural light without the aid of additional lamps, often soft in quality.

back lighting

The illumination of a scene from behind the subject and toward the camera. It tends to produce a light fringe, increase contrast, and make the subject appear to stand out from the background, thus suggesting a third dimension. It is also used for such specific effects as adding sheen to hair.

filler light

Additional lighting that illuminates areas not covered by the key light. Also called fill light.

key light

The principal and dominant source of light used in illuminating a motion picture set. It determines the tone and mood of a scene and is therefore established first by the director of photography, who later builds around it the filler light and other compensating sources of illumination, such as the cross light and back light.

key lighting, high, low

Two contrasting lighting results. In high key lighting, the key light provides most of the light for the scene, while in low key lighting the key is not essential to providing all of the light.

high key

An arrangement of lights in which the key, or main, light evenly covers most of the scene, minimizing contrast.