Introduction to Cinematography

11aLighting: The Fundamentals of Lighting, Light Metering and Exposure

Learning the fundamentals of how light behaves will allow you to anticipate how it will look in different circumstances. This chapter looks at hard and soft light, and how it can be used to shape and model a subject. It also looks at how light is absorbed or reflected by different surfaces, skin textures and the environment. The chapter then goes on to look at how light can be monitored and measured so that the optimal exposure for the look of the shot you want can be selected. Several approaches to exposure are looked at, and the importance of exposing consistently is highlighted. The chapter finishes by looking at if, when and why to make adjustments to your ISO, or when ...