Make-Up, Hair and Costume for Film and Television

Lighting a Face or a Whole Person

Fill lights are extremely important when lighting faces. Too much top lighting will create harsh shadows around the eyes and nose. A heavy fringe or long hair falling forward can shade the face. Only a certain level of correction can be made by a make-up artist; help will be needed by adding a fill light. However, the level of light is critical: too much light creates flat, dead pictures and too much light on a foreground subject can ‘burn it out’, that is, colour is bleached out and the face looks as though it has a high shine on it.

It is important for make-up, hair and costume staff to understand the principles of lighting so that they can recognize if there is anything they can do to enhance the picture or ...