What Do All Those Lighting Terms Photographers Use Actually Mean?

Learning artificial lighting can be tricky, particularly given the abundance of unfamiliar terms. Once you get those down, though, you will find studying and working with artificial light a lot easier. This helpful video will get you up and running with the most commonly used terms in no time at all.

Coming to you from John Gress, this helpful video discusses the most common lighting terms you need to know, such as "kicker" or "fill." If you have watched any lighting tutorials, you have probably noticed that photographers generally refer to a few specific types of light and positions, which correspond to different purposes, such as a "rim light," which creates a literal rim of light around the subject by being placed directly behind them. This is commonly used with a dark background or when the subject's clothing is close in color to the background, as it helps to clearly define the subject in a way that separates them from the background. The sooner you can become versed in all these common terms and how they relate to lighting, the easier a time you will have in becoming proficient. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Gress. 

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Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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