Lighting Styles I Strive to Produce

There are a couple of styles of lighting that I prefer. I love warm lighting with rich colors. Even, high-key lighting is a good example of this. I personally prefer to have everything on set lit because I come from a background of musical theatre. Whenever I think "production," I think of lights everywhere. Shadows can ruin the effect of certain stories.

I also love natural light where there is a good amount of sunlight, but not too much. People look absolutely beautiful in the natural lighting God has provided for us. Why not use it to our advantage? And it's free! I ALWAYS say yes to free.

This first picture is from the stage version of Hairspray,  which is one of my favorite productions. The only shadows you see are at the back of the stage and the floor. Everything is lit. Because it is a Broadway production, there is a lighting grid above the stage. There is a spotlight (key light) on each girl, back lights, and plenty of fill light in between. This lighting to me is beautiful because you can see everything. Nothing is left unseen. All of the colors pop no matter where your seat is in the theatre. The lighting is bright, bold, and beautiful, creating the glamorous effect of the stage.

 Both of these next two pictures are outside, using natural sunlight. Natural sunlight is always beautiful to me as long as it isn't right in my face or someone else's. (Right) This image is of Snow White from the ABC original series Once Upon A Time. She has a beautiful rim around her shoulders and her hair, which I love because she is a princess after all. It seems as though the shot almost completely relies on the sun because the light is brighter behind her than it is in front of her. I love the natural beauty of the way the sunlight really lights up the nature in the background, which creates a distinct outline around Snow and the bird.

(Left)This image is from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. I love the way the sun is shining behind their faces creating a silhouette or a rim around the "almost kiss." This image is beautiful and romantic because the lighting is natural and the sun behind them in the center creates an intimacy because the couple is sharing the sun. It brings the outline of their faces together.