How to Light Faces | 3 Cinematic Lighting Setups

Stay tuned to the end for a chance to win a prize!
In this episode of 4MFS, we present Valentina with three different people and ask her what is the best way to light each of their faces. We are lighting for a fashion video, beauty ad, and liquor commercial. Valentina takes color contrast, quality of light, and genre into consideration to produce the most pleasing image. We’re also joined by Kevin Reyes, guest DP extraordinaire, who is here to lend his expertise in fashion cinematography.
We are using a luxury downtown LA loft for our set, and we have three people we need to light - a young black male, an Asian woman, and an elderly white gentleman. The most important factor for each of them is whether we light them with a hard or soft key light. For the first setup, we decide to go with a hard light because we want to emphasize the texture in darker skin tones. Valentina attaches a fresnel to the LS 300d II in order to spot the light and get the shape that she was looking for. In the second setup, we set up the softest light available to us - a Nova P300c with a DoPChoice Snapbag Octa 5’ - to brighten every feature of our talent’s face. One of the advantages of a big soft source is the beautiful eyelight that it creates. Lastly, we switch back to a hard light for our gentlemen in the liquor ad, but we make sure that it’s small and concentrated to keep the lighting dramatic. We’re also shooting the scene in black-and-white, so that the audience can focus on the texture of his skin.
We shot with the Canon C70 and Rokinon Xeen primes to start off with a crisp, sharp image. That way, we can add our desired lens filters such as pearlescent and black satin in front for less contrast and more blooming. They also smooth out the skin and hide imperfections.
Other lighting techniques to consider are back light and how you want to separate your subject from the background. Having a backlight is almost always a must-have, but having gels on hand to color them can add to the visual interest of your film, especially when it comes to fashion and beauty.
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Follow Kevin on Instagram: / kevinreyes
Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
1:51 - Concept
2:59 - Camera
3:55 - Fashion Lighting
8:06 - Breakdown #1
8:36 - Beauty Lighting
11:11 - Breakdown #2
11:41 - Black-and-White
12:44 - Commercial Lighting
15:57 - Breakdown #3
16:27 - Outro
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Moses - Producer: / moses_israel
Tue - Director: / tuezzles
Jucel - Cinematographer/Editor: / jucelandrin_
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Summary:
Aputure's KZbin channel provides free high quality cinematography, lighting, and filmmaking educational content to help you take your film projects to the next level.

[@FilmResolved]

4 minute film school is getting longer and longer every episode... AND I LOVE IT 👍👍👍

[@aputurelighting]

🥰

[@TreW9808]

I feel like the moisturizer on the dark skin model could've been rubbed in more, but I love that you guys did darker skin tones. My favorite way to light faces is Rembrandt lighting with motivated sources. I've been experimenting with Deakins Cove lighting technique and love it as well

[@merriammerkabah408]

Great video as always. The v-mount battery joke was hilarious! As a student, I'm not that great at it yet but, I aspire to the cove lighting technique for faces. I really love how the soft light wraps around a subject's face and the seamless fall off from the specular highlights into the shadows. Getting the perfect Rembrant patch is also a holy grail I feel I'll be chasing for the duration of my career.

[@madshauerslev]

Cool seeing that black n white image. Never knew they used that contour tactic

[@otoshithekid2957]

This was amazing as well! Once again it was great to go in depth. I knew most of the things you showed, but the light temperature in black and white changing the exposure caught me by surprise. I also really liked the VEE of light on the walls and the effect it created. There's always something new to learn, hoping for more of these, always.

[@aputurelighting]

Everyone can use a VEE of light on their sets 😉

[@ILLATIT]

I am learning so much about lighting with these episodes. Thank you Aputure and Valentina!

[@orelbitan]

I think lighting is one of the most important things in a shot, so digging into it is really important! Thanks again for the great tips. I can not say what is my favourite way to light a face, because I'm still figuring it out, but I can say I love soft light with depth, not flat like in the fashion example.

[@kamhash1]

I've recently had a ton of fun lighting faces with the Cove lighting!

[@BrianFarstvedt]

I filmed a black and white noir a couple days ago, wish I knew about the contour idea because I could’ve played with it! Great stuff V

[@MarioSoMedia]

My favourite way to light faces has always been to put the largest circular or octagonal softbox a little up and at an angle combined with a bounce board on the other side. But after watching today's video, I think I'll try out the other techniques here. Thanks for this!

[@stevenkralovec]

9:06 didn’t you mean to say moving it closer (not further) makes it softer? Moving it further back makes it relatively a smaller source in a sense and makes it harder light. But great episode! Thanks for this!

[@TheyCallMeCotton]

I was thinking the same thing

[@YOUAREMYKIN]

The liquor commercial lighting looks dreamy!

[@aputurelighting]

Thank you!

[@nanditdesai3384]

May I humbly make a suggestion to grade the footage you guys shoot? I feel that little finishing touch is missing...which is a shame because these videos are really high quality and informative. If they go through a proper grade, that would be terrific :)

[@candyartstv]

To be honest you had homeboy out there looking greasy. Issa Rae's Insecure is a good reference for dark skin done right.

[@SavonnePearson]

My thoughts exactly. Love this channel and respect the work, but they don’t have dark skin down pact just yet.

[@cherrybanilla]

Exactly what I thought.

[@johnnyweissmuller5838]

Yeah he was looking greasy af, like stold over the deepfrier too long

[@djrt8179]

Makeup artist dropped the ball on that one. Dude was so glossy, needed to matte him down baaaaad.

[@SeanMisa]

I currently mostly shoot food and product photography/videos, but when I occasionally do light faces I personally love the harder and harsh shadows that show off dimensions and texture. This is especially great for older people. I'm still building up my light library, but I am loving my 120D and MC

[@AaronMarasigan]

this "4-mimute" film school thats 14mins too long i love it

[@ulysseproton7430]

I apsolutly love paramount lightning, with some big source, it just make the face so beautiful!

[@Mutedimagery]

Always a fan of this series! I typically light with soft sources. This makes me want to not be afraid of hard light.

[@aputurelighting]

Hard light can unlock so many creative opportunities.

[@DominusFeles]

Vee mount batteries 😂 My recent favourite for lighting faces has been a cloudy but bright sky ⛅️ Takes some timing but works great with my non existent budget 😇

[@elric62]

Thanks for this 4-minute-plus-14-episode! I love natural negativ-filled light

[@georgesimonsfilmmaker]

I love reverse key lighting faces, using a subtle bounce to help. It’s moody, but for the right shoot it’s perfect. Love this series!

[@BrentHagyVideography]

Great 4MFS! I always love to use rembrandt lighting for faces but this episode gave me so many good ideas for the future. 👍

[@sawyerholcomb5005]

Very cool. I love seeing the effects of different lens filters. I am very into very toppy large sources right now, like a 5x6 fast frame and 2 300ds/1 600d with a bounce under the subject's chin.

[@aputurelighting]

Nice techniques!

[@TheChicksLife]

I am all about soft light whenever I can get it. But I also like to have some contrast from one side of the face to the other. So I usually have it off to one side giving that depth.

[@KyleSevenoaks]

Big fan of hairlights and hard super contrasty colored lights on the sides of faces. Great video!

[@aputurelighting]

Thank you!

[@timhughes4259]

Another great episode thanks! I’m coming from photography so typically lighting faces with two soft boxes for key and fill, and a snoot from behind to separate from the background. Lots of possible setups with this depending on the style you need, Rembrandt, butterfly, loop, broad or short. For filter my favorite is the black mist. One comment I didn’t get was moving the light back to make it softer? Surely moving back makes it smaller therefore harder?

[@aputurelighting]

Thanks for the comment! Since the light bounces around the room more when it's further back, the light in general becomes softer, but also less intense.

[@creativevit5961]

thanks. great tutorial. i light with a soft box, give a key light and fire up the background for seperation.

[@CHALADEITALIA]

For faces I really like to use the background as reference. I like the face to pop but look like it belongs in whatever space I'm shooting. So if I'm using a white infinity looking background I want a very well lit, no shadows kind of look. If I'm shooting in a space, I want it to almost look practical. I really like Deakin's and Lubezki's philosophy on how they go about filming people.

[@aputurelighting]

Good points!

[@nislagames280]

Digging and digging through youtube, and finally found the best lighting channel

[@aputurelighting]

Thank you!

[@alexandersargent6493]

Really love these episodes, looking forward to more!

[@aputurelighting]

Thank you!

[@andreaslovestocook]

I have exactly the scenario that you mentioned regarding limited space. I film myself doing video tutorial intros and outros . I use a really big soft box close to my face and a daylight balanced light to mimic the light coming from the computer screen (that’s turned off). I have fairly chiseled features and the shadows the lights create look really good, IMHO. I also add a hair light to create some separation. Another great tutorial from V and the A-team! Thank you!

[@aputurelighting]

Great tips! And thanks for watching!

[@kenbalme708]

Love the channel. Getting ready to do a testimonial video shoot tonight and looking for some fresh ideas. :)

[@aputurelighting]

Good luck on the shoot!

[@louisvanzyl]

My favourite way to light faces are a warm directional light that looks like a practical. So trying to emulate the environment and using the mood. Awesome information. I enjoyed the last setup. The black and white option was awesome

[@aputurelighting]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MyJeanf]

Hey Valentina love every episode . Always the best.

[@JimmyBlanco]

Top lighting with an overlapping key is always my go-to , looks very natural

[@jackayers1158]

For interviews I light faces using my old 120d with the dome two with a big negative fill. For beauty I've been playing around with a B7c blub with a China ball clamped to a boom pole with a 120d as back light. Great episode once again.

[@aputurelighting]

China balls are a staple!

[@MarkAfterDark]

Can't go wrong with Rembrandt lighting. Painters were just on another level when it came to lighting subjects. Just look at Ed Hopper

[@Justin_Allen]

Another great video! My question is why did you add +1/2 CTB + 250 Diff to the 60x? Just for the color? Maybe do a video on CTB, CTO gels and their effects.

[@aputurelighting]

We wanted to reliably create the color from a tungsten light with 1/2 CTB on it rather than guessing what it would create by dialing the CCT knob.

[@WENGZWORLDEntertainment]

If im shooting ang lighting a face on my video my favorite thing to do is just inhance whatever light source we have in a space..for intance if we have a window in a shot or a fluorescent bulb in a room i just replace that with a light panel with the same color tune and add a softbox for softer skin tune..

[@juzzonmorris]

Great Vidoe as always. You two make a Great Team, like LeBron & D Wade! I stil. struggle with lighting so I stick to the standard 3 point light system, Shooting from the dark side. ⚫.... "Use the Force Luke!" Sorry I couldn't resist🤣🤣🤣

[@JRVFilmsnz]

Thank you! Im learning so much about lights and it will really do help on video quality! So much information thats is soooo tasty!! 😝😝😝

[@aputurelighting]

Glad you liked it!

[@VintepoucosFilmes]

Love this series! I wish you could cover sound too. I wonder if there are some issues between the fan and the sound. It would be awesome if you guys inclueded sound into the classes! Also, I have a question: Why did you have to use gels on the lights in the B&W example?

[@Han-pd8rw]

Colour temperature matters even when you shot B&W.

[@aputurelighting]

We wanted to get the lights hitting our talent warmer, so that they would look brighter in black-and-white.

[@alexfouquetfr]

Hello Aputure First of all, thank you so much for all the amazing gear and tutorials you guys provide for us filmmakers. I have in my possession an Aputure 120D MII (and a bunch of others), have worked with the 300D etc, which are the most common lights used in indie filmmaking in France. But I was brought on each shoot with the same question. How to add a Lightdome fixture on a 120D or 300D and apply for a color gel ? It gives the best results but each time, either the gel burns being too close to the source, or does not fill the entire surface of the lightdome. I couldn’t find on your KZbin channel a tutorial dedicated on this topic yet Do you guys have specific techniques ? My very best, love everything you do

[@hytralium]

I use a two point lighting setup with just a liddl bit of fill

[@tommyowen529]

Love it, but what would also be super useful is knowing what you have the lights set at % wise. Did you say you had the 600d at .1% brightness and it was too bright?

[@ooppss5284]

i love the beauty light concept to light the faces

[@FilmQi]

well made! great descriptions👍

[@PatrickBoberg]

Loved all of it. Especially the lighting of darker skin. Personally, I love to use china balls whenever possible. Also been trying the cove technique lately.

[@aputurelighting]

Yes! China balls are clutch

[@directorjparker1415]

Great video this helped me understand a lot about lighting faces thanks???

[@jaijacobphoto316]

The part where the 600d was switched out to the 300d with fresnel (roughly 7:41 in). Do you recall what % power it was on?

[@hoodaffairstv]

Trying to see what aputure lights I need in my kit. Might start with a 300x

[@edcweddingfilms6795]

This looked like such a great time.

[@over120db]

I still favor the standard two-point portrait-style (Rembrandt) setup for faces. Lots of contrast with that small triangle on the off-key side of the subject. It also gives that wonderful eye light.

[@aputurelighting]

Can't go wrong with Rembrandt lighting 👌

[@ReliabilityEngineering]

is it just me or did the final product light make it feel flat again because it spilled out beyond the bottle? What other ways would/could you light it to have less spill onto the table? or is the trick here that it just needed to be graded to add contrast back?

[@jodyb2036]

Lovely stuff. For me, one key, one back light, drama all the way.

[@sebastianlang1014]

I like to light faces and people with "Chinese" lantern. Specially for mobile setups really useful with a 12V bulb!

[@tyldarprod1399]

Keep it coming!!! Excellent.

[@aputurelighting]

Thank you!

[@xxReptar15xx]

I like to light with a nice big and soft like with a distinctive catch light in the eye

[@neoray10]

My fav way to light a face would be use a apurture mc fixed in a Chinese Latern placing it near to a moving subject hanging from broomstick

[@CinemaTeacher]

SOFT SIDE-LIGHTING is my favorite way to light faces! It's a great look and the mood can easily be changed by bringing up the SHADOWS. It's also versatile in that the talent can move around set and still have good exposure. Can I PLEASE win an Aputure B7C now? 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@djabuze]

i really like your videos, great content but could you guys please explain to me why the white balance is set to 3200k (shown on the overlay gfx) on the first shot, when the used key light for the face is a 5600k 600d? The two 60d/x with tungsten on also do look "warm" on the image, so i guess little mistake in editing? shouldn't it be 5600k or at least sth in between for wb? since the key light looks a bit blue and the 2 spots in the back still make a warm white instead of a regular white which would occur with wb set to 3200k? or do i got sth wrong? im confused, please help :)

[@aputurelighting]

We wanted to make the image warmer using different color temperatures between the camera and the lighting!

[@artbuts9308]

Валюха ты топчик!! Love you so much!! Subscribed instagram already !))

[@anthonypc1]

Great tips for lighting darker skin!

[@aputurelighting]

Glad you found it useful!

[@sergioam12]

I prefer cove lighting for faces but there is something in rembrandt lighting that I really love

[@DhaneshMahtani]

B&W was really cool!

[@aputurelighting]

Thank you!

[@AlfredoReyesEsparza]

My favorite way to lit a face is with a hard light and a soft frontal fill. Add a hair light and most people look at their best this way. And still some mood is preserved.

[@AName805]

Personally, my favorite way to light faces is based on story and mood. But I always try to remember to B.E - Backlight and Eye light. Some other tips would give is make a large circular foam-board with one side covered in a silver reflecting material (I use Rosco soft silver reflector `gel`), and a duckbill clamp at hand at all times. this is one of the things I used the most to bounce light back to the subject indoors or out, could be used just to light up the eyes or as a key light - a very very useful piece of gear and inexpensive. Also, shooting outdoors and need to simulate a sunrise\sunset? Maybe you are just looking for a way to `spice up` the backlight on your talent? Use powerful tungsten fresnel lights (probably 5K and up), I find the color contrast between daylight (4500 - 7000 kelvin) and the tungsten 3200 kelvin to be just the sweet spot. Especially used as a back-light on people with long hair. I remember when I was starting out only HMI were allowed for outdoor shooting, (no LED lights back then), try to think outside of the box.

[@aputurelighting]

Great tips!

[@vernardfields7044]

VV is stying the heck out of them C47s!

[@aputurelighting]

🙌

[@JackMajor]

Hi Valentina, which tripod and ballhead are you shooting on at 3:53? :)

[@drmatthewhorkey]

I love these videos but find it funny that it's always called '4-Minute' film school. Thanks for all of these tips! I have to travel light and wish I had a softer light for my key light. I do use a panel LED and then an Aputure ML9 for the hair light and MC for a practical.

[@DominusFeles]

The shortest longest four minutes of the whole week 😂

[@NoahStephens]

I enjoy Valentina’s personality

[@pinusniron8935]

Love this vidio Great 👍👍👍👍

[@daanjessevenmans]

Would love to see how you can get more creative via Sidus Link. Like how to program a car scene with moving traffic lights (MC's or B7C's programmed inside Sidus Link)!

[@aputurelighting]

That's a great idea!

[@RobbieSkaff]

I like to light with lots of shadows : )

[@roadcrewfilms]

Apurture! Rocks!

[@sanilalkuttimon1755]

❤️❤️❤️😍😍

[@redbeardproductions-kevind9806]

You said you could get a softer light by moving the light further away... Isn't that backwards?

[@vistamedialab]

Really helpful 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@aputurelighting]

Glad it was helpful!

[@vistamedialab]

@@aputurelighting I am from Kerala & a beginner in cinematography I haven’t any chance or financial background to attend cinematography courses. But Cinematography is my breath& Life This kind of videos gives a lot of knowledge about lighting Thank you all for teaching me the valuable lessons. Thanks With Wishes & Prayers Sajith Vista

[@jasrajsingh305]

What app did you use for the colour wheel?

[@aputurelighting]

Sidus Link!

[@olaleyeoluwole3442]

Hello Vee, Since you use hard light for male, what happens when you have both male and female together in a shot

[@aputurelighting]

Check out this episode! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gpm6nJalbqxqoNk

[@MudreFilms]

Great video as always Aputure team! One correction. Just double checked, and both LEE and ROSCO Full CTO convert 6500°K to 3200°K, not 5600-->3200 as you wrote. Full CTO will make 5600°K closer to 2600°K.

[@lorygtv]

Top Valentina !!!

[@aputurelighting]

Thank you :)

[@MansSuperPower]

Watching these videos show that I’ve grown and stop watching cat videos to watch these videos that will make my brain cells active.

[@LuqSD]

I do doc. films, when i shoot ppl who tell their stories i like that the viewer can look in theis eyes. Not so much like blade runner but still love to do it a little. Gentle. ;). I have a theory that viewers who listning to someone and looking deep in theirs eyes, can feel more the story.

[@Eforbesy31]

I like to use butterfly lighting on females and negative fill (Rembrandt lighting) on males

[@midwestdocumentarycenterin1680]

High quality information and diverse applications all packed into this episode! Well done! For lighting faces, I still love Butterfly Lighting. My go to set up is a single (round) soft source mounted directly above the camera pointing down at about 45° on the subject. It's about as old school as you can get. But it can produce beautiful results. Thanks again for another great video!

[@aputurelighting]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@rezato73]

Could you please teach us how we are able to lighting and shooting a fight scenes?! 😊💭🤔

[@aputurelighting]

Great suggestion!

[@rezato73]

@@aputurelighting 😊😎

[@ILLATIT]

I light faces with a large softbox on my key light. Now i just need some of those B7c’s for my practicals 🤨

[@JuanDavidJaramilloXD]

I love this 4 minute school videos and I deff love aputure but at 9:05 I was like wait ,what? as I understand it big sources make soft light , so if you move the light farther away it'll become smaller hence making it harder.

[@aputurelighting]

Thanks for bringing it up - since we're in a small room, the amount of light bouncing around the room as the light gets farther away will increase and make the light in general softer.

[@JuanDavidJaramilloXD]

@@aputurelighting thanks for the clarification, so basically you turned the whole room into a giant soft box? thats genius!

[@fredsnorton6378]

I'm shooting now and I just learn something new wow love u bb

[@tfransson]

Gratis film school! Thanks Aputure

[@MoesesKIIINT]

Heyyy! I mentioned on the last video that I light lots of POC and you now do a tutorial on lighting POC! That's amazing, even if it is just coincidence. I like to feel like I'm being heard 😂 LOVE this video.

[@aputurelighting]

Thanks for the suggestion hahah

[@leonelsaucedo1218]

wow i didnt know that black and white make up trick

[@sheruth]

so tru

[@djfunkgut]

Am I the only person who recognizes that older gentleman from his various roles on skinemax movies?!?

[@WHITEPERSUAS1ON]

Lmaooo

[@CineMobilePodcast]

😂😂😂

[@djfunkgut]

@@WHITEPERSUAS1ON lol I assume you understood ;-)

[@tylerburton5440]

With the sun, a bounce board, and a pocket full of dreams.

[@aputurelighting]

😂

[@TheyCallMeCotton]

Always enjoy the content! But... In my opinion, (again just an opinion) the combination of lighting/makeup in the first setup had his face looking really dirty/greasy /oily, which just doesn't look that flattering. Kind of makes him look.... Idk... Dirty? It's like all I could focus on. Again just my opinion. Keep up the great work.

[@MrPawanchand]

I am beginners on green screen studio plz upload some lighting guidelines, lots of KZbinr wants , it’s helps them a lot , thanks 🙏, I hope you will think abt 🌹❤️love

[@jezersek_production]

I like buty lighting and cinematic backlighting

[@dzull247]

I normally light faces with a parabolic soft box or a beauty dish