The cinematic field guide

Lighting

Small decisions shape the whole frame. Discover techniques, understand their purpose, and experiment with prompts of your own.

7 techniques

Learn the idea. Make it yours.

Lighting

Use low warm sunlight from behind a subject to create separation, long shadows, and a sense of late-day space.

Lighting

Build a bright, open frame with restrained contrast while keeping texture and highlight detail intact.

Lighting

Reserve light for the details that carry the scene, allowing the rest of the frame to fall into shadow.

Lighting

Make the illumination feel connected to a visible lamp or another plausible source within the scene.

Lighting

Place a narrow line of light along a subject's edge to reveal a silhouette against a subdued background.

Lighting

Use a broad daylight source to create gentle transitions between illuminated skin and shadow.

Lighting

Let a side source divide the face into a lit side and a shadow side for a clear, graphic portrait.

Technique collection