When you're lighting two subjects in the same shot, the problem isn't how to do it but which approach to choose. Lighting methods are driven by the location you're in, the style you're creating, and the number (and type) of lights you have. With all those variables, there's at least a dozen ways to go; so we'll look at just five representative setups, all of them suitable for a two-person interview or a two-shot in a narrative.
Whether you're using one instrument or eight, the basic procedure is the same:
- Establish a key light for each person.
- Fill the opposite side of each face with a less intense light.
- Separate the subjects from the background behind them.
- Light that background so that it's neither a distraction from the subjects nor a black hole behind them.
- Adjust the placement and height of all the lights to keep multiple shadows out of the shot.
If you were lighting Rhett and Scarlet you'd use separate instruments for every one of these steps -- and we'll show you how to do that. But you can also light two people attractively with a single light, or two, or three, or....
So let's get to it. By the way, we'll assume that you're using movie lights exclusively, with no help from daylight or lights that belong to the location. We'll also take it for granted that the two subjects are "opened up" to the camera, rather than facing each other squarely, so that each can have both key and fill lights.
One- and Two-Light Setups
As Figure 1 shows, you can do the job with a single light, as long as it's a very large, soft source. A softbox or pan full of fluorescents works best, or you can use a "broad" floodlight or even a spotlight, as long as you aim it through a big sheet of spun glass or translucent white gel. (Umbrella lights often don't work because their light doesn't "wrap around" subjects well.)
This layout also depends on a light-colored wall or curtain backing to bounce the light back on to the subjects. That way, the large source light will key both subjects and the reflected light delivers the fill.
As you look at Figure 1, notice that the light and the subjects are close to the backing. That way, the light provides some illumination for the background, while the shadows thrown by the subjects are too soft to be objectionable.
You can achieve a similar effect with two spotlights instead of a single large source. Keep the lamps quite close together so that the two subjects seem to be lit by a single source. Again, fill light bounces off a light-colored backing close behind them.
If the background can remain moderately dark, you can sometimes create a striking two-light design as shown in Figure 2. The large source light keys both subjects, while the spotlight, raking across at an oblique angle, provides a combination fill and back light. In this setup, the subject on the left (closer to the key light) is more prominent because it is slightly brighter.
Three- and Four-Light Setups
By adding a third light, you can create a more balanced form of this design (Figure 3). Note that the soft keys light both subjects equally, while the matched pair of broad lights delivers combined fill and back light. In this design, the broads can also splash an interesting light on the background.
You can create a more conventional three-light design by treating the two subjects as if they were only one. Place a fairly high key light at eight o'clock and a fill light opposite, at 4 o'clock. Raise the rear light and adjust it so that it provides both back light and background light.
Figure 4 shows a design much like that of Figure 3, except that individual key spots replace the single soft light. When using paired keys close together like this, take special care to keep multiple shadows off the background.
Hollywood, Here We Come!
So far, the oblique-angle lights have done double duty as both fill and back lights. If you have the instruments (and the juice to power them) you can give each subject a classic three-light setup of key, fill, and back lights.
Since we must be on a sound stage by now, let's go whole hog. Figure 5 adds a light dedicated solely to punching up the background. On the opposite side, a spotlight shooting through a silhouette pattern ("cookie") throws an interesting design on the wall. In this kind of application, you may want to keep the cookie fairly close to its light, to soften the edges of the pattern.
As you can see from Figure 5, the front key lights are placed some distance apart because, in this obvious studio setting, you don't have to pretend that both subjects are illuminated by the same source.
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