Lighting is determined by a combination of the subject's characteristics and what you want the subject to look like in the printed image. The surface of the object being illuminated often suggests, limits or even dictates the type of lighting used. Understanding the effect of individual light allows us to create and experiment from the solid foundation of the principals of illumination.

Each variation we introduce creates a distinctive change in our photographic result. Testing different light sources, reflectors, distances and adding light panels, grids or bounced lighting, builds our experience and knowledge to guide future judgments. Although we have many tools available in our work to vary the quality of the light source all subjects share common elements of the lighting process.

• Main Light (Key Light) - Establishes the shadows, provides the modeling of the subject; defining form, dimension and texture.
• Fill Light - Conventionally used to lighten shadows so the film can record the full tonal range desired for optimum quality and detail.
• Rim Light - An edge light from the side or back of the subject used for added depth and separation of the subject from the background. Also an accent light for effect and mood.
• Background Light - Used to provide adequate tonal separation between background and subject, and produce the detail and color in the background as desired for the overall photographic dimension and impact. Lit by ambient light or direct source. It does not necessarily need to be an even illumination.