An Intermediate Lighting Concept Anyone Can Use
An Intermediate Lighting Concept Anyone Can Use
In many situations, one light on the subject is enough to get the image you’re looking for. But, if you have the extra time and resources, the concept of "wrapping the key" can add depth to the shot while making your lighting feel more naturalistic.
If you're reading this and don't have a ton of experience in lighting, don't be discouraged! This will help pull back the curtain and can be seen as a general theory to be implemented with very little equipment.
My name is Ahmad and I’m a cinematographer in Washington D.C. - working on documentaries, commercials, and narrative films. In this article we'll discuss the lighting theory, why, and how you can go about wrapping your keys.
What is a "key" and why wrap it?
A key light is defined as the main light source on your subject. This can either be an artificial light source or natural one via a window.
Wrapping the key is the concept of stretching the light source from the side of your subject to nearly frontal - creating a gradient. Think a quarter-circle shaped light source.
In the example below, you can see the left to right gradient on their faces from highlight to shadow. Extending your key light allows you to make that transition in a smooth and naturalistic way.
There are several ways to wrap the key.
One way is to simply have two key lights. One of them to introduce shape and the other to marry the first with the world. You’ll have the most success when both of these are coming from the same side as the natural light.
The other is to use windows to your advantage. If this works with the set design and direction you decide to shoot, you can still wrap the key using only one artificial light source. The window can act as your side-key while the artificial light can be closer to your subject as your wrap-key. That gives you the ability to maintain exposure on your subject through the shot.
Jumping to a different project as a practical example for this:
The added benefits of wrapping the key:
More prominent eye lights. Eye lights generally don’t have to be that bright - it’s all about getting the light source in the right angle relative to the camera. They breathe life into the subject’s eyes and allow the viewer to connect more closely with them.
A lift in shadow exposure that feels natural. In the beginning of the article, I mentioned that wrapping the key can make your lighting feel less "lit". A single light source can sometimes make your subject feel like they don't belong in the environment because of the stark difference in the highlights/shadows on them. The wrap-key can act as a gradient from light to dark - giving you greater control over contrast.
Let’s build on the concept with color.
In this interview, the natural light was mostly ambient and lacked directionality, so we created shape with our own fixtures. Here's a before and after:
We created a “late sunset” by shooting a warm spotlight across the background.
Directionality in the frame is a nice to have but not entirely necessary. Like wrapping the key, this can be beneficial if you have the time/resources.
It can help your lighting feel more natural by answering the viewer's subconscious question of "where is the light coming from?". You can see the effect it has on the background below.
We then introduced a warm side-key to mimic our "sun" light.
Using different lights on your subject and background gives you control over softness, color, and intensity. We call this "lighting in zones". This way, we can carry over the color of the sun we created in the background while still keeping the light soft and flattering on them. The side-key is highlighted in the image below.
You're creating the belief that there is one unified light source in the scene.
The wrap-key was placed at a cooler color temperature - similar to where the ambient light was sitting at.
Good cinematography is invisible cinematography. Using an ambient colored wrap-key can help a stylized side-key feel more real. It lifts the ambience on your subject and cements them into the world you’ve created.
The step by step evolution of the shot:
Lighting can be very nuanced at times, but using broad, intentional, strokes can help your shots feel more naturalistic and less "lit". Wrapping the key is a great concept to keep in your toolbox for that.
If you like this, consider sharing with a friend! Happy to answer questions about any of this - feel free to shoot me an email at ahmadasaadDP@gmail.com
If you’d like to follow my work, I can be found on Instagram @ahmadasaaddp
