'Lighting blog tasks


Here’s an analysis of all 11 images with respect to lighting:


Image 1:  

  

   

1.Low-key lighting: There are sharp contrasts between light and shadow on the face, creating a dark, intense mood.

2.Backlighting: The smoke is highlighted from behind, making it stand out, while the face remains partially in shadow.

3.Effect: The backlighting creates a mysterious and enigmatic atmosphere, with the smoke adding to the sense of intrigue.


Image 2:

E:\My docs\My Pictures\Film Stills\Annex%20-%20Dietrich,%20Marlene%20(Shanghai%20Express)_03.jpg

1.Low-key lighting: The lighting is focused on the face, leaving the background dark and shadowy.

2.Top lighting: The light source is coming from above, casting shadows below the cheekbones and emphasizing facial features.

3.Effect: This gives the subject a dramatic, intense look, emphasizing their expression and creating a sense of tension or fear.


Image 3:

E:\My docs\My Pictures\Film Stills\macbeth_rgb.jpg


1.Low-key lighting: The light focuses on the subject’s face while the rest of the image is dark, creating a stark contrast.

2.Top lighting: The light is directed from above, illuminating the subject’s face and crown.

3.Effect: The lighting makes the subject appear regal, authoritative, and a bit menacing, emphasizing the power dynamics.


Image 4:

E:\My docs\My Pictures\Film Stills\Sin_City_005.jpg_cmyk.jpg

1.Low-key lighting: Dark shadows dominate, with only parts of the subject highlighted.

2.Backlighting: The subject is lit from behind, casting their front in shadow and creating a silhouette.

3.Effect: The backlighting gives a sense of isolation and mystery, suggesting danger or suspense.


Image 5:

E:\My docs\My Pictures\Film Stills\Psycho_1.jpg

1.Low-key lighting: The image is full of shadows, with rain reflecting the light, adding to the dark atmosphere.

2.Top and side lighting: The light comes from above and the side, illuminating the subject’s face but leaving other parts in shadow.

3.Effect: This lighting emphasizes the noir style, giving the scene a tense, lonely, and mysterious feeling, characteristic of film noir.


Image 6:

E:\My docs\My Pictures\Film Stills\18631_Bladerunner-4.jpg

1.Low-key lighting: Strong shadows dominate, with only the characters’ faces and some background light.

2.Side lighting: The light seems to come from the side, casting shadows on the characters’ faces and the wall behind.

3.Effect: This gives the scene a romantic and intense mood, highlighting the tension and intimacy between the characters.


Image 7:

E:\My docs\My Pictures\Film Stills\clockwork1.jpg


1.Low-key lighting: The image is mostly dark, with just enough light to outline the figures.

2.Backlighting: The light is placed behind the subjects, making them silhouettes.

3.Effect: This creates a sense of mystery and foreboding, making the figures appear ominous and detached.


Image 8:

E:\My docs\My Pictures\Film Stills\chienandolou1_cmyk.jpg

1.Low-key lighting: The scene is dark, with only parts of the subject’s face lit.

2.Side lighting: The light source appears to be from the side, casting deep shadows across the face.

3.Effect: The lighting gives a sense of vulnerability and fear, with the shadows adding to the character’s sense of unease.


Image 9:

E:\My docs\My Pictures\Film Stills\Joanofarc1.jpg

1.High-key lighting: The subject is brightly lit, with little contrast between light and shadow.

2.Under lighting: The light appears to come from below, highlighting the face in an unnatural way.

3.Effect: The underlighting creates a sense of eeriness and unease, intensifying the subject’s expression of prayer or distress.


Image 10:

E:\My docs\My Pictures\Film Stills\H_003_rgb.jpg

1.Low-key lighting: There’s a lot of darkness, with the subject partially illuminated.

2.Side lighting: The light comes from the side, casting shadows and light on parts of the characters.

3.Effect: The lighting creates tension and suspense, adding a dramatic feel to the scene, while also hinting at danger.


Image 11:


1.High-key liE:\My docs\My Pictures\Film Stills\double.jpgghting: The image is brightly lit with few shadows, giving it a clear, optimistic look.

2.Top lighting: The light comes from above, evenly illuminating both characters.

3.Effect: The high-key lighting creates a more neutral and calm atmosphere, emphasizing romance or partnership between the characters.


In summary:

•Low-key lighting dominates, often creating shadows and moodiness to enhance drama, tension, or mystery. High-key lighting is used more sparingly to create a sense of openness or romantic clarity.

•Backlighting and top lighting are frequently used to emphasize power, authority, or fear, while under lighting is used sparingly to create an unsettling effect.

•The lighting in these images significantly contributes to the mood, helping to create feelings of mystery, suspense, tension, or intimacy, depending on the shot.


 2) Film noir research 

•Film Noir emerged in the 1940s and 1950s, with roots in German Expressionism and American crime fiction.

•The genre is defined by its moody, cynical atmosphere, often focusing on crime, moral ambiguity, and dark human emotions.

•Common themes: betrayal, fatalism, existentialism, corruption, and doomed love.

•Character archetypes: detectives, femme fatales, corrupt officials, and morally complex protagonists.


•Low-key lighting is the most distinctive visual feature, creating high contrast and deep shadows.


•This lighting technique uses minimal key light and a strong emphasis on shadows.

•Chiaroscuro lighting (Italian for light-dark contrast) creates dramatic intensity through stark contrasts between light and shadow.

•This often accentuates the moral ambiguity or psychological tension in the scene.

•Hard lighting casts strong, well-defined shadows that emphasize the gritty, harsh reality of the story.

•Venetian blind shadows (slatted light) are a common motif, symbolizing entrapment, confinement, or surveillance.

•Silhouettes and backlighting are frequently used to obscure faces or details, highlighting mystery and deception.

•Extreme lighting angles often cast shadows on characters’ faces, enhancing their moral ambiguity or duality.

•Street lighting is another frequent element, casting long shadows that contribute to the feeling of isolation or danger.

•Nighttime settings with artificial lighting (street lamps, neon signs) are common, contributing to a sense of urban alienation.

•Expressionistic lighting is used to convey characters’ internal turmoil or psychological instability, often by casting disorienting shadows or harsh light.

•Flashlights or singular light sources are often used to focus attention, adding tension by leaving much of the frame in darkness.


3) Film noir YouTube clip analysis  { https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCx1zPhXD7g }

 A great example is the famous scene from "Double Indemnity" (1944), particularly the moment when Walter Neff and Phyllis Dietrichson discuss their plot.

  • Chiaroscuro Effects: The clip prominently features strong contrasts between light and shadow, enhancing the dramatic tension between the characters.
  • Low-Key Lighting: The dimly lit settings contribute to a sense of foreboding, reflecting the characters' hidden agendas and moral ambiguity.
  • Shadow Play: Shadows are used effectively to create an oppressive atmosphere, symbolising the characters' secrets and the dark themes of betrayal.
  • Venetian Blinds: Light filtering through blinds creates striking patterns, emphasising confinement and entrapment, both physically and emotionally.
  • High Contrast: Key moments are illuminated sharply, drawing the viewer’s attention to significant dialogue and character expressions.

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