I absolutely love soft lighting. By default, in any lighting situation, I would diffuse any light source as much as I can, up until you start losing quality in the image due to lack of light. I also prefer to light a scene based on how it should be as it reflects on real life, rather than always opt for a traditional 3-point lighting set up that, without fail, makes subjects look flattering. Most subjects in classic Hollywood films are lit as though there was the heavenly light shone upon them, and virtually no shadows on their faces. The background is well lit to give it clarity and separation from the subjects, but none of it feels natural. Hard lighting was also predominantly used in this classic era over soft lighting. However the case for hard lighting was due to limitations in camera technology rather than being a preference over soft lighting. Compared to cinematography today, we see a transition from the classic Hollywood 3-point lighting; where everything is well lit and glamorous, to a much more practical use of lighting; where darkness is embraced much more than ever before.  Taking scenes from “The Philadelphia Story”, a classic Hollywood film from 1940, and “Eyes Wide Shut”, a relatively more progressive film that was made in 1999.

“The Philadelphia Story” contained a consistent lighting set up that was very representative of the time. This, of course, was the three-point lighting set up. The actors in the scene were beautifully lit with extra lights used to light up sparkly parts of a costume if necessary. Despite the actors looking fantastic, the lighting itself did not feel natural. The reason for this was because the lighting did not match up with what was in the scene. There are no real visible light sources to justify the faces of actors being lit.  If we observe this scene in the film which is inside a room, everything is well lit with no visible shadows. Is it not strange that two characters who are facing toward each other, still manage to be well lit? The reason could be that this was the default lighting set up because low light capabilities of cameras were shocking at the time; and therefore everything just to be lit in order to achieve an exposure?

In stark contrast we observe a different kind of lighting set up in “Eye’s wide shut”. The way the scene is lit in this jazz club scene, feels as though this is how we would actually see it in real life. Here the lighting is softer, and the intensities of light in the different areas of the scene are appropriately lit in correspondence to the light source.

We still use the classic 3-point lighting set up till this day, and there is nothing wrong with it. This technique that was widely use amongst many classic Hollywood films paved the way for the new era of lighting, which is practical lighting. I find myself gear towards practical lighting in my own film making, but I am not shy to opt for a three-point set up if I feel like it would be appropriate for an occasion.