Noir Lighting

In this post all be talking about common lighting in the noir genre

First off is low key lighting a theme that is highly common and is associated with noir film this being very low levels of light creating huge shadows and enhancing the sense of mystery.

The low key lighting also serves conceal the identity of the criminals involved allowing us to film them in plain view while keeping the mystery going. It gives the viewer a sense of who the criminal might be while keeping them just at arm's reach and letting them theorise during the film up until the grand reveal.

The other notable method is back lighting which separates the character from the background my allowing the scene to be well lit and keeping the character in complete darkness. This helps to create the same effect as the one I've mentioned above just through different means.

Lighting context and overview:

Small light:

A bare bulb or direct sun, cast strong hard shadow. need to soften them with a diffuser or fill them. For defining figure or looming shadows for spookiness

Big light:

very even lighting and soft shadows but don’t give off much atmosphere. It’s best for shots with high detail and actors.

Direction of light:

Light from head on can give a flat and emotionless feel that can dazzle people

Three quarter light from a 45 degree angle is the normal place to put the light in a traditional lighting set-up:

- Light from directly above tends to make people’s eyes disappear in shadow. light from below can give a feeling of spookiness

- Light from behind can give an outline and mask the features on the face in a contrast to give a air of mystery

Outdoors:

Using daylight with a cloudy sky makes it easier to get even lighting from many angles and getting good shots. Bare sunlight is harder as it casts strong shadows and dazzles the subject.

Indoors:

The same goes for the above but you need to ensure you use the correct bulb for the job. such as LEDs halogen lamps, low energy bulbs and Chinese paper lanterns for an atmospheric shots.

Conclusion:

I would like to use small light to stick to the noir feel of  large shadows and having faces hidden by shadow. Id also like to use indoor lighting to give a feeling of closeness and claustrophobia that is a common theme. I feel that using outdoor lighting would break the feeling of closes darkness.