Theory and Practice of Photographic Lighting
Теорія та практика фотоосвітлення
See, analyse, and build light for photo and video: physics of light, modifiers, classic portrait schemes, product, OCF on location, interview setups, and creative colour/gels — ending in a defended portfolio.
Бачити, аналізувати й будувати світло для фото й відео: фізика світла, модифікатори, класичні портретні схеми, предметка, OCF на локації, інтерв’ю, креативний колір/гелі — з захистом портфоліо.
The course’s open guide with diagrams of all base schemes — “Lighting Schemes for Photo and Video”
02 · Visual schema
Toggle KEY / FILL / RIM · крути інтенсивність
Toggle KEY / FILL / RIM · крути інтенсивність
- 1 semester · 120 h (10 lectures, 26 practicals, portfolio defence)
- UK
BA year 2, Photographic Art and Videography — students ready for studio and location lighting for stills and short video.
04 · Course path
- See light
- Key
- Fill / rim
- Modifiers
- Shoot
- Portfolio
05 · Module map
01–0401
Physics & build
Sources, modifiers, ratios
05–0602
Portrait & product
Rembrandt → glass / metal
07–0803
Location & video
OCF, mixed light, interview
09–1004
Creative & defence
Gels, RGB, portfolio
06 · What you'll learn
Analyse natural and artificial light and choose sources and modifiers consciously
Build one-, two-, and three-point setups with controlled lighting ratios
Shoot classic portrait schemes (Rembrandt, loop, split, butterfly) and product (glass, metal)
Work mixed light on location (OCF, CTS/CTB) and light for video interview
Deliver a portfolio series (5–7 stills + 30–60 s video) with documented lighting diagrams
Weeks 1–2 — Physics of light and sources
Weeks 3–4 — Studio modifiers (hard/soft)
Weeks 5–6 — Building artificial light and ratios
Weeks 7–8 — Classic portrait schemes
Weeks 9–10 — Product: matte, glass, metal
Weeks 11–12 — Location OCF and mixed light
Weeks 13–14 — Lighting for video interview
Weeks 15–16 — Creative gels, RGB, haze
Weeks 17–18 — Portfolio shoot and public defence
Syllabus: module structure
120 hours: ten lectures, twenty-six practicals and a public portfolio defence. The first half of the semester trains the hands (modifiers, ratios, classic schemes), the second applies them to product work, location, interviews and creative tasks.
| Weeks | Content |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | physics of light and sources |
| 3–4 | studio modifiers (hard/soft) |
| 5–6 | building artificial light and ratios |
| 7–8 | classic portrait schemes |
| 9–10 | product work: matte, glass, metal |
| 11–12 | location OCF and mixed light |
| 13–14 | lighting for video interview |
| 15–16 | creative gels, RGB, haze |
| 17–18 | portfolio shoot and public defence |
Assessment and tools
The core assessment form is the portfolio: in the final weeks the student shoots a series demonstrating different schemes from the course (portrait, product, interview, OCF) and defends it publicly, explaining the placement of lights and the lighting ratios. Practical sessions are graded weekly — on the result in the frame, not on effort.
The tools are the academy studio’s lights and modifiers (softboxes, umbrellas, reflectors), off-camera flashes for OCF, and colour gels and RGB sources for the creative block. The course follows the open lighting schemes guide — it can be read before classes begin.
Instructor
The instructor is Sasha Poberailo, a filmmaker and researcher of interactive cinema, lecturer at the Kharkiv State Academy of Culture (more about the author).