Design Nomenclature / Light & Optics
Three-point lighting
Also called three-point setup, key-fill-back
- Light & Optics
- Composition
- 2D & 3D
This entry has not been translated yet and is shown in English.
The teaching setup: key to model the form, fill to control the shadow ratio, back light to separate subject from ground. It is a pedagogical scaffold rather than a rule — it names three roles clearly, which is why it outlives the point at which anyone literally uses three lamps.
In practice
Cited far more often than used. Most real setups have one considered key and whatever else the room happens to give back.