The famous five

How can we compare light shapers with each other? How can we choose the appropriate light source in a specific situation?

These are some of the more important questions that need to be answered if one wishes to work efficiently. The answer is given and demonstrated quite pragmatically by the famous five.

When we wish to realise a picture, we normally have a mood or a light in mind. If we ask ourselves about the famous five criteria, we find, very quickly, which light to use, where and at what distance to place it.

When we only wish to understand a new light, we can detail to ourselves the same famous five criteria. We will understand much better and easier what light can do for us. After all, we don't want the light to tell us what we shall do, we want the light to do what we want!

The coverage

Here, the question is: how is the subject covered when the light is aimed on it. Is the coverage totally even, or does it show a gradation, or even a centerweight?

The answer to this question tells us what we can expect from the light shaper and if we can use it for our purpose.

The photograph shows brightness curves in the background and on the base.

The edge transfer

How is the transition from the lit area to the unlit one?

The answer to this question tells us again what we can expect from the light shaper and if we can use it for our purpose.

This portrait was taken with the marginal light of a Satelite Staro.

The shadow definition

How sharp are the shadows?

Is there a large difference between the shadows caused by objects being close to the background, and the ones caused by objects being further away?

The answer to this question tells us, once more, what we can expect from the light shaper and if we can use it for our purpose. Furthermore it tells us about the size, the shape (rectangular or round) and about the distance to the subject.

Pulso Flooter at about 15 m distance assures that the shadow of the Para remains sharp even at a distance of several meters.

The shadow contrast

How deep are the shadows? Are they pure black, or only just visible?

Here again the answer to this tells us what we can expect from the light shaper and if we can use it for our purpose. Of course, the shadow depth depends not only on the chosen light shaper and the straylight it generates, but as well on the environment of the set.

The dark shadows of this close-up portrait were lighted up discretely with a ring flash.

The highlight

Is the highlight small or large? If larger, is it rectangular or round, even or centerweighted?

The highlight can be considered the most important: it tells us about the shape, the illumination / coverage (in case of a softbox) of the diffuser, the size.

This cutlery picture was taken exclusively with high-lights. Pulsoflexes and normal reflectors with honeycomb grids control the curves on a white plexi plate, which reflects in the cutlery.

Indeed, if we combine these famous five, we can choose deliberately a specific light shaper for our job, we are able to judge if a light shaper which we do not have in our studio is worth having. We know about all the pros and cons of the light shaping tools. With some exercise, we even can "copy" light effects as we are able to understand precisely what happens in a given shot.