whats a "kicker" light

AshleyC

AshleyC

Suspended / Banned
Messages
2,956
Name
...
Edit My Images
No
Im just reading through a book detailing how the old 30's and 40's hollywood stars photos were taken and in the setup's they talk of a "kicker" light but dont really explain what it is.

There are no flashes involved in any of the setups and in the writeups of the lighting setup it seems to be a slightly higher powered fill light, no softening at all, just a bare light. Just wondering if anyone else could put a better explaination of it?
 
Kicker light is a separation light I believe? They can be quite hard light, usually placed at the back or back and to the side of the subject.

I'm sure someone else with more knowledge will come a long and explain much better than me (or even correct me!) :)
 
wikipedia is your freind

The "fourth light" in three point lighting, a kicker is a small light, often made directional or limited in coverage through the use of a snoot, umbrella, or softbox that adds a bright edge light on the fill light side of the subject's face, usually just enough to establish the jaw line or edge of an ear. The kicker should thus be a bit brighter than the fill light, but not so bright it over fills the off side of the face; the placement and brightness of a kicker is a matter of taste and technique. Many portraitists choose not to use a kicker and settle for the three main lights of the standard plans. It may thus also be considered an accessory light
Click to expand...
 
A 'kicker' is just a light that adds a bit of a kick.
In the Wikipedia example it's on the face, but it doesn't need to be, it's just a light that adds a bit of psazz, also known as an accent light or an effect light.
 
I'd generally use kicker to ean any light that's coming towards the camera as opposed to away from it. Unless it had a more specific name like hair light.

But only in the sense of "hmm, this needs a bit more kick - can you whack a kicker on that cheek at like 10 degrees?"

There would then be a lively debate about whether that's 10 degrees towards camera or away from it.....

Very occasionally I'd mean a light coming up from the front (because lastolite call the mod that does that a kicker).
 
cheers peeps. Too many names for the same thing really :D in examples where one is used it defenitly gives a light line around the edge of a face. I guess theres just a lot of fiddling to get the angle perfect for that effect.

"wikipedia is your freind"
well yes, but this place is friendlier :)
 
weren't kicker lights, the lights at the front of a stage usually just normal bulbs in a half housing often looking like shells
 
Iwallace said:
I thought it was called a kicker because of its placement and that's what you ended up doing to it...
I believe it's also known as Rembrandt lighting.
Click to expand...

Rembrant lighting has more specific requirements than a kicker. True it involves a light or reflector to one side of your subject but it needs precise alignment to be true rembrant
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top