Key light

Hoofdlicht · Light

The dominant light source in a shot, which defines the main form and shadows.

The key light is the "director": it sets the direction and character of your lighting. All other light sources (fill, background) support it. Window light is the most common key light for portrait work: large, soft and easy to position.

Tools that help with this:

Golden Hour & Blue Hour Indicative Light Meter

← Back to the photography glossary