Cove Lighting Contrast Ratio

[BlacksheepPictures]

Hello, let’s say you use 2 lights with unbleached muslin. do you have a “basic” contrast ratio? i work with the el zone system, how much darker should the shadowside be in stops? thanks

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[michaelglantzis]

This is my first time replying on the forums here- but I think I can answer this question.

The contrast ratio should be whatever dramatically serves the story. Sometimes it makes sense to have high contrast between the key side and the fill side because you want the scene to feel dramatic. Sometimes it makes sense to have a low contrast ratio because you want the scene to be less dramatic. Basically it all comes down to the idea that high contrast ratios hide details about the scene. On a psychological level, not being able to see things communicates a sense of unease.

Of course, this all can change depending on the context of the scene. You probably wouldn’t use a high contrast ratio to light a scene where a mother cries over the kitchen sink and finally accepts the tragic death of her child. Yes this scene is very dramatic, but it wouldn’t be appropriate to have such high contrast for such a tender moment- plus it likely wouldn’t be motivated by the environment.

All this being said, it really just depends on what you’re trying to do with the scene. If instead we had a similar scene, but the mother was spiraling into depression, a higher contrast ratio might make sense. Contrast ratios are not a technical challenge we give ourselves for the sake of doing something technical- they’re a tool we use to creatively use light to tell the story. (And in this instance, to keep lighting continuity through a scene)

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