How lighting affects camera techniques for moving image

Lighting can translate to an audience member, a certain feel to a shot that the filmmaker wishes to express in order to better communicate the story. This can be done by evoking a certain emotion that can be related to whatever level of intensity the lighting is set to. For example a shot lit with low key lighting is able to convey a dark and spooky tone to the scene, especially if it was a sudden transition from high key to low key. A sudden transition from high key lighting to low key lighting can signify a change in mood as well as the feeling of an upcoming change of events which is about to unfold. This is one of the many examples in which lighting affects camera techniques. There are some lighting settings that can compliment certain shots more that other settings of lighting. For instance soft lighting would compliment textures that were being filmed such as a cheetahs fur in a wildlife documentary, where as intense or high key lighting would make the textures of the object much less obvious and clear giving the shot a much more cleaner and pleasant appearance. According to the 'Digital Video Handbook' by Tom Ang, different styles of lighting in film are used to establish the overall tone. It goes on to explain that "Many musicals and comedies make use of even and steady lighting, which indicates a lightness of content and meaning." It also adds that "In contrast, fantasy and adventure movies make much more use of dramatic side lighting." (Ang, Digital Video Handbook)

The direction of the lighting source in a shot can massively contribute to the narrative of a film. For example if the source of the light is coming from above then it tends to look much more natural and nothing is particularly out of the ordinary. However if the source of the light was emitting from below then it would translate to the audience that something is out of the ordinary/out of place as it has unnatural connotations.