09.05.13 Let there be light, sorta

So started trying to get the lighting sorted properly for the flat. It can't be too bright because it has to generate a feeling of oppressiveness and depression, but it has to be bright enough so that you can actually see the colours and props and assets which all come together to really showcase the depressed, drug dependent state of mind of the impoverished character who lives here.

First I made a tiled splashback for the kitchen area, since I realised it looked pretty odd without one.

The lighting so far is pretty dark. The only real light sources in the scene will be the light coming from the ceiling light above the kitchen area, and the light cast from the TV screen. As it's set during the day (since Jeremy Kyle will be on the TV) I'll need to have a bit of daylight around the drawn down blinds at the window.

Started trying out different lighting techniques around the kitchen area.

Using point lights, and a volume light dropoff from the living room area. Wayy too dark. You can't even see the surfaces properly

And again.

Switched to using a SpotLight. The falloff is too far and looks weird.

Again with both lights.

This lighting looks a bit better with 2 spotlamps. Too bright though.

Increased the penumbra angle to get a softer edge on the lights. Got a third spotlamp in the middle there, though I originally wanted only two to create the effect that the middle bulb had blown out and hadn't been replaced. However, reducing the intensity of the middle spotlamp can still make it look like one of the bulbs has blown out, without having to sacrifice lighting on the surface space, which is a bonus. It's still a bit too bright though.

I think this is looking better. It's dark enough to look pretty dim, dingy and depressing, but light enough to show the props on the surfaces. The dirt on the wall shows up pretty well with this lighting setup too.