Kicker light

[Malik Sajid]

Can any one please explain kicker?

Say for a CU, is it the splash hitting on a small area of cheak and under the eyes?

 

 

Do we really need a kicker?

And do we do it for character/faces only???

 

Please put images if any one can............i'll grateful

[timHealy]

A kicker is a backlight that tries to separate the foreground object or an actor from the background.

 

Best

 

Tim

[Chad Stockfleth]

I would add that a kicker is usually more from the side then directly behind the person.

 

Here is an example of what I would call a kicker:

 

As far as whether or not you NEED it, that's up to you.

[william koon]

I would add that a kicker is usually more from the side then directly behind the person.

 

Here is an example of what I would call a kicker:

 

As far as whether or not you NEED it, that's up to you.

I would like to think that it is very important as it brings out shape and dimension. As for my practice, I will make sure that I place kicker for the subject even it is difficult to place the light sometimes.

[Chris Keth]

It's certainly not something I would ALWAYS do. That would get boring. A lot of the time though, it can have a great look. You can do it very subtly as with one tube of a kino or very hard as with a source-4. Sometimes, kickers even have another purpose like highlighting sweat on a person's face or on an object. If you look at commercials for soda and beer, the can very often has a nice kicker on it to highlight the obligatory cool water droplets all over it.

[Malik Sajid]

I would add that a kicker is usually more from the side then directly behind the person.

 

Here is an example of what I would call a kicker:

 

As far as whether or not you NEED it, that's up to you.

 

 

I am not been able to see the picture bro.

if possible please post it

[Malik Sajid]

uh sorry, i see the picture now.......sorry

 

 

Can't i delete or edit my post???

 

 

So what i get is that if u light the subject, and in order to break the flatness a kicker would work fine.

 

That can be motivated as well? right?

[Chris Keth]

Yeah, sure. Like any other light you set, it can be motivated. It doesn't have to be.

[Malik Sajid]

OK, again i am asking this:

do we really need to add a kicker? I think it adds to the image.

 

Another thing: edge light and kicker are same?

[Valerio Sacchetto]

OK, again i am asking this:

do we really need to add a kicker? I think it adds to the image.

 

Another thing: edge light and kicker are same?

 

No to both. You add a kicker when you need one being it for any reason, truthfulness or look.

[Chad Stockfleth]

I tend to think of an Edge Light as something harder and from more directly behind the subject.

 

Ala:

 

Look at the area around her shoulder.

 

Again, as far as whether or not you NEED it, it's up to you. If it is motivated or just looks cool, try it.

[Frank Barrera]

I'm from the school of thought that the kicker creates the edge or rim lighting. That probably gets into semantics. But generally the kicker is from behind and the side, the back light is from behind and high and a hair light is from behind and more from the top. none of these terms indicates whether the source is soft or hard. you can have a soft back with a hard kicker etc. and to answer your question do we need them: no. But usually one or a combination of them can add great dimension to your lighting design.

[Malik Sajid]

generally the kicker is from behind and the side, the back light is from behind and high and a hair light is from behind and more from the top.

 

Frank! that is a good explaintion bro.