Hello,
I'm currently working on my dissertation project where I'm planning to create a guide on how to light all six skin tones on the Fitzpatrick Skin Tone Scale under the three-point lighting setup, also know as the McCandless System. The original plan was to do the tests myself with six subjects, matching the skin tones of the six on the Fitzpatrick scale however due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this has become impossible. In order to continue with this project I have decided to create this guide with methods I would have taken myself, past experience with lighting and potentially some advice from you on this forum!
Camera-BlackMagic Cinema Camera EF
Lighting Fixture- Tungsten fixture
During the tests, only variables would have been changed in order to find the optimal setting for each skin tone, the lighting setup, lighting fixtures and camera would remain the same. If changing different variables doesn't make a difference and the skin tone doesn't look natural in the images captured, the images would be put into an editing software to essentially "cheat" to see if the skin tone can be truly represented in the image. As a finale for the tests, the lightest and darkest skin toned subjects would have been placed next to each other infront of the same equipment and lighting setup, where only variables would have been changed again to attempt to light both skin tones appropriately within the same frame.
This guide is not only for my dissertation project as I believe it would help any aspiring Cinematographer or DOP working with a variety of talent with different skin tones. Does anyone have any advice on how they would approach lighting the six skin tones presented only using the three-point lighting method and only changing variables such as gels, scrubs, makeup, etc. also what kind of camera and lighting fixture would you use (must be a tungsten fixture). I hope to reference any suggestions made in my dissertation project so I hope that isn't a problem for anyone, if there are any qualms about this please let me know!
Any suggestions/advice would be greatly appreciated on any aspects of the guide, I hope your all keeping safe during this strange time.
Thanks
Sean