top of page

Why Lighting Matters

  • Writer: Horizen
    Horizen
  • Sep 7
  • 2 min read

Updated: Sep 10

We recently filmed an interview with one of our clients inside a busy coffee shop. The space had a beautiful wall of windows with tons of natural light pouring in. Great for a latte, but not so great for an interview.


Why?


Because cameras don’t see light the way our eyes do. To the lens, that big bright wall of windows was overwhelming. If we didn’t balance it properly, our subjects would end up looking dark, flat, and washed out.


A man and woman sit in a dimly lit room holding hands and smiling. There are plants and framed photos on the wall in the background.
Before: Natural Light Only.

So we brought in three lights:


One for the background to even out the exposure and give the room a sense of depth.


A key light for the main subject, shaping their face and giving the scene direction.


A fill light to soften the shadows and keep the look natural.


A man in a plaid shirt and a woman in a light cardigan sit, smiling and holding hands in a bright room with plants and framed pictures.
After: All 3 lights properly positioned and activated.

To demonstrate, we started with all three lights on. Then, one by one, we turned them off. First the fill, then the key, then the background. The result? Every step made the image look flatter, less dimensional, and less professional. By the time all the lights were off, it looked like an average video call, not something you’d want representing your brand.



This is the difference between just filming something and crafting a scene. Lighting isn’t decoration, it’s design. It’s how we take a challenging location and make it look cinematic, polished, and professional.


That’s why we take lighting so seriously. Because when your story deserves to shine, we want to make we do everything possible to ensure that it does.



Let’s create something extraordinary together.


Connect with Horizen


Featured Collaborators


Start Your Project


bottom of page