Chiaroscuro
An art technique that uses strong contrast between light and shadow to give forms depth and weight. The word is Italian for "light-dark". In film it is used for images with this kind of strong contrast. The most extreme form, where the background is almost black and only part of the person catches the light, is called tenebrism.
How it feels
- Painterly
- Dramatic
- Weight
- Psychological depth
- Mystery
- Classical
When to use it
- Crime dramas
- Period pieces
- Religious or painting-like scenes
- A room lit by a single candle or lamp
In the movies
The Godfather 1972
The American Society of Cinematographers (ASC) remembers cinematographer Gordon Willis for the "dark chiaroscuro" he brought to the Godfather trilogy. The office scene at the opening of the first film uses overhead lighting to leave darkness around the characters.
Not to be confused with
- Low-key
- Low-key is the name of a film lighting style; chiaroscuro is a name for light-dark contrast that comes from art. The results look similar.
- Rembrandt Lighting
- Rembrandt lighting is the name of a face pattern, the triangle of light on the cheek. The painter Rembrandt was a master of chiaroscuro, but the two words work on different levels.
- Tenebrism
- The extreme form of chiaroscuro. The background is almost black and only part of the person catches the light.
Prompt
chiaroscuro lighting
Chiaroscuro lighting. A single warm light picks the face out of deep darkness, like a Baroque painting.
Try these combinations
Medium close-up + chiaroscuro: a letter by candlelight
Medium close-up, chiaroscuro lighting, a single candle, an old man reading a letter, Baroque painting style
Close-up + deep contrast: a noir boss
Close-up, film noir style with deep shadows and stark highlights, a mob boss in his dark office