Television lighting techniques have evolved over the years, pushed by advances in camera technology and viewers’ discerning eyes. Much as our studio sets have had to become more realistic, the broad strokes of lighting have been refined to encompass the more subtle nuances that are visible now. As image resolution has increased, the adage “close enough for television” no longer holds true. Television is still a “closeup” medium, but those tight shots are now larger than life and extremely detailed.
The skin-pore-revealing detail of the medium is something that every news anchor over 30 is keenly aware of, particularly as their own smile lines begin to appear. As a result, most on-camera talent understand the value of good lighting (along with the importance of makeup and even camera shading).
