How To Set Up Three Point Lighting In Unreal Engine | Professional Lighting For Photo & Video

Introduction

This tutorial will guide you through the process of setting up three-point lighting in Unreal Engine 4 and 5, ensuring your scenes have a professional look suitable for photography and cinematography. By following these steps, you'll learn how to create a balanced lighting setup that enhances your visuals significantly.

Step 1: Understand Three Point Lighting

• What is Three Point Lighting?
  • A lighting technique that uses three different light sources to illuminate a subject effectively.
  • The three lights are:
    • Key Light: The main light source that highlights the subject.
    • Fill Light: A secondary light that softens and reduces shadows created by the key light.
    • Back Light: Positioned behind the subject, it adds depth and separates the subject from the background.

Step 2: Set Up Your Scene and Lighting

1. Create a New Project in Unreal Engine.
2. Add a Subject to your scene that you want to illuminate (e.g., a 3D model).
3. Place Your Lights:
   • Add a Point Light for the Key Light.
     • Adjust its intensity and color to achieve the desired effect.
   • Add a Point Light for the Fill Light.
     • Position it at a 45-degree angle to the subject, opposite the Key Light.
     • Lower the intensity to prevent overpowering the Key Light.
   • Add a Spot Light for the Back Light.
     • Place it behind the subject, aiming towards the back of their head.
     • Adjust the intensity to create a subtle rim effect.

Step 3: Add a Camera

1. Insert a Camera into your scene.
2. Position the Camera:
   • Frame it to capture the subject effectively.
   • Adjust its angle to ensure optimal lighting and composition.

Step 4: Customize Your Lighting

• Adjust Light Properties:
  • Experiment with the intensity, color, and shadows of each light to achieve the desired mood.
  • Use the Light Functions option to create patterns or effects if needed.
• Use Light Channels:
  • This allows you to control which lights affect which objects in your scene, adding more versatility to your setup.

Step 5: Make the Camera Full Screen

• Enter Play Mode to view your scene.
• Adjust the camera settings to ensure it displays in full screen, providing a better overview of your lighting setup.

Step 6: Final Overview

• Review your lighting setup and make any final adjustments.
• Check for any unwanted shadows or highlights and tweak the light positions and settings as necessary.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can successfully set up three-point lighting in Unreal Engine, enhancing the visual quality of your projects. Experiment with different light positions and intensities to find the best look for your scenes. Next, consider exploring additional lighting techniques or integrating post-processing effects to further refine your visuals.