Thursday, January 15, 2026

BLOG QUESTION ADV: INVERSE SQUARE LAW OF LIGHTING

1. What is the inverse square law of light?
2. How does this affect you when you are lighting a scene? What do you need to keep in mind?

The inverse square law of light is used to calculate the fall-off of a light source as you increase or decrease its distance from the subject. The intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance. For example, if you were to double the distance between the light and a subject, you would have to use the equation (I=1/D^2), which would be I=1/2^2= 1/4. If you want to move a light closer, you will have to flip the equation to calculate the intensity. This rule also applies to audio (the distance between the microphone and the subject). When you are lighting a scene, you can use this rule to fix any lighting complications and to help you figure out what intensity (therefore distance) your light should be at based on the environment and other light sources in the room.

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