Before anything is lit, here’s the question: what kind of feeling lives in this scene? That early choice sets the tone. It shapes how the image breathes, and how it stays consistent across scenes.

Lighting ratio isn’t just about key:fill. each light plays a role in shaping the space: K:F:BL:BG. Their differences create a rhythm, a pattern your eye begins to recognize.

After I started using the lightmeter, it immediately stopped being just a technical tool. It became a way to track choices and read what my eye had already decided. Those numbers reflect patterns I’ve built, ratios I’ve returned to over time.

They guide the tone before the frame exists. When the ratios are right, the tone feels grounded and clear. That’s how continuity holds, and how the light begins to speak.