If you had to shoot a scene in absolute void — how would you approach lighting and texture?
Soft cosmic glow or deep shadow contrast?
Cinematography : How Do You Light Nothingness? by Amir Sadeghi
Other topics in Cinematography:
Check out Trending Discussions
Register / Log In
2 people like this
What about a mix of soft cosmic glow and deep shadow contrast, Amir Sadeghi?
1 person likes this
I'd light it like Stanly Kubrick did 2001, absolutely no diffusion, radiosity in space - the void. Shadows would be absolute.
1 person likes this
It kind of depends on what you are looking for, Scientifically correct is just a black void. If it doesn't have to be completely black you might do something like my image attached. It is intended to give the feeling of desolation but also give the feeling of distance.
Maurice Vaughan
I love that idea, Maurice.
A mix feels honest.
Soft cosmic glow for presence…
Deep shadow for mystery.
The void shouldn’t feel empty.
It should feel aware.
Like something is there…
but not fully revealed yet.
That’s powerful Morgan Aitken,
Kubrick-style lighting would make the void feel clinical and infinite at the same time.
No diffusion. No comfort. Just pure existence.
Absolute shadows would emphasize isolation.
Almost like light itself is struggling to survive in the darkness.
That tension really fits the emotional weight of pre-creation.
You’re right David Alan Kleve
Scientifically, a true void is pure black.
But emotionally, cinema needs texture.
I like your idea of subtle depth—
not fully lit, but not flat either.
Desolation with distance.
Space that feels endless… yet personal.
For this story, the void isn’t just physics.
It’s psychological.
It really comes down to emotion first — is the void peaceful or unsettling?
Soft cosmic/infinite
Very low contrast
Gentle back or rim light to separate the subject
A few tiny out-of-focus points for depth (“stars”)
Light haze for subtle dimensionality
Keep faces readable with a faint eye light
Dark/tense/graphic
One hard key + tight rim, almost no fill
Heavy negative fill and flags to keep blacks black
Small controlled highlights (snoots/gobos) for texture
Slight underexposure to protect contrast
Universal rule: don’t light the space — light the edges. A couple of motivated highlights will sell infinity better than revealing anything.