MediaArtTutorials

Blender Tutorials

Home

---

💡 Lighting & 🎥 Camera

Time: 40 min

---

🎯 Objective

Learn how to set up lighting and a camera in Blender to create a mood or focus attention in your scene. Experiment with color, strength, and angle to change how your scene feels.

🔧 Tools You’ll Use

Tool / Feature	Shortcut / Location	Purpose / Use
Add Light	Shift + A → Light	Add Point, Sun, Area, or Spot lights
Move / Rotate	G, R	Position lights and cameras
Rendered View	Z → Rendered	Preview lighting in real-time
Light Settings	Light Properties Tab (💡 icon)	Adjust strength, color, softness
Add Camera	Shift + A → Camera	Add a camera to your scene
Look Through Camera	Numpad 0	Switch to camera view
Lock Camera to View	N → View → Lock Camera to View	Move the camera using viewport navigation
Camera Settings	Camera Properties Tab (📷 icon)	Adjust focal length, depth of field, and other options
Save Your Work	File → Save	Keep progress safe; use clear filenames

---

Add Lighting

Step 1: Add a Light

• Shift + A → Light
• Choose from:
  • Point – Emits light from one spot in all directions
  • Sun – Mimics sunlight, great for outdoor scenes
  • Area – Soft, rectangular light source (good for studio or room lighting)
  • Spot – Cone-shaped light (useful for dramatic or focused light)

Step 2: Position the Light

• Use G to move, R to rotate

Step 3: Adjust Light Settings

• In the Light Properties tab (green lightbulb icon):
  • Change Strength to make it brighter or dimmer
  • Pick a Color to set mood
  • Adjust Size (Area Light) or Angle (Sun Light) for softness

Step 4: Preview the Lighting

• Z → Rendered OR click the shaded ball in the top-right viewport corner
• Switch to Rendered View to see how the light affects your scene

---

💡 Lighting Preset Ideas

Style/Setting	Setup Tips
🌞 Sunny Day	Use Sun Light with slight yellow tint, medium strength, soft shadows
💡 Cozy Room	Use Area Light near the ceiling + Point Light near objects
🎭 Dramatic	Use Spot Light from the side, high contrast, colored rim light
🧪 Sci-Fi/Neon	Use colored Point Lights (blue, green, pink), low ambient light
🌫️ Foggy/Moody	Use Sun Light with grayish color, soft shadows, low intensity
🎬 3-Point Studio	Use Key Light, Fill Light, and Back Light with Area or Spot

---

Tutorials

---

🎥 Add a Camera

Step 1: Add and Position

• Shift + A → Camera
• Use G to move, R to rotate
• Press Numpad 0 to look through the camera
• Use G and R in Camera View to reframe the shot
• ⚠️ For now, we’re only working with still cameras. Don’t animate your camera yet.

Step 2: Lock Camera to View (Optional)

• Press N → View → Check Lock Camera to View
• Now navigate in viewport to position your shot

Step 3: Change Camera Settings

• Select camera → Camera Properties tab
  • Adjust Focal Length for wide/zoomed view
  • Choose Depth of Field to blur background (optional)

---

📸 Camera Preset Ideas

Camera Type	Description & Use
👁️ Over-the-Shoulder	Great for storytelling; place camera behind character
🐜 Low Angle	Camera placed near the ground, looking up — makes subject feel powerful
🛰️ Top Down (Bird’s Eye)	Use for maps, layouts, or god-like perspective
🪟 Framed View	Position camera through a window or doorway for visual framing
🤖 Dolly/Tracking Shot	Animate camera moving beside a character or object
🎬 Close-Up	Zoom in on a face, detail, or emotion; tight framing with shallow depth
🌍 Wide Shot	Show the whole environment; helps with mood and scale

---

Tutorials

Learn how to have two views at the same time

Learn more about the Camera settings - ⚠️ Watch it only until 9:16

---

💾 Save Your Work

• File → Save
• Filename: YourName_SceneLights.blend
• Save to USB or class folder

---

📝 Reflection

What kind of mood or feeling do your lighting and camera choices create?
→ Write down 1–2 words: (e.g., “dreamy,” “mysterious,” “playful,” “cinematic”)