Diffused light focusing method for use in film, television, and photographic media

Abstract

A lighting assembly includes a Fresnel lens disposed at a controllable or predeterminable distance from a diffuse light source. Relatively small cutter cards are disposable between the diffuse light source and the Fresnel lens for generating various shadow effects on a photography, television or film production set. The light assembly enables a soft lighting of foreground subjects, typically actors, with a light intensity that stays relatively constant regardless of the distance of the subjects from the composite light source, specifically the Fresnel lens.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . An artificial lighting assembly, comprising:
 a primary light source;   a diffuser panel;   a first support holding said diffuser panel in spaced relation to said primary light source to provide a secondary light source having a first predetermined light intensity;   at least one microgroove Fresnel lens;   at least one second support, said at least one microgroove Fresnel lens being disposed on the at least one second support, said first support and said second support being disposed at a selected distance from one another so that said diffuser panel is located in an object plane; and   means for generating, in or proximate said object plane, an area of predetermined shape and predetermined size and of a second light intensity different from said first light intensity.   
     
     
         13 . The artificial lighting assembly defined in  claim 12 , wherein the primary light source comprises an array of light emitting diodes, said means for generating including a programmed microprocessor operatively connected to said light emitting diodes for controlling energization thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A kit for use in artificial lighting, comprising:
 a first support for holding a diffuse light source, the diffuse light source comprising an array of light emitting diodes;   at least one Fresnel lens;   at least one second support, said at least one Fresnel lens being disposable on the at least one second support, said first support and said second support being disposable in spaced relation to one another to define a light transmission path from said diffuse light source to said at least one Fresnel lens; and   an electronic controller operatively connected to the array of light emitting diodes and configured to energize the light emitting diodes in a predetermined pattern of light emission including areas of reduced energization or light intensity and areas of greater energization or light intensity, thereby enabling generation of sharp or hard shadows of predetermined shapes on a background panel or wall on a side of a subject opposite the second support and the Fresnel lens.   
     
     
         15 . The kit defined in  claim 14  wherein the light emitting diodes include diodes adapted to emit light of predetermined wavelengths selected to at least reduce chromatic effects. 
     
     
         16 . The artificial lighting assembly defined in  claim 12 , further comprising a mounting structure for holding said first support and said at least one second support, at least one of said first support and said at least one second support being movable relative to said mounting structure so that said first support and said at least one second support are movable relative to one another so that a distance between the diffuse light source and the at least one microgroove Fresnel lens is adjustable. 
     
     
         17 . The artificial lighting assembly defined in  claim 12 , further comprising at least one motor or drive operatively connectable to a respective one of said first support and said at least one second support for shifting said diffuse light source and said at least one microgroove Fresnel lens alternately towards and away from one another. 
     
     
         18 . The artificial lighting assembly defined in  claim 12  wherein the at least one second support is a first optical-element holder, further comprising:
 a second optical-element holder disposable in a predetermined configuration together with the first support and the first optical-element holder; and 
 an additional optical element mountable to the second optical-element holder. 
 
     
     
         19 . The artificial lighting assembly defined in  claim 18  wherein the additional optical element is taken from the group consisting of a lenticular lens and an achromatic laminate lens of positive and negative lens components. 
     
     
         20 . The artificial lighting assembly defined in  claim 12 , further comprising a light shield disposable between the first support and the at least one second support to block light emission in a direction at least partially transverse to a light transmission path. 
     
     
         21 . The artificial lighting assembly defined in  claim 12  wherein said second support includes a bellows made of opaque material. 
     
     
         22 . The artificial lighting assembly defined in  claim 12 , further comprising a vertical support, the first support and the at least one second support being connected to and held by said vertical support, said first support and said at least one second support being disposed on opposite sides of said vertical support. 
     
     
         23 . The artificial lighting assembly defined in  claim 12 , wherein said primary light source is taken from a primary group consisting of (a) an LED array, and (b) a hard or point source together, said diffuser panel being taken from a secondary group consisting of (i) a sheet of paper, (ii) a white polymer film, and (iii) an angled reflector. 
     
     
         24 . The artificial lighting assembly defined in  claim 12 , wherein the means for generating includes a shadow card disposed in juxtaposition to said diffuser panel. 
     
     
         25 . A lighting method for the film and television production industry, comprising:
 providing at least one magnifying optical element and a diffuse light source, the diffuse light source having a sufficiently substantial width and a sufficiently substantial length both extending at least partially transversely to an axis of light propagation from the diffuse light source, so as to enable diffuse or soft lighting of an actor on a photography, film or television production set;   disposing said light source and said at least one magnifying optical element at a first distance from one another on the photography, film or television production set;   disposing said at least one magnifying optical element at a second distance from the actor on the photography, film or television production set and at a third distance from a background panel or surface disposed on a side of said actor at least partially opposite the at least one magnifying optical element;   generating patterns of different light intensity in a vicinity of an emission plane of the diffuse light source;   illuminating said actor with light transmitted from said diffuse light source to said at least one magnifying optical element and from same to said actor; and   simultaneously with the illuminating of said actor, illuminating said background panel with light transmitted from said diffuse light source to said at least one magnifying optical element and from same to said background panel,   said first distance, said second distance and said third distance being selected so that said actor and said background panel are lit by different patterns of light and dark by virtue of the patterns of different light intensity generated in the vicinity of the emission plane of the diffuse light source.   
     
     
         26 . The lighting method defined in  claim 25 , wherein said emission plane is an object plane of said at least one magnifying optical element. 
     
     
         27 . The lighting method defined in  claim 26 , wherein said background panel is located in an image plane of said at least one magnifying optical element. 
     
     
         28 . The lighting method defined in  claim 25  wherein the diffuse light source includes an array of discrete light generating elements and wherein the generating of patterns of different light intensity includes operating a computer to differentially energize or activate said light generating elements. 
     
     
         29 . The lighting method defined in  claim 25  wherein said diffuse light source has an effective lighting emitting area and said at least one magnifying optical element has an effective light transmitting area, said effective light transmitting area being at least twice as great as said effective light emitting area. 
     
     
         30 . The lighting method defined in  claim 25 , further comprising adjusting said first distance by moving at least one of said at least one magnifying optical element and said diffuse light source relative to the other. 
     
     
         31 . The lighting method defined in  claim 25 , further comprising adjusting said third distance by moving both said at least one magnifying optical element and said diffuse light source relative to said background panel or surface.