One of the most important things that I learned this semester was the importance of light to set the mood. High-key light usually has a tendency to be cheerful and bright whereas low-key can be more serious. Broad light is not necessarily cheerful, but it is more so than short light which, like low-key lighting, is more serious in nature. A good example we saw in class was a photo of Al Pacino cast in shadow with short lighting, and then another of a German Director in high-key lighting.
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Another important concept I learned is that exposure is the intensity x time or the aperture x shutter speed. The exposure is a combination of the brightness of light that reaches the film and the length of time that the light strikes the lens. The shutter speed is the length of time that the shutter is open and the aperture is how wide the lens is.
Aperture x Shutter Speed = Exposure
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Lastly, I learned the importance of depth of field, and understanding when extensive/shallow is appropriate. The smaller the aperture size, the thicker the depth of field, and the wider the lens.
v Aperture size: ^ Distance: ^ Wide Lens
