This studio lighting study was an internal exploration focused on building a clean, high-contrast setup from scratch. Soft lighting was used to bring out the car’s form, balanced with targeted spotlights to add punch. The latter introduced a set of challenges: while crucial for reacting with the metallic paint, the intense, concentrated highlights caused artifacts that can be unflattering in animation. Special care was taken to minimize the seam and lighting break between the floor and back wall, while preserving tonal consistency across the frame.

The final result is a controlled studio environment where the lighting does the work, while requiring minimal amount of post-production.