Lighting is very important, it can be used to direct the eye of the audience, emphasize elements within shots and can control the mood of the production. I am now going to research into different lighting techniques and then decide which ones will be most appropriate for my documentary.

Hard Light – Hard light is used to create hard-edged shadows; it is not usually the most flattering light for people so it is often used to accentuate the flaws in certain characters faces, characters such as villains or characters that are not supposed to be viewed as desirable.

Soft Light - Soft lighting is used to create soft edged shadows and is essentially the opposite of hard light. Soft light usually makes people look their best so it is generally used for less villainous characters and for when people need to look their best.

High Key Lighting – High key lighting is lighting that is very bright and has little contrast. It is created by setting the camera on a high exposure and It is used to convey positive moods and emotions along with a sense of happiness. 

Low Key Lighting – Low key lighting has a great deal of contrast and generally only has a bright light illuminating the rim of the subject, as shown by the blinds in the image below. The rest of the lighting is dark shadows and low lights which creates the contrast.

In the context of making my documentary, I think there will only be certain scenes where using special lighting techniques will be appropriate, mainly the car crash reenactment scenes as I feel in other areas my audience would expect the documentary to reflect the appearance of real life as much as possible.