Continuous lighting

This is photographic lighting which is, as the name suggests, on all the time. This is in contrast to flash, which fires in a very brief, bright burst at the moment the camera shutter opens. Continuous lighting is used for movie-making and video, and it’s also popular amongst photographers who prefer to see the light ‘live’ rather than checking the results of a flash exposure after it’s been taken.

With the increased sensitivity of modern camera sensors, and the increasing number of fast prime lenses on sale, continuous lighting is making a comeback even in stills photography, aided by advances in the power and efficiency of LED lighting.