Definition: Open Face Light; Undiffused Light; Open Light

Definition: Open Face Light; Undiffused Light; Open Light  | Glossary entry

Open Face Light; Un-diffused Light; Open Light

The term ‘open face’ is not a clear or well defined idea. However, it is used as a way to express the lack of interfering diffusion screen or reflector. An open faced light is by definition a Hard Light without any specific means to focus it.

A hard light is created by a small source and one that is undiffused in any way. An open faced light is therefore one that often does not have any protection between the light source and the open air. Be aware of the obvious safety issue in this case.

It may sound strange, but an open faced light may actually have a lens in front of it. Lights that have to create a very hard light sometimes have focusing lenses. This should make them closed face, but because the light is very hard and the lens is there to concentrate the light people often use the term ‘open face light’ to denote the class of light – hard.

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