Google has created a free tool to help teach stage lighting

Google has launched a free tool to help teach stage lighting. While Google calls their Learning Light an 'interactive studio', it will leave studio photographers feeling a bit disappointed as it is primarily suits stage lighting – as the light positions are fixed and you can't change the modifiers.

Learning Light part of Google's newly released series of AI "experiments" focused on arts and culture.

The tool combines an AI chatbot with a virtual stage, allowing users to learn about different lighting setups and see them in action. The tool is built around four different lessons on the lighting, and you can use it with a variety of well known artworks, such as Edward Hopper's Nighthawks.

Meanwhile, a chatbot guides users through eight short and to the point mini-lessons, each focused on a different aspect of lighting—such as intensity, colour, shape, position, mood, and more.

The tool does have some limitations — you can't change the position of the lights, so you're stuck with the default setup. However, in many lessons, you can move the props around, and change the background image.

Additionally, since the lessons are focused on stage lighting, it lacks accessories photographers would use to modify the light, like softboxes, reflectors or beauty dishes. But, there is still the ability to make changes to lighting angles and intensity. 

Also, rather than allowing open-ended conversations, the chatbot is pretty barebones - only offering a series of preset responses for users to choose from. In fact, the chat bar is completely disabled during the lessons, so there's no way to ask follow-up questions.

That said, you can exit the guide at any time to explore on your own, and despite the limitations, the tool is accessible, easy to use, and of course, free. 

In future, it would great to see a photographers studio version of this with a higher degree of control over the positioning and light modifiers, as well as the use of reflectors.

You can test drive the interactive studio here.