Lighting for Portraits

1. Broad Lighting

   • In portrait photography, broad lighting refers to a technique that corrects facial flaws by deemphasizing features. In broad lighting, the main light showcases the facial features that are turned toward the camera. This technique is most commonly used to make a narrow face appear wider. Typically, the nose faces away from the light source, casting a shadow on the short side of the face (the side that is less visible to the camera) rather than the broad side.

   Short Lighting

   • When the person photographed has a round face, use short or narrow lighting to make it appear more slender. Often used in low-key portraiture, the main light enhances the side of the face that is farther from the camera. Short lighting also suits photographers who wish to emphasize the curves of the subject's face.

   Rembrandt Lighting

   • Named after the painter, Rembrandt lighting is a type of short lighting that mimics the painter's way of creating light and shadow when painting portraits. In this case, the subject's nose casts a shadow on the broader side of the subject's face. The shadow cast by the nose joins the shadow on the cheek to create a triangle-shaped spot of illumination.

   Butterfly Lighting

   • Use butterfly lighting to create a glamorous effect when photographing women. The main light illuminates the subject's entire face, casting a shadow below the chin that is parallel to the subject's nose. Often used when photographing subjects with oval-shaped faces, butterfly lighting emphasizes the ears.

   Split Lighting

   • Use split lighting to highlight half of the subject's face. Typically used in broad, short and Rembrandt lighting, split lighting requires that the main light sit to the far right or left of the person being photographed.