Portrait Lighting in Photography

The key to great portrait photography is understanding portrait lighting. You never know what inspires a new photographer to take up the camera for life. For those drawn to portraiture, they may have come across or, by accident, take a stunning image that captivated their imagination. But… they didn’t know why. 

If you want to capture flattering portraits, then you must master lighting. Fortunately, this is pretty easy, thanks to lighting patterns – that is, simple portrait lighting setups you can consistently use for nice-looking images.

In fact, portrait lighting patterns are great for beginners and advanced shooters alike. 

One Light Portrait Lighting Patterns

1. Split Lighting

The Look:

• A light that splits the face exactly in half, with half the face well lit and half the face in shadow.
• The second eye may or may not have a catch light.

The Setup:

• Place the light at the subject’s side, about at face height. The light should only reach one side of the face, leaving the other side dark.
• Since this lighting pattern is more dramatic, the light can be farther away, with or without a diffuser.

When to Use It:

• Split lighting is excellent for creating dramatic, moody images.
• The light is less forgiving to skin imperfections. And the more dramatic look tends to work better with a serious expression than a grin.

2. One Light Rembrandt

The Look:

• You can identify Rembrandt light by a triangle of light under one eye. The triangle-shaped light is on the cheek farthest from the light source. The lighting setup got its name after the famous Dutch painter, Rembrandt. His paintings often showcase this kind of lighting.
• The Rembrandt lighting pattern also creates catchlights in both eyes.

The Setup:

• Move that loop lighting to a more extreme angle. Rembrandt lighting is typically a 45-degree angle.
• But you’ll need to move the light until the opposite side of the face only has a small triangle of light on the cheek just below the eye. The height of the light is a foot or two above eye level.
• Rembrandt lighting is often a two-light setup. To achieve the style with a single light, use a reflector.
• Like the main light, place the reflector at about a 45-degree angle from the subject, but on the opposite side. Make sure to angle the reflector so that it’s bouncing some of that main light back.

When to Use It:

• Rembrandt lighting is a traditional yet dramatic lighting style. This type of light is best for creating a more serious portrait, not a soft smiling beauty shot. It’s often used when shooting male or masculine-looking models.
• The more extreme side angle is also less forgiving on skin textures. Acne and wrinkles can be more noticeable in this style.

3. Butterfly Lighting

The Look:

• A soft light hits the subject from above. It creates a small shadow underneath the nose and chin. These shadows help to make the subject’s face slimmer. The shape of the shadow under the nose resembles a butterfly, hence the name. This lighting brightens up both eyes and both sides of the face equally.

The Setup:

• Place an off-camera light directly behind the camera. But, unlike an on-camera flash, raise the light stand, so the light source is above the subject’s head.
• Then, angle the light down towards the subject's face at about a 45-degree angle.

When to Use It:

• Butterfly lighting is a popular but simple lighting technique. This portrait lighting setup can emphasize the jawline and the cheekbones.
• Try adjusting the modifiers from soft to hard. This allows for more variations from simple and flattering to dramatic.
• The light is flattering to different skin types. It’s common for beauty photography as well as mimicking a 1950s style glamour shot. It’s also a flattering lighting setup for elderly subjects as it doesn’t emphasize the wrinkles that much.

4. Clamshell Lighting

The Look:

• This lighting pattern uses light that hits the subject from above. But it fills in the shadows for an even softer light.
• The look is characterized by two catchlights and a soft shadow below the chin. This lighting pattern also exaggerates the cheekbones and jawline.

The Setup:

• Set up a butterfly light with the flash above and behind the camera, but angled down about 45 degrees.
• Add a reflector placed in the subject’s lap. Ask them to hold it in place. The reflector will bounce some of that light back up as a fill light.

When to Use It:

• This soft, flattering light is common in beauty shots and portraits of women. The shadows on the cheekbones can slim the face and define the jawline.
• While it’s a beautiful light, that doesn’t mean this can’t be used with men. Portrait photographers using clamshell light on men tend to add harsher shadows by moving the light farther from the face.

5. Loop Lighting

The Look:

• A majority of the face is still well lit. But you’re working with a key light that’s off to the side of the camera. This adds shadows to one side of the face.
• The light is easily identifiable by a short shadow that’s on one corner of the nose. It’s not under, but not exactly to the side either.

The Setup:

• A loop light is a butterfly light but moved to one side of the subject. Place an off-camera light next to the camera and off to the side, up to a 45-degree angle from the subject.
• The light should also be taller than the subject but angled down at them.
• The light should be far enough from the camera to create shadows on one side of the face. But keep it close enough to the camera that both sides of the face are well lit.

When to Use It:

• If you want the flattering light of a butterfly, but with more interest and dimension, try loop lighting.
• This pattern is a happy medium between super soft beauty lighting and dark and dramatic.

6. Rim Lighting

The Look:

• Rim lighting is more known for the highlights it creates instead of the shadows. This lighting pattern creates a narrow rim of light on one side of the subject.
• Rim lighting is often used with a dark exposure to light the outline of the subject, but not always.

The Setup:

• Rim lighting also uses a light that’s about 45 degrees from the subject. But the rim light is 45 degrees behind the subject.
• Instead of placing the light next to the camera, place the light a few feet behind the subject and to the side. You can adjust the width and placement of that rim by changing the height.
• If you want a dark image with only the subject’s outline, use manual exposure to get that dark look. If you want the subject’s face lit, expose it to the face and use a reflector towards the front of the subject.

When to Use It:

• Rim lighting is dramatic light that emphasizes the subject’s shape. That makes it excellent for photographing athletes, exaggerating curves, or capturing a profile.
• The rim of light can be unforgiving, making it less flattering for skin problems. Without a fill light, it’s also difficult to light the subject’s face as well as that rim outline.