Photographic lighting

Photographic lighting is the illumination of scenes to be photographed. A photograph simply records patterns of light, colour, and shade; lighting is all-important in controlling the image. In many cases even illumination is desired to give an accurate rendition of the scene. In other cases the direction, brightness, and colour of light are manipulated for effect. Lighting is particularly important for monochrome photography, where there is no colour information, only the interplay of highlights and shadows. Lighting and exposure are used to create effects such as low-key and high-key.

The main sources of light for photography are:

Paramount lighting: Light coming from directly above and in front of the subject

Loop lighting: Same as Paramount lighting but with the light slightly off to the side

Rembrandt lighting: Light from a window, the sun, or strobe 45 degrees above

Split lighting: Light coming from and directly on one side of the model

Back lighting: Light coming from directly behind the subject

Rim lighting: Light outlining the hair, usually achieved by back lighting

Short light: Light that creates shadows on the side of the face closest to you

Broad light: Light that creates shadows on the side of face farthest from you

Badger light: Light coming from both sides diagonally behind, shadows in middle of face

Abstract light: Light patterns from lace, latticework, lock holes, etc.

Flat light: Light on a cloudy day

Frontal light: Light coming from directly in front, level with, your subject

Clamshell lighting: One frontal light and another light slightly above it, produces little to no shadows on subject

Practical light: Light coming from props in the scene

High-Key lighting: Low contrast lighting with little to no shadows

Low-Key lighting: The opposite of High-Key

Golden hour: Diffused light from the sun at sunrise and sunset

Paramount lighting is also called Butterfly lighting. Almost all of these lighting styles use a hair light as part of the setup as well, which is a light placed over and slightly behind the hair. Many of these setups are combined by photographers. For example, abstract light in the background with Rembrandt lighting in the foreground.

A catch light is a reflection of light in the eyes of the subject, it changes depending on the light source used. For example, a softbox, a snoot, and an umbrella will produce different catch lights.

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