Types of Lighting in Portrait Photography

There are several types of lighting in portrait photography. They are all designed to make subjects look their best by focusing on contrast. This is the difference in the amount of light reflected by the bright areas of the photograph compared with the dark ones. Proper use of lighting in portrait photography reveals the subject's best qualities and establishes an appropriate mood.

Function

Basic studio lighting in portrait photography is designed to make subjects appear posed and idealized. It functions with four light sources. The key light is the brightest. It shines on the portrait subject at an angle of about 45 degrees. The primary fill light is half the intensity of the key light. It shines on the subject at a 45 degree angle on the other side of the camera and from a lower angle. The secondary fill light is also half the key light's intensity. It shines down on the subject from above the camera. The back light is about half the intensity of the fill lights and shines on the back of the subject from behind.

Features

Lighting for outdoor portrait photography makes use of the sun as the key light. When the sun is extremely harsh its light can be diffused with a sheet draped over a tree branch or frame. Use reflectors as fill lights to dissipate shadows. Photographers love "golden hour" light, one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset. The sunbeams have long frequencies, making portrait subject features appear warm and soft. Cloudy days provide naturally diffused light that is free of shadows. Secondary light sources are often unnecessary on cloudy days.

Effects

A popular type of lighting in portrait photography is "glamour" lighting. This is an effect in which the subject is made to look like a movie star or pinup model. A characteristic of glamour lighting is the butterfly-shape shadow beneath the nose. This was common in publicity shots of Golden Age movie stars. The butterfly shadow is cast by an undiffused high angle spotlight lined up with the subject's nose. The primary fill light is one quarter the key light's intensity. The secondary fill light shines down on the subject from above at half the key light intensity. The back light is equally strong. This type of portrait photography lighting gives the impression that the subject is a star in the spotlight.

Types

Another type of lighting for glamour portrait photography is Vaseline lighting. This is where the subject is fuzzy, to give the picture an air of mystery or a dreamlike quality. All lights are in the same positions but they are diffused. Every light should be bounced off a semireflective surface or shined through a diffuser. This can be a white sheet, a spun glass gel or plastic filter. Lace, nylon or mesh can be used to create a boudoir effect. Diffused light is scattered and soft. This is flattering and fuzzy on complexions.

History

Black and white portrait photography makes pictures appear to be pulled from history. The timeless, elegant, classic look of monochrome is commonly used in model head shots and wedding photographs. Lighting for black and white portraits is much different from color portraits. Contrast is much more important. Fill lights should be one-third the intensity of the key light. This is to reveal the contours of the face. Additional lights can be added across the background to cast hard shadows. This provides the texture needed in a black and white photograph to distinguish the subject from the surroundings.