7 Lighting Patterns on the Human Face

© Arthur Rainville (Courtesy of the artist)

In discussing how to control lighting patterns on the face, we must first define two primary concerns of the lighting’s effect. First are the five planes that determine how light works on the surfaces of the face. The second is best defined by an approach to lighting the face.

Planes of the Face

There are five primary surfaces, or planes, that receive light in the portrait setting and thus determine the look of the image. They are, from largest to smallest, the forehead, the two cheeks, the nose, and the chin. While other parts of the face could be defined, such as the temples, they may or may not be involved in the portrait. Four of the five listed above are present in every photograph of the face. Only when the face is seen in profile is one of the four planes missing (the second cheek).

The forehead is the largest skin surface in most portraits, and its slight upward tilt makes it a reflecting surface toward the camera. Because of its roundness, there will almost surely be a specular highlight somewhere on the forehead.

The cheeks show lighting effects more than the other planes. Because they are frontal with a bulbous form, they catch light from any angle and show any LD Edge as well as diffuse and specular highlights. This means that the lighting of the cheeks establishes the way the viewer relates to depth shown in the portrait. The cheeks attract vision and direct it to other parts of the image. Also, the cheeks border on the eyes, which are considered the most important part of a portrait.

Next, the nose defines a plane. Unlike the other planes defining the face, the nose is perpendicular to the other four planes. This has two effects. First, it will cast a shadow unless the key light is on the facial axis. Second, the nose provides a consistent highlight area. With the narrowness of the nose plane, the highlight becomes a line when the face axis aligns with the camera axis. When the head is twisted so that the facial axis is acute with the camera axis, the shape of the nose becomes more obvious until the facial axis is perpendicular to the camera axis—at which point a profile shows the shape of the nose.

This image of the bust of David was “posterized” to show paramount lighting as it illuminates the five planes of the face: the forehead, both cheeks, the nose, and the chin. Because these surfaces all received approximately the same light, they all appear as yellow areas.

The chin is the smallest plane that we normally consider when lighting the face. Even though it is a small area, it provides definition at the bottom of the face. Without this definition, the face would appear to expand in size and merge with the neck.

Approach

In setting out to describe portrait lighting, we realized that the way light illuminates the facial planes has several interrelated aspects. The type of lighting is defined by the relationship between the facial axis and the key light’s axis. At the same time, the basic approach to lighting is defined by the illumination of the part of the face closest to the camera. We normally describe lighting by naming both the type of lighting and the approach.

Approaches are defined using all three axes: facial, light, and camera. The approach determines how the face is illuminated. Normally only one ear will be seen in a portrait. If the axis of the face is turned so that the ear in the image is illuminated, then the approach is considered “broad.” If the lighting does not illuminate the visible ear, then the approach is considered “short.” The only exception to this is when all three axes are in the same plane (a straight-on photograph); in that case, both ears are slightly visible and illuminated.

In broad lighting, the key light fully illuminates the side of the face seen by the camera. Although this lighting helps to de-emphasize facial textures, it is used primarily as a corrective lighting technique to help widen thin or narrow faces. It also de-emphasizes texture on the highlight side of the face. Broad lighting was the lighting of choice up until the 20th century. It tends to add weight to the subject, which in earlier times in history indicated that one could afford food. In modern times, it is usually more desirous to look thinner, which is the specialty of short lighting.

In short lighting (sometimes known as narrow lighting), the key light fully illuminates the side of the face not seen by the camera. This lighting is generally used for average oval faces. Short lighting tends to emphasize facial contours more than broad lighting, and in conjunction with a comparatively weak fill light, it can be used as “strong” or “masculine” lighting. It is especially adaptable for low-key portraits. It has the effect of narrowing the face, and therefore it can be used effectively as a corrective lighting technique for round or plump faces.

Lighting Direction

In chapter 2, the captions for the LD Dome images define the light with two numbers. These numbers refer to the light’s position in the dome in relation to the axis of the face. The zero point for the dome is at the camera, so its position is 0-0. As we move clockwise around the dome, the first number indicates the angular distance and the second number indicates the angle above the horizontal. Therefore, lighting described as 45-45 means that the light is 45° from the face axis and pointed down a 45° angle.

On Axis Lighting

“On axis” lighting is flat with the key light on the same axis as the camera. This lighting has the effect of removing all key light shadows as well as flattening texture on the face. Many contemporary fashion and fine art portraits employ on axis lighting. Modern cameras have built-in flash units that produce this type of lighting. Some professional photographers avoid the look because of its lack of dimension and flatness. On axis lighting tends to be clinical in appearance, except when modified by equipment such as ring lights and giant (8 foot or larger) fashion umbrellas.

Broad lighting (left) has the ear closest to the camera lit while short lighting (right) has the camera side ear in shadow

This type of lighting has become both a fallback style and a way to solve certain lighting issues. When used creatively, it can add a feeling of confrontation and tension between the subject and viewer.

3/4 or 45-45 Lighting

The painters of the Renaissance determined that the 45-45 lighting (also called 3/4 lighting) worked well for portraying depth and form in the figure and the face. Famous painters such as Peter Paul Rubens moved the light source closer to the artist’s point of view to flatten the image and to achieve a distinctive look through stylistic representations of the skin. The most commonly used lighting in contemporary photographic portraiture is 45-45 lighting: it has all the attributes that first so enamored painters.

Split or 90° Lighting

Split or 90° lighting also has a long history in painting. The Dutch painters Vermeer, Rembrandt, and their contemporaries often used this look in their paintings. Caravaggio employed 90° lighting to great effect. The key to this style is moving the body and the face to positions that flatter the subject. It is a very dramatic style of lighting (especially when used at higher ratios) that requires an understanding of lighting dynamics. It slenderizes and can be used to camouflage undesirable facial features.

© Elinor Carucci (Courtesy of the artist)

Lighting Patterns

There are four common lighting types that have their own names. The first two are referred to as “loop” lighting. “Closed loop” lighting, also called Rembrandt, has a high, substantial angle between the facial and light axes. This creates a small light triangle below the eye when the nose shadow intersects the shadow from the cheek line. It is a dramatic lighting style that emphasizes a strong, angular face. It is often used for men, but it also works well for women who have strong features. When used skillfully, this lighting can hide undesirable skin textures; however, when used improperly, it can accentuate texture and lines. “Open loop” lighting uses a high-angle light that is closer to the facial axis. Open loop lighting shows the shadow of the nose on the cheek without intersecting the cheek shadow. Open loop lighting is the most commonly used lighting pattern in modern times (with the short lighting approach). It creates a sense of direction and depth on the face without being too dramatic and is flattering for all facial types.

Next is “butterfly” lighting, also referred to as “paramount.” With butterfly lighting, the key light is positioned high above the head and aligned vertically with the facial axis. This lighting style gets its name from the butterfly-shaped shadow it produces under the nose. Butterfly lighting is also sometimes called “fat” lighting because it makes the face appear fuller, emphasizing cheekbones and eyes. Ideal for the perfect face, it is used extensively in fashion, beauty, glamour, and modeling portfolios. Ideally the shadow from the nose should not intersect the lips. When a subject has deep-set eyes, there will be no light in the eyes with this lighting pattern, and therefore, it is not a great choice.

“Split” lighting is the least commonly used basic lighting pattern. It is very dramatic and stylized when used at higher ratios. It also slenderizes and can camouflage unflattering facial features. When properly executed, the face is split into two almost equal parts. In most cases, a little light will bleed slightly onto the shadow side of the forehead. Care should be taken to bring the light far enough forward to avoid casting a shadow on the eye on the highlight side of the face.

Closed loop (top left), open loop (top right), butterfly (bottom left), and split lighting (bottom right)