ZSK Photography-Class Work: 2013

29.10.13

Lighting Notes

I mainly take portraits and surreal photography.
For portraits there are six main lighting techniques:

Split Lighting-This type of lighting splits a face in half, one side in light one side in shadow
Loop Lighting-Creates a small shadow of a subjects noses on their cheeks
Rembrandt Lighting-Named after the famous painter himself, this is a triangle of light on a subjects cheek
Butterfly Lighting-the butterfly type shadow created under the nose by placing the main source of light above and directly behind the camera

The next two are more styles rather than techniques

Broad Lighting-Happens when the the subject is turned slightly away from the camera thus making the lighted side of the face appear larger and the focus of the picture
Short lighting-The subject is turned towards the camera thus making the shadowed part of the face appear larger

Along with those techniques, there is "catch" lighting. This happens when a small bright light is caught in the eye of the subject. It makes the subject's eyes appear more lively.

More on this can be found at: http://digital-photography-school.com/6-portrait-lighting-patterns-every-photographer-should-know

Backlighting is also a great technique to create great surreal and sometimes creepy photos:

backlight can add drama to an image

backlit images can show the delicacy of a subject (think transparent or translucent things like flowers or insects)

backlight can help create real mood in a shot

backlit images can highlight details on the edges of subjects

backlight can reveal textures that might previously have been hidden

backlit images can show off the shape and form of a subject

backlight can create shadows that add points of interest to an image