Lighting Notes

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

1. Split Lighting-This type of lighting splits a face in half, one side in light one side in shadow
2. Loop Lighting-Creates a small shadow of a subjects noses on their cheeks
3. Rembrandt Lighting-Named after the famous painter himself, this is a triangle of light on a subjects cheek
4. 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 

More on this can be found at:http://digital-photography-school.com/rediscovering-backlit-subjects

Some great lit portraits with backlighting or other interesting techniques: