Low Key Portrait Photography
Photography 2 class activity -
Light: Beauty Dish
Model: Paula Blanca Delos Reyes
Photographer: John Kevin Kyle Jayogue -
School of Multimedia and Visual Arts, Mapua Institute of Technology
Broad lighting is used for low-key portraits, and has the effect of making the model's face appear wider, so use it with anyone who has a thin face. It also de-emphasises features such as a prominent nose, and can also help to mask wrinkles.
Butterfly lighting, also known as Paramount lighting, became a staple pattern for the Hollywood photographers of the 1930s. The butterfly pattern can be quite useful for a variety of faces, but is at its best on lean subjects with high and pronounced cheekbones.
Loop lighting, which is named for the loop-shaped shadow that it creates under the nose, is the most frequently-used pattern. It is considered to be a relatively flattering and adaptable pattern that lights most of the face while imparting a sense of depth.
Rembrandt lighting is named after the famous Dutch painter of that name. The lighting is similar to loop lighting, but with the light source moved higher and further left or right of the face. It creates a strong pattern characterized by a small triangle of light that appears under the eye on the shadow side of the face, along with a nose shadow that nearly extends to the corner of the mouth. This is not an all-purpose lighting and is probably best reserved for character studies and moody fashion work.
Split lighting, though not usually considered a general-purpose lighting, can be quite useful. With split lighting, half of the face is lit and the other half is in shadow.
