Practical Lighting for the Modern Portrait and Fashion Photographer - Segment 4
One of the most useful skills a portrait photographer can develop is the ability to stop thinking of the key light as simply a piece of equipment and begin thinking of it as a point of view.
A light does not merely “shine on a face.” It sees the face from a particular position.
And the camera sees the face from another position.
That difference is the foundation of understanding the geometry of lighting and the geometry of a person’s face. For this example, we are discussing, “short-lit Rembrandt lighting.”
The technique begins with the subject, not the light.
Here are the Steps
Pose the subject first
Turn the head into the position you want for the portrait, then give the subject a fixed point in the room to look toward so that the position can be held comfortably for a minute or two. This is important because once the face moves, all of the relationships between the nose, cheek, light, and camera move with it.
Once the pose is established, leave the camera position temporarily and walk around to the side from which you intend to place the key light.
In the arrangement shown here, that means moving around the subject toward approximately the “4:30 to 5:00 o’clock position”.
Do not look at the subject as the photographer for a moment.
Look at the face as though “you are the key light”.
From this bright-side viewpoint, you will view the face in the direction of a near-profile view. As you move around the subject’s face, watch one very specific relationship: where the tip of the nose and the outer edge of the far cheek intersect. (see the diagram below)
At first, too much of the far cheek will be visible. Continue moving around towards the subject’s ear, 3:00 o’clock.
As your viewing angle approaches the correct position, the nose begins to visually overlap that far cheek… The exact placement occurs when:
“The tip of the nose just becomes tangent to, or visually touches, the edge of the far cheek.”
This is the critical reference point.
At that position, the light has a clear path across the bridge of the nose to illuminate a small portion of the far cheek beneath the far eye.
That small illuminated area is what will become the “Rembrandt triangle of light” when seen from the camera position. Camera View
This is the important distinction: from the light position, you are looking into the “bright side” of the face. You are not yet looking at the finished portrait. You are determining what areas of the face the key light is physically capable of illuminating.
Once that position is found, place the center of the key light approximately where your eyes were.
Then elevate the light.
Rembrandt lighting is not created only by moving the light around the subject horizontally. The light must also be high enough that the shadow cast by the nose travels downward and connects with the shadow of the cheek, while still allowing a small patch of light to remain beneath the far eye.
So after establishing the horizontal position, raise or lower the light while observing the face.
You are looking for three things simultaneously:
The near side of the face should receive the primary illumination.
The nose shadow should travel downward toward the cheek rather than straight across the face.
And a distinct triangular patch of light should remain beneath the far eye.
That triangle should not be huge. It should be controlled, clearly defined, and contained within the cheek area.
Now return to the camera.
The camera is deliberately placed on the opposite side of the facial axis from the key light, approximately around the **7:30 to 8:00 o’clock position** in this example.
From here, the camera looks predominantly into the **shadow side of the face**.
This is what makes the portrait short lit.
The side of the face closest to the camera is the darker side, while the narrower side of the face turned away from the camera receives the dominant key illumination.
Yet because the key light was placed using the nose-to-cheek relationship, some of that light crosses the bridge of the nose and creates the small illuminated triangle beneath the eye on the shadow side.
The result is classic short-lit Rembrandt lighting.
The method can be summarized in a very simple way:
Pose the face first.
Stand where the light should be.
Watch the nose meet the far cheek.
Place the key light there.
Then move the camera to see the shadow side.**
Here is a classic example using a Beauty Dish
In this instance, however, look closely at Amanda’s face. (click on the image to see full view) If you are viewing on your phone, just use the pinch-expand technique.You will notice the the Rembrandt triangle is just beginning to emerge. However, the node shadow has not completely intersected the far cheek shadow. This is often referred to as Loop Lighting. So if your model shifts her facial position you still have excellent light.
Intended as a Personal Self Assignment
The technique, described above is intended for practice, such that you become accustomed to placing the main light intentionally, as well as understand the principle of short lighting. So practice this diligently and become familiar with the placement of your lights. With practice, it will become second nature. Happy Lighting!