Confused over narrow and broad lighting

[irishman]

Does anyone have a way to remember which is which and how to set it up? For narrow lighting (the most popular?), can the key light be set to either the camera's left or right? Can some good teacher explain this?

[aia21]

Hi,

I wouldn't count myself as a good teacher so will let others explain properly but anyway...

Of course you can have the key light on either side. You just make your subject face in the appropriate direction to create the desired short or broad lighting.

broad = light is on side of head facing the camera, i.e. the broad side of the face is lit as far as the camera is concerned

short = light is on side of head facing away from the camera, i.e. the short side of the face is lit as far as the camera is concerned

As I too lazy to show you some examples I just googled an example for you:

http://photoartsforum.com/broad_vs_short_light-t715.0.html

Best regards,

Anton

Best regards,

Anton

[markhyo]

I used to get confused about the same thing when I first started. Aia21 pretty hit the nail on the head. Short lighting is one of the best ways to light a person and make them look flattering no matter how they look (meaning old, young, round face, square, or oval shaped). So basically remember this lighting looks good on everyone! The easiest way to remember how to pose your subject is setup your light 45 degrees to the left or the right of the camera. It doesn't really matter to a certain extent. You may have to move a light to the opposite side if something was blocking the face like hair and such. Next tell your subject to turn their face toward the light and their eyes back toward the camera. For a more feminine pose have the ladies point their shoulder and face towards light and then eyes back toward the camera. Don't do this with guys!

Feminine pose - short lighting

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2318/2252382429_6e6c97b6c1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/markwphoto/2252382429)

Masculine or feminine pose - short lighting
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2261/2253181924_861c137589.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/markwphoto/2253181924)

Notice how the lighting has not changed above but only the shoulder posistion!

With broad light is going to light the side of the face that you see the most. Notice the small side of the face falls in the shadow.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2006/2252382555_71f294d4ee_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/markwphoto/2252382555)

So if you were to setup and pose a person and you wanted to experiment with both. Leave the lights where they are and just have the turn the hear toward or away from the light.

For some good reading on posing I highly suggest this link: http://jzportraits.home.att.net/

The information may be dated according to the pictures but the same still applies today!!

[irishman]

Appreciate the good information! Looks like a shoulder rotation can make it either/or.

[markhyo]

Don't let shoulder position confuse you! Ultimately remember that which side of the face being lit is what determines short or broad lighting not the shoulder rotation. The key is face into the light or away from the light! The shoulders only helps with pose versatility.

[jdouglas003]

More examples and descriptions here. Model appears to have had a hard life though.

http://www.professionalphotography101.com/portrait_lighting/lighting_names.html

[irishman]

Don't let shoulder position confuse you! Ultimately remember that which side of the face being lit is what determines short or broad lighting not the shoulder rotation. The key is face into the light or away from the light! The shoulders only helps with pose versatility.

Thanks Mark---so, looking into the light is narrow, away from the light is broad?

[markhyo]

Irishman... now you got it!

[irishman]

Mark---thanks loads---now THAT I can remember! Thanks for the above link---you're right that its kind of dated (circ 1977) but the info. still holds true. Great web site, btw.

[Wilt]

Thanks Mark---so, looking into the light is narrow, away from the light is broad?

I prefer to think not about the direction of the face vs. light, but in terms of the highlighted side of the face vs. the side which is seen mostly by the lens...


If you highlight that side that the lens sees the most of, that is Broad (the side seen by the lens is 'broadly lit')

If you hightlight the side that the lens sees the least of, that is Short (the side seen by the lens is 'short of light')