Split Lighting Photography Diagram

This setup lights up half of the face while keeping the other half shadowed.

Split lighting photography diagram. Split lighting at its most basic level is constructed with a single light source placed 90 degrees offset from the subject and a bit higher than eye level lighting one half of the face and leaving the other in shadow. Keep in mind however there are no hard and fast rules so i suggest you use the information i provide here as a starting point or guideline. Finally we ve arrived at the most critical part the lighting setup. Split lighting is the quintessential example of side lighting.

It can be very dramatic like the photo below or it can be used to a lesser degree depending on your preference. You can use it as a guide to set up your own studio. Split lighting is one of my new favorite types of way to manipulate light. Okay the location is pretty critical too but this is the section we ve all been waiting for.

Without further ado here s a basic rembrandt lighting diagram of the setup. If you are new to portrait photography the lighting terminology can be overwhelming. The light source that illuminates the subject is perpendicular to the model. The background light is optional.

This is the version you need if you just want to create a diagram and generate a jpeg or. Line up a single bare flash with your model s shoulder and take the photo from in front of your model. In this diagram the black backdrop represents the bank of trees. The light source will split the face with one side illuminated and the other falling to shadow.

Mastering natural light indoors her class taught me how to take advantage of the light i have in my house as well as taking really cool split light images. Split lighting is one of the 5 basic lighting setups used in studio portrait photography. Split lighting at its most basic level is constructed with a single light source placed 90 degrees offset. Broad light short light high key light low key light and split light are just a few of the terms you will encounter.

Split lighting is a pretty straight forward description of how it appears in a portrait. Online lighting diagram creator and strobox community after meeting up in a pub in london the oldc and strobox have decided to collaborate in order to offer the photography community the best of both tools. Online lighting diagram creator lite this is the original version of the online diagram creator. I first learned about split lighting in megan cieloha s workshop lighting 201.

Diagram illustrating the split lighting setup. Split lighting is a photography lighting technique.