Design Nomenclature / Light & Optics

Short lighting

Also called narrow lighting, broad lighting

A pair of opposites describing where the key falls relative to the camera on a turned head. Short lighting puts the lit side away from the lens, leaving the near cheek in shadow and narrowing the face; broad lighting reverses it, lighting the near side and widening it.

Two-column comparison of a turned head: short lighting with the key on the far side so the camera sees mostly the shadowed cheek and the face narrows, against broad lighting with the key on the near side so the camera sees the lit cheek and the face widens.

In practice

Independent of the pattern — you can shoot broad Rembrandt or short loop. Short is the default because it slims, which is what most sitters want.

How this term connects

Form shadowKey lightLoop lightingRembrandt lightingShort lighting
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