What is butterfly lighting? Beautiful light techniques in model photography
What is butterfly lighting?
Butterfly Lighting is one of the lighting techniques commonly used in portrait photography, and is characterized by the creation of butterfly-like shadows (butterfly shadows) under the nose by shining light from the front or slightly above the subject. This lighting is often used in beauty and fashion photography because it creates dimension in the center of the face while making wrinkles and skin irregularities less noticeable.
Features of Butterfly Lighting
・ Tighten the contours of the face → Controlling shadows for a sharp and polished look.
・ Brightens the eyes → Catch light easily enters the eyes to emphasize radiance.
・ Makes the skin look beautiful → It has the effect of making wrinkles and sagging look less noticeable and looking younger.
・ Elegant and classic atmosphere → A method often used in Hollywood portrait photography.
Butterfly Lighting Settings
1. Light Position
- The light source (key light) is placed in front of the subject, slightly above it
If you set the light directly above the camera or slightly diagonally 45 degrees, you will create a characteristic butterfly shadow under the nose. - diffuse strobes and LEDs with softboxes and umbrellas
Direct light will make the shadows too strong, so use a diffuser to soften them for a natural finish.
2. Fill Light to Adjust Shadows
- < Place the reflector or fill light on the undersidebr data-start="721" data-end="724" /> In butterfly lighting, the shadows on the chin and cheeks tend to be darker, so balance it by adding reflectors and fill lights from below.
- Reflector softens shadows
Placing reflectors (white or silver) under the chin can soften the shadows and create a more natural aesthetic.
Subjects suitable for butterfly lighting
・ Portrait of a woman (skin beautification effect, no noticeable wrinkles)
・ If you want to create a luxurious and elegant feel
・ Classic fashion and beauty photos
・ Subjects who want to sharpen their facial contours (especially when you want to tighten their cheeks and face line)
Conclusion
Butterfly lighting is one of the effective lighting techniques to make your subject's face stand out beautifully. It is especially used by many photographers for women's portraits and beauty photos, as it helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and smooth the skin.
Once you master this technique, you'll be able to capture more polished portraits, so give it a try!
