• Portrait lighting doesn't have to be complicated.portrait of a woman. b&w portrait image by Elena Platonova from Fotolia.com
  
  Portrait lighting doesn't have to be complicated. Using 45 degree lighting techniques, it's possible to create many distinct portrait lighting styles using one single lighting setup. Whether you have one light at your disposal or an arsenal of studio equipment, 45 degree lighting techniques allow you to create effective lighting for any subject. For all of the following lighting techniques, set your key light at a 45 degree angle to the subject. A background light can be aimed at the background and your fill light can be parallel to or behind the camera, also at a 45 degree angle to the subject.
  
  

Broad Side Lighting

• Broad lighting, or broad side lighting, directs the light toward the side of the face that is closest to the camera. This type of lighting fills out narrow faces and de-emphasizes features such as prominent cheekbones.
  
  To create broad lighting, place your subject on a 45 degree angle to the main and fill lights. Turn your subject facing away from the main light and into the fill light. This creates the prominent lighting on the widest portion of the face. A more pronounced subject angle causes more of the face to be lit, creating a more "broad" effect.
  
  

Short Side Lighting

• Short lighting, also known as short side lighting, has the opposite effect to broad side lighting. This technique creates a narrower, slimmer face and emphasizes sharp facial features. It is flattering for fuller figured subjects due to the slimming illusion it provides.
  
  To create short side lighting, seat your subject between the two lights, at a 45 degree angle to each light. Face your subject away from the main light and into the softer lighting created by the fill light. This causes the main light to emphasize the narrowest part of the face, which creates the slimming effect. The more pronounced your subject's angle, the narrower the face appears.
  
  

Rembrandt Lighting

• Rembrandt lighting is named for the 17th century Dutch painter, as it is the lighting style prevalent in his portraits. In Rembrandt lighting, the main light is set on a 45 degree angle to the subject with the fill light being set to one side at half the power or replaced entirely by a reflector. This creates a contrasted version of broad or short lighting, with the shadowed side of the face creating a geometric shadow and showing chiaroscuro, the dramatic interplay of light and dark shadows.