Portrait Lighting Set-Ups

The one rule behind all of them

D-D-D — Direction, Diffusion, Distance. Everything below is a variation of where the light is, what it is fired through, and how far away it sits. Softness comes from the light's relative size: a small modifier brought close is softer than a big one far away.

Single-light patterns

Pattern	Placement	Look
Rembrandt	High and to the side; nose shadow points to the edge of the lips, closed triangle of light on the far cheek	Classic, moody
Short Rembrandt	Head angled, lit from the opposite side — the side nearest the camera falls into shade	Slimming, sculpted
Broad Rembrandt	Head angled, the side nearest the camera is the lit side	Wider, fuller face
Loop	Like Rembrandt but the nose shadow makes an open loop towards the mouth corner — no closed triangle	Everyday, flattering
Split	Light square to one side; no spill onto the other side, shadow line down the centre	Hard, dramatic
Split + reflector	As above, reflector opposite to fill	Dramatic but readable
Butterfly	Above and directly in line with the centre of the face; even shadow under the nose that does not reach the lip	Beauty, glamour
Flat	Two equal lights either side, same distance and power, head height	No shadows — clean, commercial

Same pattern, different feel

• Softbox close (a couple of feet) — soft shadow edges, big catchlight.
• Softbox far (two metres or more) — harder shadows, small catchlight.
• Shoot-through brolly — similar to a softbox, a little less controlled.
• Silver brolly as reflector — light spreads further.
• Honeycomb grid — strong directional light, easy drama, no spill.

Two- and three-light recipes

• Key and fill: key above at 45°, loop pattern; second light lower on the opposite side at roughly half the key's power.
• Key, fill and hair light: add a third above and behind with a honeycomb grid to narrow the beam.
• Clamshell: one softbox above centre, one below centre. The beauty set-up.
• Loop with a background light: second light behind the subject aimed at the background — vary power and angle for the gradient.
• Loop with a rim light: second light with a grid or snoot high behind, angled to catch the edge of the hair.
• Hard key with kickers: two softboxes slightly behind the subject, hard light (reflector or snoot) in front, above and angled.
• Badger: flat-light set-up with the two lights moved slightly behind the subject — striking shadow, masculine look.
• White background: key softbox plus a large silver reflector close in for fill; a strobe at full power onto the background blows it clean white.

Single-flash starting points (a7R III + Godox V1S)

Look	Position	Modifier	Power
Soft natural	45° off-axis	Small diffuser	1/64–1/32
Dramatic	90° side light	None or snoot	1/16–1/8
Soft studio-style	Slightly above	Round softbox	1/32–1/16

Base: Manual (M), 1/160 s–1/200 s, f/1.4–f/8, ISO 100, flash White Balance set on the camera.

Consolidated from references: Digital Camera World Lighting Guide — 24 essential studio set-ups; Sarah Edmunds portrait-lighting notes (D-D-D); Portrait Lighting Cheat Sheet (a7R III + V1S); Lindsay Adler, Seeing the Light.