Studio Lighting - Basic Lighting Terms

In the spirit of sharing, here are some basic studio lighting terms explained:

Main and fill light – The main light is the dominant light in the set up, the fill light is used to light areas not lit by the main light.

Hair lighting, and rim lighting, is lighting created to create separation from the background and give a sense of depth. Lights are placed behind the subject to light the hair, or create a rim of light around them, e.g. around the shoulders or back.

Background lighting is used to throw light onto the background to separate the subject from the background. It can be used to create a spot of light on the background around the subject, or it can be used to make the background completely white.

Broad lighting is when the main light is positioned in a way that illuminates the side of the face turned towards the camera. It will de-emphasise facial features and is used mostly to make narrow faces seem wider. Broad lighting makes the face look wider and larger.

Short lighting is when the main light illuminates the side of the face turned away from the camera. It emphasises facial contours more than broad lighting. Because short lighting narrows the appearance of the face, it is good for use with subjects that have round or plump faces.