How to Position Your Light for Portraits
Lighting the face is one of the most important skills a portrait photographer can master. Whether you’re photographing seniors, branding clients, creatives, or editorial work, understanding where to place your light dramatically affects the mood, shape, and overall impact of your final images.
In this quick guide, we’ll explore how light placement shapes the face, how changing your angle transforms the photograph, and why moving your subject (instead of the light) is often the easiest way to experiment and learn.
I'll also show examples of short lighting, broad lighting, and three sample photos created simply by rotating the subject while keeping the light in the exact same spot.
You’ll notice that this isn’t a side by side example of different lighting patterns on the face. It is a practical approach to how I move around the set to view the face at different angles and look at lighting direction on my subject.
This isn’t a comprehensive guide…but hopefully will get you started on some practical thoughts you can use right away! If you find this article helpful, check out my upcoming events or contact me for mentoring!
About the Setup
Today’s image were created using a simple Westcott 43” Deep Umbrella (white) with Diffusion
Why Light Position Matters in Portrait Photography
The direction of your light influences:
The shape of your subject’s face
The contrast and shadow pattern
The mood or style of the portrait
How dramatic or soft the final image appears
Whether the image feels editorial, commercial, soft, or sculpted
Even small adjustments — a few degrees of rotation — can completely change the story your image tells.
Moving the Subject vs. Moving the Light
There are two main ways to alter your lighting angle:
1. Move the light around the subject.
This changes the direction from which the light hits the face.
2. Move the subject around the light.
This keeps your lighting distance consistent, which means your exposure stays the same.
Both techniques work, and neither is “better” — but rotating your subject is often much faster, especially when learning lighting patterns or when space is limited.
As long as the distance from light to subject stays consistent, your exposure will not change.
Short Lighting vs. Broad Lighting
Understanding these two patterns will help you choose the most flattering angle for different face shapes or stylistic goals.
Short Lighting
The side of the face farther from the camera is lit.
This creates dimension, slims the face, and adds mood.
Broad Lighting
The side of the face closer to the camera is lit.
This feels brighter, more open, and can widen the appearance of the face.
Each approach tells a different story. Neither is “right” — it’s about what best serves the portrait, your goals and style.
You can try each of these lighting patterns by simply moving around the subject, and having them face the same way. Once you see a result you like, you can rotate or move the light to shape the background and scene the way you want.
Tips for Finding the Most Flattering Light
Walk around your subject and study how the light falls from different angles.
Pay attention to how shadows shape the face.
Look for catchlights in the eyes.
Allow the lighting pattern to match the mood or purpose of the portrait.
Don’t be afraid to rotate your subject in small increments — tiny adjustments go a long way.
Great portrait lighting isn’t just technical — it’s trying out what will work best. There’s not a one size fits all solution for great light!
Final Thoughts
Light direction has a powerful influence over the mood and shape of a portrait, and you don’t need complicated setups to create intentional, compelling images. By learning to rotate your subject, understand lighting patterns, and read the shadows on the face, you open the door to endless possibilities — even with one light.
Whether you're shooting editorial portraits, branding images, or everyday client sessions, mastering where to position your light is one of the most transformative skills you can invest in.
Images taken during my Simply Stunning One Light Portrait Class at Pixel Connection, sponsored by Westcott. Special thanks to @Isaac.emory for modeling for us!
