• Use these handy lighting tips during your next photo shoot.fashion photo image by Alfonso d'Agostino from Fotolia.com
  
  To accentuate actress Marlene Dietrich's natural beauty, lighting specialists and photographers coined a technique now commonly referred to as butterfly lighting. Named for the shape of the shadow that was created beneath Dietrich's nose, butterfly lighting is used in glamour photography to flatter oval-shaped, well-balanced faces. Recreating this lighting trick in your own studio is simple and requires only a few adjustable lamps and a reflector.
  
  

High Frontal Lighting

• The key light, or main source of illumination, should come from an adjustable lamp positioned 1 to 2 feet above and about 3 feet away from your subject. For best results, the lamp should always be pointing toward the model's nose. This will create the "butterfly" shadow for which the technique is used. The high positioning of the light will help to hide any facial blemishes and create a flattering framing shadow around the edges of the face.
  
  

Fill Light or Reflector

• To soften the dark shadow that tends to form under the chin, a dim fill light may be positioned beneath the high key light. It is usually positioned at about waist level and pointed up toward the model's face. Alternatively, the model can hold an up-facing reflector panel so that it is just outside the bottom of the camera's frame.
  
  

Subtle Backlight

• Backlighting is often used to create subtle highlights in the model's hair, especially if the background of the photo will be dark or black. Although not necessary for achieving authentic butterfly lighting, backlighting adds a sense of space and depth to any glamour shot.