Photography can be an excellent way to spend your time and is a perfect hobby. It is a way for us to appreciate nature and the people around us. It is a way for us to freeze the moments around us forever and reminisce about them in a fun a loving manner. Photography can really be the best way to capture memories. Except when the lighting is bad or you do not have the correct angle, you can lose a precious moment forever. It can be devastating and disappointing. This is why if you are a new photographer or just someone who wants to learn more about photography and own a camera – we have compiled a list of tips and tricks you can use for photography lighting and capture the perfect moment.

• Flat light

Flat lighting is when you have no shadows on the subject’s face as the light source is right in front of their face. This isn’t very desirable in portraits as shadows tend to bring life to the picture. However, there are instances where this can be extremely beneficial. Flat lighting is for those people who do not want to highlight any sort of imperfections. For people who have acne or textured skin, shadows can draw out those imperfections. However, with flat lighting, your skin will look clearer and texture free.  A hanging pendant light in front of the subjects’ face may do the trick for you.

• Broad light

Broad lighting is side lighting on the subject. The subject’s face is at a certain angle while the well-lit side is closest to the camera and the side with the shadow is further away. This type of light can make you look fuller, so it is a good type of lighting for those who have very narrow faces.

• Short light

Essentially, short lighting is the opposite of broad lighting. The side of the face that is closest to the camera is the side that has a shadow while the side further away from the camera is well lit. This type of lighting is good for people who have chubbier faces and make the face appear thinner. However, one thing to remember is that shadows do draw out imperfections. When you put the side closest to the camera under a shadow, it will draw out the texture of your skin, which can be unappealing to many.

• Split lighting

This type of lighting hits the subject’s face from a right angle or a 90-degree angle. So this would be an image where half the image is a shadow while the other half is well lit up. This makes your subject look tougher, so when you choose a subject for this type of lighting, make sure you make your choice wisely.

All these different types of lighting are meant to be used on various types of subjects. They can help give you the perfect shot you desire and make your subject feel beautiful in their skin. They can be used individually and can be combined to create the perfect shot.