The Flash Book

Lighting to Make Your Subject Look Thinner

There’s a lighting trick we do when our subject has kind of a round or wide face to make it look trimmer and longer. It’s called “short lighting.” It has been around for a long time, so we’re not breaking any new ground with this technique, but the reason it has been around for a long time is: it works. Here’s what you do: First, turn your subject at a 45° angle, so they’re not facing the camera straight-on with their shoulders flat (just doing that alone will create a more flattering portrait for most subjects). You’d still put your flash/softbox to the side at a 45° angle like usual, but the key to ...