The history.

Paramount lighting is undoubtedly one of portrait photographer’s favorite, ever.

Its origins go back to the 1930’s, named after the renowned Paramount Pictures, and it all begun when director Josef von Sternberg started using this technique to lit Marlene Dietrich in his movies.

It became popular among photographers that shot portraits of Hollywood celebrities, and one of the most renowned photographers using this set up was George Hurrell.

This technique is also known as Butterfly Lighting,  due to its characteristic shadow under the nose that resembles… you guessed it right, a butterfly!

Why choose Paramount Lighting?

Butterfly lighting is the gold standard for beauty photography, and for good reason. By positioning the light close to the subject and directly in front of the face, it creates a slimming effect. This is achieved through a combination of factors:

• Fast Falloff: The light intensity decreases rapidly, casting shadows on the lower cheeks and minimizing any perceived fullness.
  
• Chin Shadow: The shadow beneath the chin effectively conceals any double chins or jawline imperfections.
• Sculpting: The signature butterfly shadow under the nose adds dimension and definition to the face, while also enhancing the shape of the lips and cheekbones.

Overall, butterfly lighting is incredibly flattering, helping to shape and refine facial features for a universally beautiful result.

This pattern is also highly versatile and easy to set up, requiring minimal equipment.

On the other hand, while butterfly lighting is highly flattering, it’s important to consider its potential drawbacks. Due to the use of hard light sources positioned close to the subject, it can accentuate imperfections such as wrinkles, blemishes, and uneven skin tones. This can significantly increase post-production time if the subject doesn’t have flawless skin or expertly applied makeup. 

One little trick to avoid this issue is to overexpose the shot a little, and increase the contrast, the skin gets slightly overexposed and might help hiding wrinkles, and blemishes.

The Set Up

One of the best aspects of this lighting style is that it doesn’t require a lot of gear. In fact, it can be achieved using just one light.

In most cases though, the implementation of a reflector (at least) is recommended. But more on that in a moment.

Position the light source above and in front of the subject. Ensure the stand doesn’t obstruct the subject’s view (consider using a boom arm for flexibility).

To achieve the desired dramatic falloff and a pronounced butterfly shadow, position the light source close to the subject. Ideally, keep it within three feet for optimal results.

Elevate the light to create a downward angle of approximately 45 degrees. Adjust this angle slightly to achieve the desired butterfly shadow pattern beneath the subject’s nose.

A variety of modifiers can be used, but if you are looking for that retro Hollywood look I’d suggest a magnum reflector to replicate a the look of the fresnel, which is what was used originally.

The picture at the beginning of this article has been shot with an Elinchrom Silver Beauty Dish Reflector 27.6” (70cm), with the honeycomb grid.

Reflectors are crucial for balancing the light and minimizing shadows. After positioning your key light and modifier, you may observe shadows under your model’s chin. To soften these shadows, place a reflector below the model and angle it towards their face.

In some scenarios, like commercial beauty photography, we want to control more the shadow depth, and this can be done by adding a second light (fill light) behind the photographer, typically a large octabox or parabolic umbrella (150cm / 5 feet or larger). The large size of the softbox allows the light to wrap around the photographer, gently filling in the shadows on the subject while minimising the creation of its own distinct shadows. This technique is often referred to as on-axis fill lighting.

If you want to create more separation between the subject and the background, consider using another strobe as a hair light, or pointing it directly to the background behind the subject.

Utilise a portrait lens, ideally between 50mm and 100mm, and position the camera facing your subject and compose a headshot (sometimes it helps to tilt down the lens just a tiny bit, as shown in the diagram below).

Conclusion

Butterfly lighting is a renowned technique for capturing stunning portraits with an air of beauty and glamour. By employing hard light and strategically placing shadows, we sculpt the face, creating a dramatic and captivating effect.

Understanding the key elements and techniques of butterfly lighting empowers you to create portraits that truly stand out.