Soft Rim Light

Soft rim light creates an angelic feeling and demure look, but sometimes the background could be too bright, washing out the ears and cheek bones while the T-section is still under exposed.

Soft Rim Light with White Fill

Adding a white surface to bounce some rim light back into the face will even out the exposure, highlighting the T-section a bit more.

Soft Flat Light

Soft flat light does not contour face feature, but it makes the skin look good.

Hard Side Light

Hard side light casts strange looking shadow on the face. In this picture, the direct sunlight comes from camera left, and some glossy surface on camera right bounces the sunlight back in, acting as a secondary hard light. This lighting looks way too dramatic for everyday portrait purpose and should be used with extreme caution.

Hard Butterfly Lighting

Hard butterfly light contours the face while highlighting the T-section. However, bright sunlight will make the subject squint.

Hard Rim Light with Soft Fill

Hard Rim Light creates a summery hazy look. A light colored object with a matte surface can bounce the sun light back into the subject as a soft fill.

Hard Rim Light with Hard Fill

The fill light in this case is produced by reflecting direct sun light from a glossy surface. The hard fill light itself will contour the face, but the subject might squint from the strong fill light. Since the background is not receiving light as the subject, it falls into darkness, which contrasts the subject, making the subject pop, creating a very strong look.

Hard Rim Light with Little/No Fill Light

This creates a very hazy and washed out look. It is quite soft but less demure and angelic as the soft rim light. This look is good for street fashion or lifestyle type of photography (in general... not a rule).

Posing Tip

Try to break symmetry in the pose, for instance, unleveled shoulder, one hand in pocket while the other is not, etc. Pushing chin out and down slightly so as to accentuate the jaw.