06/17/2026
EO Education Series #001
📸 6 Essential Portrait Lighting Patterns
One of the biggest differences between an average portrait and a professional portrait isn’t the camera—it’s understanding light.
The same person can look dramatically different depending on how the light is positioned.
In this guide, I break down six of the most common portrait lighting patterns:
✓ Loop Lighting
✓ Rembrandt Lighting
✓ Butterfly Lighting
✓ Split Lighting
✓ Broad Lighting
✓ Short Lighting
Each pattern creates a different mood, emphasizes different facial features, and serves a different purpose.
Whether you’re a photographer, content creator, model, or business owner investing in professional imagery, understanding light helps you create stronger visual impact.
Which lighting pattern is your favorite?
Save this guide for future reference and share it with someone learning portrait photography.
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