Chiaroscuro:

While the term chiaroscuro originates from the Renaissance period and is often associated with painting or drawing, it has evolved into the photographic world and now often simply means strong and bold contrasts between light and dark areas in a photograph.

Chiaroscuro is achieved by using one point lighting to illuminate one side of the face while the rest of the face and background remain in shadow. It creates bold images which are often composed in black and white to further enhance the effect. It allows for a strong sense of form with very little exposure of the subject’s full appearance. This can be used to emphasise elegance or tone of a figure, as well as beauty and structure of the face. This is why chiaroscuro is often used to create aesthetic images as opposed to more thought provoking or meaningful photos.

Mood Board:

My Response:

Best Images: