Butterfly lighting is a type of portrait lighting technique used primarily in a studio setting. Its name comes from the butterfly-shaped shadow that forms under the nose because the light comes from above the camera. You may also hear it called ‘paramount lighting’ or ‘glamour lighting’.

It forms a butterfly-shaped shadow under the subject’s nose, which is the source of the name. It is ideal for portraits as it highlights the subject’s main features, like the nose and cheekbones.

Butterfly lighting is a portrait lighting pattern where the key light is placed above and directly centered with a subject’s face. . It’s also known as ‘Paramount lighting,’ named for classic Hollywood glamour photography.

Setting Up Butterfly Lighting

To achieve butterfly lighting, you will need a light source light source is placed directly above and slightly in front of the subject’s face, such as a studio light or natural light source. You can use a three-point lighting system, consisting of a key light, fill light, and hair light, to achieve butterfly lighting. The key light is positioned directly above and slightly in front of the subject’s face, while the fill light is placed on the opposite side to fill in any shadows. The hair light is placed behind the subject to separate them from the background.