WHAT IS CHIAROSCURO LIGHTING?

Chiaroscuro is an Italian term used to describe the technique of using light and dark in artwork. It is a high-contrast lighting technique that uses a low lighting setup to achieve contrast between the subject and a dark background. The final images produced include a well-lit subject and it is three-dimensional, with exaggerated shadows and highlights. It has a dark, full of contrast look, with dense shadows, though the background doesn’t always have to be completely black.

WHY DO PHOTOGRAPHERS USE THIS LIGHTING?

Photographers use this type of lighting because it emphasises the texture of the subject and it adds depth to portraits. This lighting is good for photographers to use because it creates a sharp contrast that makes a more dramatic and often assertive photo. This is a common technique used as it can emphasize power, glamour, and drama.

EXAMPLES OF CHIAROSCURO LIGHTING:

LIGHTING SET UP:

For Chiaroscuro lighting, we only used one light source and we did not use a reflector, unlike the other lighting methods. We placed the subject centre in front of a black background, and used the lighting source on one side of their face. This then creates the effect of split lighting.

CONTACT SHEET:

MY FINAL EDITED IMAGES:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

I edited these photos using Adobe Lightroom Classic. For all of these photos, I increased the exposure and contrast to make sure I was making the shadows intensified to create the idea of ‘split-lighting’. My favourite image I edited is the last one shown above because the Chiaroscuro lighting affect is shown clearly and accurately. The contrast between light and dark here is affective as it is clear where the lighting is split into the two differences.