what is butterfly lighting?

butterfly lighting is a lighting technique that consists of where the key light is placed above the object in the photo. this helps create the shadow under the nose that looks like a butterfly hence where is gets it name from.

butterfly light lighting originates from Hollywood 1930s as it helped create some of the earliest glamour shot. German silent film actress Marlene Dietrich helped give this technique its name after how she was presented in one of the films she stared in.

why use this form of lighting?

by using butterfly its helps the facial feature stand out more (cheekbones etc) and become one of the photos main attraction, however the main focus of the photo is the shadow under the nose (butterfly) and neck as this is what makes everything pop in the photo. overall this technique is perfect for making glamour shots as it makes the person look more symmetrical and it also makes the person look more thinner.

as you can see the lighting makes the model look more eye catching as all her facial feature are popping.

how do you create butterfly lighting?

lens-

the best lens to use is 55m as it gets you a close and focused photo with heavy detail of the person.

Light-

to create butterfly lighting artificial or natural light can be used, also hard and soft lighting is also applicable for this technique

soft vs hard lighting