Lighting Setup Diagram Tool

A lighting diagram is a top-down sketch of a shoot: where the subject, the camera and each light sit. This free lighting diagram maker draws one in your browser. Load a classic portrait pattern or add key, fill, rim and background lights yourself, drag them into place, and download the finished diagram as a picture.

Lighting Setup Diagram Tool

How to make a lighting diagram with this tool

1. Start from a pattern or from nothing. The six buttons at the top load Rembrandt, butterfly, split, loop, broad and short lighting. Clear All empties the floor.
2. Add lights. Each Add Light button drops one more key, fill, rim or background light onto the diagram. You can have several of a kind.
3. Drag each light into place. The dashed line from a light shows it aimed at the subject. The two rings mark distance from the subject, so a light on the inner ring is half as far away as one on the outer ring.
4. Take a light out. Click or tap it, then press Remove selected light. The selected light has a dark outline.
5. Save it. Download diagram saves a square PNG picture you can keep on your phone, print, or send to an assistant.

The diagram is drawn from above. The subject is in the middle, facing the camera at the bottom, so a light on the left of the diagram is on the camera's left. Key lights are orange, fill lights blue, rim and hair lights green and background lights purple. Height cannot be shown from above, so note it separately: most of these patterns put the key above the sitter's eye level, angled down.

Want the patterns side by side? Lighting setup diagrams has a quick reference table of the patterns, a light modifier reference, and setups with one, two and three lights.

The six portrait lighting patterns in the presets

Portrait lighting is built on a foundation of patterns that have been refined over more than a century of photography and centuries of painting before that. These patterns describe the specific relationship between the light source, the subject’s face, and the camera position. Knowing them gives you words for describing a setup to someone else, and most setups with several lights are a variation on one of them.

The six core lighting patterns in the diagram tool above are the usual starting points for portrait lighting. Each one sets a different mood and suits different faces, and each is an example of the wider rules of photography lighting.

Rembrandt Lighting

Rembrandt lighting is perhaps the most recognized portrait lighting pattern. It is identified by a small triangle of light on the shadow side of the face, typically visible on the cheek beneath the eye. The triangle should be no wider than the eye and no longer than the nose. This pattern is created by placing the key light high and about 45 degrees to one side of the subject.

The pattern creates a strong sense of three-dimensionality because it leaves significant areas of the face in shadow while maintaining enough light on both sides to preserve detail and recognition. It works particularly well for subjects with average to full face shapes. Very thin faces may look gaunt under Rembrandt lighting because the shadow areas can appear sunken.

In the diagram tool, notice how the key light is positioned at roughly 45 degrees from the camera-subject axis. The fill light opposite and lower controls how deep the shadows become. A rim light behind and to the opposite side creates separation from the background. Adjust the key light position and watch how moving it further to the side deepens the shadow pattern while moving it closer to the camera axis opens up the shadows.

Setting this up for real? The Rembrandt lighting tutorial builds it with one light, step by step.

Butterfly (Paramount) Lighting

Butterfly lighting places the key light directly in front of and above the subject. It creates a symmetrical shadow beneath the nose (shaped like a butterfly) and shadows under the cheekbones. This pattern was the signature look of Hollywood’s golden age glamour photography, used extensively at Paramount Studios, which is why it is also called Paramount lighting.

Butterfly lighting works best when the subject faces the camera directly and has prominent cheekbones and a lean face. The overhead angle of the light accentuates cheekbones and creates a slimming effect. It is less flattering for round faces or subjects with deep-set eyes, as the overhead angle can create dark eye sockets. A fill light or reflector placed below the face (sometimes called a clamshell setup when combined with the overhead key) opens up the shadows and adds a catch light in the lower part of the eyes.

Split Lighting

Split lighting illuminates exactly half the face by placing the key light at 90 degrees to the side. The dividing line runs straight down the center of the face, with one half fully lit and the other in shadow. This is the most dramatic of the standard patterns and is rarely used for commercial or corporate portraits. It shines in artistic, editorial, and music industry work where mood and intensity matter more than conventional flattery.

The extreme contrast of split lighting can be softened by adding subtle fill on the shadow side, but keep the fill at least two stops below the key to maintain the split effect. Adding too much fill turns split lighting into something closer to Rembrandt or loop. A common variation is to add a rim light on the shadow side to create an edge of brightness that outlines the dark side of the face, adding separation and visual interest without reducing the dramatic impact.

Loop Lighting

Loop lighting is the workhorse of portrait photography. The key light is placed about 25 to 35 degrees to one side and slightly above the subject. This creates a small shadow loop from the nose that falls onto the cheek without connecting with the cheek shadow. It is a subtle, flattering pattern that works on nearly every face shape, which is why it is the most commonly used setup in portrait studios worldwide.

The distinction between loop and Rembrandt lighting is the nose shadow. In loop lighting, the nose shadow stays separate from the cheek shadow. In Rembrandt lighting, they connect to form the characteristic triangle. Moving the key light further to the side transitions loop lighting into Rembrandt lighting. This means you can fine-tune the mood of your portrait by making small adjustments to the key light position.

Broad and Short Lighting

Broad and short lighting are not separate patterns but rather positioning decisions that work in combination with any of the patterns above. When the subject turns their head slightly to one side, one side of the face becomes “broad” (closer to the camera and appearing wider) and the other becomes “short” (further from the camera and appearing narrower).

Broad lighting illuminates the broad side of the face. This makes the face appear wider and fuller, which is useful for very thin or narrow faces. It also produces a lower-contrast image because most of the visible face is lit.

Short lighting illuminates the short side of the face. This creates more visible shadow on the broad (camera-facing) side, producing a slimming effect and more three-dimensionality. Short lighting is the default choice for most portrait work because it is flattering to a wider range of face shapes and creates more interesting, dimensional images. Most people’s faces look best with short lighting because it emphasizes bone structure and creates a natural sense of depth.

The Role of Each Light in a Multi-Light Setup

Understanding what each light does in a setup helps you build lighting arrangements intentionally rather than randomly placing lights and hoping for the best.

• Key light: The primary light source. It establishes the lighting pattern, sets the exposure, and determines the overall mood. Every portrait setup starts with positioning the key light. All other lights are set in relation to it.
• Fill light: Placed opposite the key light, the fill controls the shadow density. A strong fill (close to the key light power) creates low-contrast, open lighting suitable for commercial and beauty work. A weak fill (or no fill) creates deep shadows for dramatic, moody portraits. The fill should never create its own shadow pattern; it should only lift the shadows created by the key.
• Rim (hair/edge) light: Placed behind the subject, the rim light creates a bright outline along the edge of the hair, shoulders, or body. This separates the subject from the background, adding depth to the image. Without a rim light, dark hair against a dark background can merge into a shapeless mass. Rim lights are typically set about 1 stop brighter than the key light so they create a visible edge without being overpowering.
• Background light: Illuminates the background independently of the subject. This lets you control the tone and texture of the background. Pointing a light at a white seamless can make it pure white. Gelling a background light adds color without affecting the subject. Positioning the background light low and aiming upward creates a graduated effect from bright to dark.

Building Your Lighting Setup Step by Step

The most common mistake with studio lighting is trying to set all the lights at once. This leads to confusion because you cannot tell which light is causing which effect. Instead, build your setup one light at a time.

Start with only the key light. Turn off all other lights and light the subject with the key alone. Position it until you see the pattern you want (Rembrandt, loop, butterfly, or split). Set the power for correct exposure at your desired aperture. Study the shadows. Decide how much shadow fill you want.

Add the fill light next. Turn it on at low power and gradually increase until the shadow density looks right. A common starting point is fill one stop below the key for an open, commercial look, or two stops below for a more dramatic portrait. Take test shots and evaluate on your camera LCD.

Add the rim light. Position it behind the subject on the opposite side from the key light. Start at the same power as the key and adjust. The rim should create a visible edge of light without blowing out to pure white. Flagging or gridding the rim light prevents flare from hitting your lens.

Finally, add the background light if desired. This is the most optional light in many setups. Many powerful portraits use a plain, unlit background. But when you want a specific background tone or color, the background light gives you independent control.

No studio lights at all? Window light portraits makes the same patterns with a window and a reflector.

Getting the setup from the diagram to the studio

• Start simple. One light and a reflector can create every classic pattern. Add complexity only when you have a clear reason.
• Watch the catch lights. The reflection of lights in the subject’s eyes (catch lights) reveals your entire setup. Portrait photographers position key lights to create a catch light in the upper portion of the iris, typically at the 10 o’clock or 2 o’clock position.
• Control spill. Use grids, barn doors, and flags to keep each light focused on its intended target. Uncontrolled spill from a rim light hitting the nose, or a background light washing the subject, creates flat, muddy lighting.
• Use modeling lights. Most studio strobes have continuous modeling lights that show you an approximation of the flash output. Use these to preview your lighting before taking test shots.
• Measure with a light meter. A handheld incident light meter gives you objective exposure readings from the subject’s position. It is the fastest way to set lighting ratios accurately and consistently.
• Modify your light. Bare lights are harsh. A softbox, umbrella, or beauty dish turns a small point source into a large, soft source that wraps around the face. The larger the modifier (relative to the subject), the softer the light. Move it closer for softer light with more falloff, or further away for harder light with less falloff.
• Bring the diagram. Plan the setup before the sitter arrives, download the diagram and have it on your phone. Setting up from a picture is quicker than experimenting while someone waits.

Want to know why the eyes look alive in one frame and flat in the next? Catchlights explains what they are and how to place them. Choosing a modifier? Softboxes covers sizes, shapes and placement.

Frequently asked questions

Can I save or print the lighting diagram?

Yes. Download diagram saves a PNG picture of the diagram as it stands, which you can print or share like any other image.

Is the lighting diagram creator free?

Yes. It runs on this page with nothing to install and no account. Nothing you draw is sent anywhere.

What does a lighting diagram show?

The position of the subject, the camera and every light, seen from above, and which way each light points. A good diagram also carries notes on what the picture cannot show: the height of each light, its modifier and its power.

Which lighting pattern should I draw first?

Loop lighting, which is the pattern loaded when the page opens. One key light a little to the side and above the face suits most people, and moving that one light farther round turns it into Rembrandt and then split lighting.

Does it work on a phone?

Yes. Drag the lights with a finger, and tap a light before pressing Remove selected light.