Five Portrait Looks with One Light: A Quick Studio Walkthrough

Want to know how many lights I typically use? Well, that’s simple: just one. It’s always been that way, as there is something beautifully natural-looking about single-light portraits, but don’t be fooled: one light is more than enough to create a myriad of lighting patterns.

It’s tempting to think you’re limited when working with just one light. Well, honestly, that couldn’t be further from the truth. With one light, one subject, and a few small shifts in position, you can easily come away with a gallery of completely different looks. In the video below, I run through five classic portrait lighting patterns using just one head and our model Finn. Here’s what each setup looks like in practice, and how to recreate them yourself.

The setup

Nothing fancy. One light. One subject. A camera. The trick isn’t in the kit — it’s in where you put the light relative to the face, and how you position your subject in response. We’re working in a fairly bright studio, which means you’ll see a bit of fill bouncing around the room. That’s normal. The shadows would be stronger in a black-walled cinema-style space, but the principles are exactly the same. So you here go, some single light portrait setups.

1. Hollywood lighting

The simplest of the lot. The light sits high and roughly central — over the top of the camera — pointed down at the subject’s face. What you get is light flowing over the top of the face, a small shadow under the nose (often called a “butterfly” shadow), light catching the hair, and — bonus — spill from the head lighting the background all at the same time. It’s flattering, classic, and a brilliant place to start.

2. Loop lighting

Now move the light around to one side, keeping it slightly above the eyeline. You’re not moving the camera, the subject, or anything else — just the light. You’ll see a small loop-shaped shadow extending from the side of the nose down towards the corner of the mouth. It’s one of the most commonly used patterns in portrait photography because it sculpts the face without being overly dramatic. Subtle, but effective.

3. Short-side lighting

Same light position, but now ask your subject to turn their face slightly towards the light. The trick is to get the nose to cross the centreline of the face so the light is hitting the short side — the smaller of the two visible cheek areas from the camera’s point of view. The result is a more dimensional, sculpted portrait. The shadow side of the face is the one closer to the camera, which gives the image depth and a touch of mystery. It’s one of my favourite patterns for headshots that need to feel a bit more considered.

4. Profile (mask lighting from the side)

Ask your subject to turn their back to the camera, then look back, or simply turn fully into profile. Move the light around to the far side so it’s lighting the front of the face. Technically, this is short-side lighting from a different angle, but the effect is quite different. Watch the shoulders here — you don’t want them catching too much light, or it pulls focus away from the face. Keep the angle steep enough that the light skims past the body and lands cleanly on the features.

5. Wraparound (light brought in close)

This one isn’t for everyone, but it’s worth having in your back pocket. Bring the light in as close to the subject as you possibly can without getting it in the frame. Because the light is so close, it wraps around the face and falls off rapidly behind, which creates a beautifully intimate feel. You’ll need to drop your aperture by a stop or so to compensate for the increased intensity — it’s going to come up bright. It’s a more theatrical look, and not every client will love it, but for editorial-style portraits or anything that wants a bit of drama, it’s a useful trick to have learned.

Five looks, one light, one subject

That’s the whole point of this exercise: don’t let a minimal kit limit you. Five completely different looks, all from a single head, all in the time it takes to nudge a stand a few feet across the studio. Try it next time you’re stuck for variety — you might surprise yourself. It’s mostly done in-camera A couple of people asked about this image and how much work needed doing in post production. Honestly? Not very much. Just a touch of editing in the EXCELLENT DxO Nik Silver Efex Pro 8, which is my go-to for all things monochrome.

After

Before

Camera: NIKON Z 9
Lens: NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S
Exposure: ¹⁄₁₆₀ sec at ƒ / 11 Aperture: ƒ / 11
ISO: ISO 200
Focal Length: 120 mm
Elinchrom FIVE with a 1m square softbox

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the five portrait lighting patterns you can create with one light?

Well, of course, there are infinite ways to position a light source relative to your subject. But five useful patterns are Hollywood lighting (light high and central), loop lighting (light to one side above eyeline), short-side lighting (subject turned toward the light), profile or mask lighting (subject in full profile), and wraparound lighting (light brought very close to the subject).

What is short-side lighting in portrait photography?

Short-side lighting means positioning the light so it hits the smaller of the two visible cheek areas from the camera’s perspective. The subject turns their face toward the light until the nose crosses the centreline, placing the shadow side closer to the camera and adding depth and dimension to the portrait.

What is Hollywood lighting in portrait photography?

Hollywood lighting places the light high and roughly central, directly above the camera, pointed down at the subject’s face. It creates a small butterfly-shaped shadow under the nose, catches the hair, and often spills onto the background, producing a flattering and classic look.

How does wraparound lighting work for portraits?

Wraparound lighting involves bringing a single light as close to the subject as possible without entering the frame. The proximity causes light to wrap around the face and fall off rapidly behind the subject, creating an intimate, dramatic effect. Exposure compensation of roughly one stop is needed to handle the increased intensity.

What is loop lighting and when should you use it?

Loop lighting is created by moving a single light to one side and slightly above the subject’s eyeline, producing a small loop-shaped shadow from the nose toward the corner of the mouth. It is one of the most commonly used portrait lighting patterns because it sculpts the face without appearing overly dramatic.

Can you get varied portrait looks with just one studio light?

Yes. By shifting a single light’s position and adjusting the subject’s angle, a photographer can produce at least five distinct portrait looks – Hollywood, loop, short-side, profile, and wraparound – without any additional equipment.