The Perfect Face Position for Glamour

The Perfect Face Position for Glamour

The ideal glamour lighting on the face is when the light on the forehead, the nose, each cheek, and the chin is the same. The quality of the light can be radically different.

Accomplishing this is easy, you either always turn the face into the light or move the light to the front of the face. This does not mean the light needs to be flat, it can be very directional. If you look at the old Hollywood Master photographers you will find they used sharp dramatic lighting with their floodlights.

I often use a Fresnel lens on my lights, which focuses the light so sharp you can cut your finger on the shadow edge. Introduce a warm golden filter to the light and it becomes my most popular light.

By turning the face into the light you create contouring of the light over the figure. When the light source is high, like noon light or a studio light on a boom, the face needs to be tilted up. When the light hits the face on those planes, cheeks, forehead, nose and chin, it looks amazing.

The quality of the light, soft, harsh etc. will radically alter the mood of the image while keeping her face still looking great.

When the face is turned into the light you need to pay attention to the eye placement. When people are turning their head to the side they usually try to move the eyes radically in the same direction as the turned face. Have her look at something that puts her irises in the middle of her eyes, equal whites on each side, even if you cannot see the equal whites.

Light placement makes a big difference, the more contrast to the light, the more critical placement is. If the light is too high, or the face not turned up enough, you will get shadows from the eyebrows into the eyes. If it’s to low you get a variation of the Horror Movie lighting. If it’s perfect the light illuminates the iris wonderfully making it sparkle.