My favorite side lighting angle is slightly forward of 90 degrees onto the actor’s face. I usually raise the side light to a height that allows its light to just reach over the bridge of the nose and into the eye socket of the shadow side of the face, without touching the cheek of the shadow side.
Picture 10. Side lighting with the light positioned to reach into the eye socket of the shadow side of the face.
Under light
Under light is illumination that comes from an angle below eye level. Traditionally, under light has been given a bad rap as a type of horror lighting and is considered an unglamorous key light angle.
Picture 11. Under light is used primarily for horror lighting.
I find that soft under light that comes from just beneath eye level is in fact very glamorous and flattering on women and children. Under light is a very effective lighting angle for illuminating the eye sockets, and in particular for actors wearing hats. One of my favorite under light angles is called an “angel’s touch”— it is positioned onto a face from below eye level and from the side. It casts a vertical highlight onto the indentation between the nose and the upper lip, creating an ethereal effect on women. I usually have my angel’s touch light at 1 stop or more below my key light exposure.
Picture 12. Angel’s touch lighting kisses highlights into the indentation of the nose and upper lip.
