The assignment here was to create a commercial portrait focusing on butterfly lighting.  To do this you place the key light directly in front and above the subject’s nose in order to create a shadow effect directly underneath the nose that resembles a butterfly.  Three other lights were used in this portrait of an “Arctic Explorer”; a fill light to camera right nearest the camera, a hairlight at three-quarters rear camera right, and a background light on a black seamless at camera left 90 degrees from the subject.

Location: SCCA Studios, Seattle, WA

Model: Sean Sweeney (Sweendo)

Camera/Lens Specifics: Canon 5D Mark II with Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens

93mm, 1/60 sec at f/2.8, ISO 100, tripod mount.

Post: Adobe LR3 & PS5