If you’re looking to level up your portrait photography, lighting is one of the most powerful ways to do it. In this blog, we’ll explore different lighting gear and setups that can add depth, style, and character to your portraits. With the right light, portrait photography becomes much more than a standard shot, it transforms into something unique and eye-catching.

When setting up lighting, it’s important to keep four key factors in mind: direction, temperature, softness vs. hardness, and the use of fillers and reflectors.

Starting with direction, light can be positioned in front, behind, to the sides, or even angled to create a glowing rim around the subject. Temperature refers to whether the light is warm or cool, ranging from sepia tones to bright white. Softness and hardness determine the mood: harder light creates more dramatic shadows, while softer light feels subtler and more flattering. Finally, fillers and reflectors help balance exposure by brightening your subject and reducing unwanted shadows or glare.

The following lighting setups are great to keep in mind when shooting portraits. If you haven’t tried one yet, it’s worth experimenting, sometimes switching your lighting mid-shoot can spark a new creative idea. Keeping a list handy can also be useful until these setups become second nature.

1. Natural Window Light – Creates a soft, organic look perfect for portraits. Diffused daylight reduces harsh shadows, giving skin a natural, glowing quality. Works best when angled slightly from the side.

2.Clamshell (Beauty) Setup – Uses one light above and a reflector (or second light) below the face. This setup minimizes shadows, smooths out skin, and highlights facial features, making it popular for beauty and fashion photography.

3. Loop Lighting – Achieved by positioning the light slightly above and to the side of the subject. It creates a small shadow of the nose that loops onto the cheek, adding depth and dimension without being overly dramatic.

4. Rembrandt Lighting – Named after the painter, this technique creates a triangle of light under the eye on the shadowed side of the face. It gives portraits a dramatic, cinematic feel with strong contrast and mood.

5. Split Lighting – The subject’s face is divided in half with light on one side and shadow on the other. This setup is bold, edgy, and often used for artistic or moody portraits.

6. Rim / Backlighting – Light is placed behind or slightly behind the subject to outline their edges with a glow. This separates the subject from the background and highlights shape, detail, and depth, often used in fitness, action, or cinematic shots.

7. Ring Light / On-Camera LED – Produces an even, shadow-free look by placing the light source directly around or above the lens. Creates a modern, polished aesthetic, often with a signature catchlight in the eyes, making it popular for influencers and content creators.

At SANDMARC, we offer three lighting options: the Ring Light, Prolight Mini RGB, and Prolight Mini Bi-Color.

Together, these options give you flexibility, whether you want clean, professional lighting or bold, creative effects.

Adding different lighting options to your portraits can instantly level up your photography. Even a slight adjustment can brighten or darken your image, shifting the mood completely. That’s why understanding lighting is so important and it’s not something limited to photographers with DSLR cameras. By getting creative and using tools like a Ring Light or one of the Prolight Minis, you can elevate your iPhone portraits to a professional level.