Broad and short lighting are two types of three-quarter lighting, and they are the types that you most often use for official portraits. The only difference between the two is the position of the main light and the way it illuminates the subject.

Short lighting is used for people with a normal shaped face or people who have a wide face. When short lighting is used, the side of the subject's face that is away from the camera is illuminated. This puts the side of the face towards the camera in shadow. By putting the side of the face towards the camera in shadow, you can provide a slimming effect.

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Figure 7-6. Broad and short lighting.

Broad lighting is useful for subjects with a narrow face. When broad lighting is used, the side of the face towards the camera is illuminated, and the side of the face away from the camera is in shadow. This provides a widening or broadening effect of the face. Refer to figure 7-6 to compare the differences of short and broad lighting.