Looking more in the portrait photography history, I came across an article on different techniques of lighting that has been used in portrait photography. Looking more into the article I had came across this photograph.
I have found this photograph really interesting and very well done. Director Josef Von Sternberg used butterfly lighting to enhance Marlene Dietrich’s features in this iconic shot, from Shanghai Express, Paramount 1932 - photograph by Don English.
The butterfly lighting is using only two lights. The key light is placed directly in front of the subject, often above the camera or slightly to one side, and a bit higher than is common for a three-point lighting plan. The second light is a rim light. Then a reflector is placed below the subject’s face to provide fill light and soften shadows. This lighting is often recognized by the strong light falling on the forehead, the bridge of the nose, upper cheeks and by the distinct shadow below the nose that often looks rather like butterfly. This lighting is favourite of frames Hollywood portraitist George Hurrell, that’s why this style of lighting is often then called the Paramount lighting.
I also really like it because in my opinion it brings you into the image, you can understand what she is feeling and going through and what the director was trying to achieve by this image. The way she is also posing - including her hands and they way she is looking up, also how her face is slightly expressionless. Doesn’t really tell you much about her. It’s the range of tones going from highlights to shadows really work well as I don’t think that this would’ve turned out as well as if she would have her head slightly twisted to the side as that would completely change the image and the meaning behind it would be different.
