Rembrandt Lighting and an Astrophysicist

Rembrandt lighting, according to wikipedia, is characterized by an illuminated triangle under the eye of the subject on the less illuminated side of the face. It can be achieved using a speedlite and a reflector, two speedlites of different powers, or, in the case of my picture of the wife, a north-facing window. It gives a nice illumination and gives the face depth because of the shadows it produces. It is also easy to achieve in the sense that you can do it with a minimal amount of equipment - or really just by using a window. I don't think speedlites were already in existence during Rembrandt's time, the artist with whom this lighting technique is named after.


But this post is dual-purposed. It is not only a how-to in photography for today is the wife's birthday and I would like to celebrate her special day by dedicating this post to her.


To the one I idolize, admire and adore, Happy Birthday!

From People and Portraits

- Shot made with a Canon Eos 7D with a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens. Settings at f/2.8, 1/50s, ISO3200.