A while back, Stephanie at I Speak Film did a piece about Rembrandt light, and I have been meaning to play around a little with what I’ve learned ever since then.

The key in Rembrandt lighting is to have one side of your subject’s face lit from a main light source, with the other side in dramatic shadow. At the same time, you are also trying to create a triangle of light under the shadowed eye. It’s a dramatic use of light, it creates warm-feeling photos, and it is generally flattering to everyone.

This weekend, my husband was holding our daughter in her favorite position on his shoulders while we waited outside at a restaurant. It was early evening and the sun was low, casting gorgeous natural light and shadows on her face. I took the opportunity to use the bright blue sky as a backdrop for some warmly lit shots. A few were Rembrandt-esque, but this one actually gets a bit of the triangle of light under her eye needed to claim Rembrandt light status.

I’ve got a lot of practicing to do still, but it was fun to actually use some of my new lighting knowledge to get a cool shot. Thanks, Steph for the tips!