Chiaroscuro Portraits

Chiaroscuro is my favorite style of portrait lighting. It’s an Italian term referring to the use of strong contrasts between light and dark. It originates from the renaissance era with artists like Da Vinci, Rembrandt, and more.

Chiaroscuro has also influenced many artists in photography and cinema, most notably the film noir movies of the 1950s where I pull much of my inspiration. Following this technique achieves a dramatic low key effect and can introduce feelings of both intimacy and mystery into the portrait that could be difficult to otherwise achieve.