Broad Lighting

Lighting on a person with their head slightly turned, where light falls on the wider side of the face visible to the camera. It happens when the person turns their head away from the light. A face looking straight ahead has no wide or narrow side, so the term only applies when the head is turned. The opposite, light falling on the side of the face away from the camera, is short lighting.

Lighting positions seen from above. The light is about 45° to the camera’s left, and the bunny turns his head about 30° to the right (away from the light).

Camera view. The wide side of the face toward the camera is bright, and the far edge is shaded.

How it feels

Brightness
Openness
Friendly
Contrast
Dramatic

When to use it

Portraits of people with slim faces
High-key portraits
Conversation scenes with a character’s head turned
Profile photos that show the face brightly

In the movies

Blade Runner 2049 (2017) · Source: Sony Pictures Entertainment India (YouTube) · Original video

Not to be confused with

Short Lighting: The opposite. The person turns toward the light, so it falls on the narrow side of the face away from the camera. The side toward the camera falls into shadow.
Loop Lighting: Broad and short describe the light’s direction relative to where the head is turned, so they can be combined with face patterns like loop or Rembrandt.
Three-quarter: Three-quarter is a camera direction that sees the person at a slant. The face has to be seen at a slant like this to tell broad from short.

Prompt

Keyword

broad lighting

Descriptive

Broad lighting. The subject's face is turned slightly away from the light, so the side of the face nearest the camera is lit.

Try these combinations

Medium close-up + broad: a bright portrait
Medium close-up, broad lighting, face turned slightly away from the key light, bright and open portrait
Close-up + broad + high-key: an upbeat character
Close-up, broad lighting, high-key, a cheerful young man in a bright studio