Cool Rule for Facial Analysis

First, let me apologize to anyone following this blog. I've been terribly busy and unable to update it for months. I'm committed to making regular updates from this point forward, and will attempt to incorporate readers' suggested topics whenever practical.

Today I'll mention a simple lighting rule that can make a big difference when lighting an asymmetric face. When I say asymmetric, I' m referring to symmetry in a lateral sense, where one side of the face is smaller than the other. It is quite common to see this in a face, and it is often most pronounced during smiling. For such faces, you'll generally get the best results when your main lighting source shines into the shorter (squished) side of the face. This seems particularly true with short lighting, but is also true in most cases with broad lighting. As with many general rules, there will be exceptions. Faces are complex structures and symmetry is just one element to consider when analyzing the face. I'll talk more about other aspects of facial analysis in future posts. Until then, give this rule a try. I think you'll find it works a surprising percentage of the time.