Photographers and cinematographers have a range of industry terms for referencing particular lighting styles or set-ups. You can also use these terms in your prompts to guide your image model towards the specific kind of lighting you're going for.
Lighting is a crucial aspect across all of the visual creative disciplines, as it directly impacts the atmosphere, focus and emotional impact of any image or scene. Below, we've put together a handy list of lighting types that you can write in your prompts to describe the look and feel you want. For each term, we've also added an example of the results.
Note that this list is by no means exhaustive. The principle applies to photography and lighting terminology more generally, as well as to other creative disciplines: as long as these concepts exist within the image model's training data, you can mention them in your prompts, and the model will try to emulate that effect.
Also check out: What camera shots and angles can I use in prompts?
Natural vs artificial light in prompts:
Natural light:
Refers to light coming from natural sources like the sun or moon.
Creates a more realistic and organic look.
Often results in softer, more diffused lighting with natural shadows.
Artificial light:
Refers to light coming from man-made sources like lamps, LEDs, or studio lights.
Allows for greater control over the intensity, direction and colour of the light
Can create dramatic effects, shadows, or a consistent lighting setup regardless of the time of day.
Naturalistic lighting
Uses natural light sources for a realistic look.
High key lighting
Bright, even lighting with minimal shadows, creating a cheerful atmosphere.
Low key lighting
High contrast with deep shadows, creating a dramatic or suspenseful mood
Chiaroscuro lighting
Strong contrasts between light and dark to highlight subjects dramatically.
Three-point lighting
Standard method using key light, fill light and backlight for balanced illumination.
Soft lighting
Diffused light that softens shadows, creating a gentle, flattering effect.
Hard lighting
Direct light, creating sharp shadows, emphasising texture and detail.
Motivated lighting
Lighting that appears to come from natural sources within the scene, enhancing realism.