How can I recreate this look?

<p>I fell in love with the lighting on Oprah in this clip:<br>

What is the lighting on her?</p>

 

<p>a soft light in front of the face and slightly under the nose. (See the shades and the lights in her cheeks).</p>

 

<p>It is called clamshell lighting Google for setups</p>

<p>Paco Rosso - could it be done with a single softbox?</p>

<p>John Tonai - are you sure? I looked and nothing looked particularly like it. maybe it's different because there really aren't any other lights.</p>

<p>Look at the catch lights in her eyes. As best I can tell, there are 2, one slightly above the other. Note the near absence of a nose shadow. So main light slightly above. Second light below and slightly to the L. camera shooting between. They look like an open clam shell from the side. Lower light could be replaced with reflector if only have one light. The catch lights appear round so an octa or umbrella. Her makeup is excellent. The lighting is nothing special. It is also called beauty, butterfly or paramount lighting(after the studio). The top light is usually a bit higher so the nose casts a small shadow under it resembling a butterfly. How to achieve: main light on boom(here, perhaps the reason the top catchlight is slightly right is to shoot around the light stand without a boom) on the nose axis. Position height to get the desired shadow watching to have light in the eye sockets. A light or reflector is brought in from below to reduce the under chin and eye socket shadows to the desired density. </p>

<p>Yes, pretty standard stuff for celebs of a "certain age" and some younger ones too.</p>