Short lighting is used for people with a normal shaped face or people who have a wide face. When short lighting is used the side of the subject's face that is away from the camera is illuminated. This puts the side of the face towards the camera in shadow you can provide a slimming effect.
Broad lighting is useful for subjects with a narrow face. When broad lighting is used the side of the face away from the camera is in shadow. This provides a widening or broadening effect on the face.
"Rembrandt lighting" uses strongly contrasting light and shadow. Rembrandt achieved this effect by allowing light form a skylight to illuminate one side of his subject. Early photographers understood the power of replicating Rembrandt;s lighting for portraityre. Thet drew on the tradition of old master painting to help elevate photography from a recording tool to an art form. To this day Rembrandt lighting is still a common stlye of studio lighting today.
