How much shadow is acceptable?

Enough to shape face, not enough to lose eye detail.

How to protect highlights?

Expose for skin and control reflective wardrobe elements.

Should both sides of face be equal?

Not necessarily; balanced asymmetry can look more dimensional.

Shadow vs Highlight Balance for Casting Photos

BModel data-driven playbook. Use this with your audit report for faster iteration.

Balanced highlights preserve premium skin rendering and cast-ready realism.

Why This Metric Matters

Lighting quality drives readability of skin, silhouette, and garment structure. Poor light can hide strengths that are otherwise present in pose and styling.

How BModel Measures It

BModel uses exposure balance, shadow/highlight distribution, contrast behavior, and scene clarity signals to estimate technical readiness.

Fix It Now: 5 Actions

Use one main light source at 35-45 degrees to face and torso.
Avoid mixed white-balance sources in the same frame.
Expose for skin detail first, then adjust wardrobe separation.
Check histogram and retake if highlights clip on face or garment.
Keep background simple to preserve edge readability.

Common Mistakes

Strong backlight without controlled fill.
Flat front light that kills garment depth.
Over-editing contrast, creating fake texture.
Changing lighting pattern per image inside the same set.

7-Day Improvement Protocol

Day 1: choose one indoor setup and test three distances.
Day 2: run 20-frame exposure ladder and keep best two levels.
Day 3-4: retake final set with fixed exposure baseline.
Day 5: verify face and garment highlights at 100% zoom.
Day 6-7: submit and compare lighting-related score movement.

FAQ

How much shadow is acceptable?
Enough to shape face, not enough to lose eye detail.
How to protect highlights?
Expose for skin and control reflective wardrobe elements.
Should both sides of face be equal?
Not necessarily; balanced asymmetry can look more dimensional.