Here is a list of lighting effects commonly used in photography and cinematography, and how to recreate them with Midjourney:
A key light is the primary light source of the scene. It is the most intense and direct light source. Generally, the key light will illuminate the form of the subject.
Usually you will get strong key lights with [studio portraiture] and [studio photography].
a black and white photo of a man sitting on the floor, in the style of tom of finland, studio portraiture, john lurie, sony alpha a1, george stefanescu, portrait, performance --ar 4:3Copy
photo portrait of a woman sitting, studio portaiture, john lurie, sony alpha a1, studio portrait, performance --ar 4:3Copy
A backlight hits an actor or subject from behind, separating the subject from the background. They give more shape and depth. Backlights help the shot feel three-dimensional and add a lot of drama.
strong backlighting backlit, the great delon, in the style of film noir, deconstructed, tailoring, creative commons, brooding, dappled --ar 16:9Copy
a man in a brown blazer standing in front of smoke, backlit, in the style of gritty hollywood glamour, light brown and emerald, movie still, emphasis on facial expression, robert bevan, violent, dappled --ar 16:9Copy
Silhouette lighting happens when the subject is backlit, resulting in a darkened subject with a well-defined outline against a brighter background. It can create a sense of mystery, drama, or emphasize the shape or form of the subject.
golden hour, silhouette of friends jumping up on the beach for a photograph --ar 16:9Copy
