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Simulate Studio lighting · Free

AI Studio Lighting Simulator

Just name the studio setup and AI simulates professional lighting.

Flat-lit selfie portrait
Before
→
Portrait with Rembrandt lighting triangle under eye
After

Simulate Studio Lighting in Photos

Drop your photo here

or click to browse

Release to upload

Free • No signup

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Popular use cases:
  • portrait photography
  • professional headshots
  • product photography
  • beauty photography
  • e-commerce photos
  • portfolio photos
  • selfie enhancement
  • LinkedIn headshots
Cost
Free No signup required
Time
Instant results in 15-30 seconds
Works on
Any device - browser, phone, tablet, desktop
Powered by
AI-powered photo editing
Scenario Prompt Time
Rembrandt lighting simulate Rembrandt lighting setup with triangle of light under eye 30s
Butterfly lighting add butterfly lighting with key light above, butterfly shadow under nose 30s
3-point lighting simulate professional 3-point lighting with key, fill, and rim lights 35s
Loop lighting add loop lighting with small nose shadow loop 25s

How it works

  1. Upload your photo

    Drop your portrait, headshot, or product photo into EditThisPic. Works with JPG, PNG, WebP up to 7MB. Best results with evenly-lit or naturally-lit photos—the AI will add studio lighting on top.

    Expect: Standard setups (butterfly, loop): 25 seconds. Complex multi-light setups (3-point, Rembrandt): 30-35 seconds and may need refinement.

  2. Describe the studio setup you want

    Type your instruction: 'simulate Rembrandt lighting' or 'add 3-point studio lighting setup with key, fill, and rim lights.' Use photography terms—the AI understands butterfly, loop, split, Rembrandt, broad, short, and other classic setups. No marking needed.

    Tip: Use standard photography lighting names. 'Rembrandt lighting' is clearer than 'dramatic side light with triangle.'

    Copy one of these to get started:

    Classic Rembrandt lighting simulate Rembrandt lighting setup with key light at 45 degrees creating triangle of light under eye
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    Flattering butterfly lighting add butterfly lighting with key light directly above creating butterfly shadow under nose, soft and flattering
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    Complete 3-point lighting simulate professional 3-point studio lighting with key light from left, fill from right, and rim light from behind
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    Loop lighting add loop lighting setup with key light slightly to the side creating small nose shadow loop
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    4 more prompts
    Split lighting simulate split lighting with key light from 90 degrees to the side, half face lit half in shadow
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    Clamshell beauty lighting add clamshell lighting with key light above and fill reflector below for soft even beauty lighting
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    Short lighting simulate short lighting setup with key light illuminating the side of face turned away from camera
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    Broad lighting add broad lighting with key light illuminating the side of face closest to camera
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  3. Generate and review

    AI simulates the studio setup with key light, fill light, and rim/hair lights as appropriate. Check that the characteristic shadow patterns appear—triangle under eye for Rembrandt, butterfly shadow under nose for butterfly lighting.

  4. Adjust the setup if needed

    If lights are too strong or positioned incorrectly, refine: 'soften the key light' or 'move rim light more to the left.' Photography lighting is subjective—try variations until it matches your vision.

    Tip: Classic setups are starting points. Customize: 'Rembrandt but softer' or 'butterfly with stronger rim light.'

  5. Download your studio-lit photo

    Download in full resolution with no watermark. Your photo now has professional studio lighting that would normally cost hundreds in equipment or studio rental.

Try it free ↓

Simulate Studio Lighting in Photos

Drop your photo here

or click to browse

Release to upload

Free • No signup

"Got perfect butterfly lighting on my selfie without a studio. Looks like I hired a professional photographer." @headshot_pro

See it in action

Flat-lit selfie portrait
Before
->
Portrait with Rembrandt lighting triangle under eye
After

Rembrandt Lighting Added

Basic selfie with flat lighting. AI added classic Rembrandt setup with characteristic triangle of light under eye.

Prompt: simulate Rembrandt lighting setup with key light at 45 degrees creating triangle of light under eye
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Product with single light source
Before
->
Product with professional 3-point lighting
After

3-Point Studio Setup

Product shot with single light source. AI added complete 3-point lighting with key, fill, and rim lights for professional depth.

Prompt: simulate professional 3-point studio lighting with key light from left, fill from right, and rim light from behind
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Portrait in flat natural light
Before
->
Portrait with butterfly lighting shadow under nose
After

Butterfly Beauty Lighting

Outdoor portrait in natural light. AI simulated classic butterfly lighting setup for glamorous beauty look.

Prompt: add butterfly lighting with key light directly above creating butterfly shadow under nose, soft and flattering
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Portrait with natural window light
Before
->
Portrait with perfect loop lighting pattern
After

Loop Lighting Portrait

Indoor photo with window light. AI added classic loop lighting with perfect nose shadow placement.

Prompt: add loop lighting setup with key light slightly to the side creating small nose shadow loop
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If something looks off

AI didn't create the characteristic shadow pattern

Why: The setup name wasn't recognized or the AI interpreted it differently. Lighting simulation is complex.

Try: Be more specific: 'Rembrandt lighting with triangle shadow under right eye' describes the expected result
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Tip: Describe what the lighting should look like, not just the name. Help the AI understand your expectation.

Lights are positioned wrong or shadows fall incorrectly

Why: The AI's interpretation of light angles didn't match the subject's face angle or pose.

Try: Try: 'adjust key light position more to the left' or 'move light source higher' to reposition lights
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Lighting looks too harsh or too soft

Why: Studio setups vary in softness based on light modifiers (softboxes, umbrellas). The AI may have chosen differently than you wanted.

Try: Specify hardness: 'soft butterfly lighting with diffused key' or 'hard Rembrandt with crisp shadows'
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Multiple shadows or confusing light sources

Why: The AI added studio lights but didn't remove conflicting existing light, or created too many light sources.

Try: Try: 'replace all existing lighting with clean Rembrandt setup' to indicate starting fresh
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Background didn't match the studio setup

Why: Studio setups often affect background. The AI may have lit only the subject.

Try: Try: 'add studio lighting to subject and darken background' for classic studio look, or specify background treatment
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Result doesn't look like a real studio photo

Why: Complex lighting simulation can sometimes look artificial, especially with challenging starting conditions.

Try: Start with evenly-lit photos. Extreme transformations are harder. Or try: 'subtle studio lighting enhancement' for gentler changes
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Can't get the exact setup I want

Why: AI interprets classic setups with some variation. Perfect recreation of a specific photo's lighting is very difficult.

Try: Use reference: 'simulate the lighting style from [description of reference]' or try multiple refinements to approach your vision
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Quick answers

Do I need to mark anything before describing the studio setup?

No! Just name the setup: 'simulate Rembrandt lighting' or 'add 3-point lighting.' The AI identifies your subject and applies the studio setup automatically. Studio lighting simulation works on description alone—no marking needed.

How do I simulate studio lighting for free?

Upload your portrait to EditThisPic and name a classic studio setup—Rembrandt, butterfly, loop, split, or 3-point lighting. The AI recreates that setup with proper key light position, fill light, and rim/hair lights. Free to use, no account needed, no studio equipment required.

What studio lighting setups does the AI understand?

The AI recognizes all standard photography setups: Rembrandt, butterfly (Paramount), loop, split, broad, short, 3-point, 4-point, clamshell, and others. You can also describe custom setups: 'key from left, fill from right, rim from behind.'

Will this work on photos that weren't taken in a studio?

Yes, that's the point! The AI adds studio lighting to photos taken anywhere—selfies, outdoor portraits, natural light photos. It simulates what the photo would look like if it had been shot in a professional studio.

Can I use this for product photography?

Absolutely. Classic product lighting uses the same principles—key light, fill light, rim light. Try: 'add 3-point product lighting' or 'simulate professional product studio setup.' Works great for e-commerce and portfolio photos.

What's the difference between this and the Photo Relighter tool?

Photo Relighter adds general directional lighting. Studio Lighting Simulator specifically recreates named classic photography setups with proper multi-light configurations. Use this when you want a specific studio look (Rembrandt, butterfly, etc.).

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Ready to simulate studio lighting?

Free to try. No signup required.

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