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Best prompts for ChatGPT Portrait for lighting setups using Butterfly lighting

13 copy-ready prompts for AI assistants to generate practical, step-by-step Butterfly (paramount) lighting setups for portrait photography. Each entry includes a concise title, a short explanation of what the prompt will produce, a ready-to-send prompt, a realistic example scenario, and recommended AIs.

Claude Opus 4
Claude Sonnet 4
GPT-5
Gemini 2.5 Flash
Gemini 2.5 Pro
You've probably been there: you ask ChatGPT for butterfly lighting help and get generic advice that sounds like it came from a photography textbook. You're left staring at your setup wondering why the nose shadow looks wrong and your subject's face isn't getting that classic glamorous look you see in professional portraits. The frustration hits when you realize you're spending more time troubleshooting than actually shooting.
This collection of 13 specialized prompts transforms your AI assistant into your personal lighting instructor, giving you specific, actionable butterfly lighting setups for every scenario. From basic beauty dish configurations to complex two-person shots and natural light alternatives, each prompt delivers step-by-step instructions that actually work in real shooting conditions. Instead of wrestling with vague AI responses, you'll get precise technical guidance that helps you nail that signature butterfly shadow and create stunning portraits every time.
1
Basic Butterfly Lighting Setup — Beauty Dish
You are a professional portrait photographer. Provide a clear, step-by-step Butterfly (paramount) lighting setup using a 20" beauty dish and a single strobe. Include exact modifier placement (height, tilt, distance), subject placement, recommended camera settings (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focal length), flash power starting point, meter technique, and basic pose suggestions for a head-and-shoulders beauty portrait. Mention how to place a small reflector for fill and how to check for the butterfly shadow under the nose.
Step-by-step butterfly lighting using a beauty dish for a clean beauty portrait.
2
Butterfly Lighting with Softbox (Large, Diffused)
Act as an experienced studio photographer. Outline a Butterfly lighting setup using a 36x48" softbox as the key. Specify stand height, forward/back tilt, distance to subject, suggested grid/no-grid, recommended flash power and initial exposure settings for both strobes and camera. Explain how to add a low reflector for subtle fill and give three quick posing cues for elongating the neck and accentuating cheekbones.
Set up Butterfly lighting using a large softbox for a softer, more forgiving skin look.
3
Butterfly Lighting with Beauty Dish + Hair Light
You are a studio lighting specialist. Provide a detailed Butterfly lighting plan using a beauty dish as key and a separate hair/rim light. Include positioning for the hair light (angle, distance, height), sync/power balance between key and hair light, recommended modifiers for the rim (snoot/grid), and camera settings. Include troubleshooting steps for common problems like hot spots, flat background, and hair loss in shadow.
Complete setup including hair/rim light to separate subject from background.
4
Low-Key Butterfly Lighting for Dramatic Portraits
You are a lighting director. Explain a low-key Butterfly lighting setup: key modifier choice, light positioning, recommended background color, how to underexpose background while keeping subject properly exposed, camera settings, and suggested flash power ratios. Include tips for accentuating jawline and managing rim/hair light for separation in low-key.
A Butterfly lighting approach optimized for low-key dramatic results with controlled contrast.
5
Butterfly Lighting for Short vs Long Focal Lengths
You are a technical photographer. Provide a side-by-side comparison explaining how to modify a Butterfly lighting setup for 35–50mm lenses versus 85–200mm lenses: changes to light–subject distance, key size relative to subject, changes in depth of field, and recommended camera settings for portrait framing. Include diagrams or descriptive measurements and examples of when to use each approach.
Adjustments to Butterfly lighting when shooting with short (35–50mm) vs long (85–200mm) lenses.
6
Using Reflectors and Fill for Perfect Butterfly Shadow
You are a portrait retoucher and lighting assistant. Explain how to choose and position reflectors or fill cards under the subject's chin to control the butterfly shadow. Recommend reflectors (silver/white/translucent), exact distances and angles, when to use adjustable bounce arms, and how to meter for balanced fill. Provide quick checks to ensure the butterfly shadow remains distinct but not harsh.
Practical guide on reflector type, placement, and angles to control the butterfly nose shadow.
7
Butterfly Lighting for Older Subjects — Softening Wrinkles
You are a portrait photographer specializing in mature subjects. Describe a Butterfly lighting setup that reduces texture and softens wrinkles: modifier choice, diffusion layers, fill strategies, angle adjustments, suggested camera exposure and post-processing suggestions (skin-smoothing approach that retains texture). Include dermatologist-friendly posing cues and how to light eyes for catchlights without emphasizing lines.
Modify Butterfly lighting to flatter mature skin while maintaining shape and highlights.
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