Clamshell lighting is a portrait setup that places two light sources—or one light plus a reflector—roughly centered on the subject’s face: one above angled downward, and one below angled upward. The two lights form a “clamshell” shape around the face.

It’s most commonly used for headshots, beauty, and fashion portraits. The goal is soft, flattering light with reduced facial shadows, which can help minimize the appearance of wrinkles, scars, and skin texture.

A typical setup uses a larger softbox above and a smaller light or reflector below. Often the top light is slightly stronger than the lower one. Using two lights gives more control, while a reflector below can create a very similar look.

Some photographers treat clamshell lighting as basically the same as butterfly lighting, while others distinguish it by requiring two lights instead of a light plus reflector. In practice, both descriptions refer to a soft, centered portrait-lighting approach designed to flatter the face.