If there’s ever a giant pimple that can’t be covered or a cold sore on an actor’s lip, the makeup artist will ask the lighting department to place the actor in the right angle to hide those imperfections. Lighting is their answer to everything — it can even hide the fact that an actress is pregnant (when her character isn’t), by shading her face and body to hide roundness, says Berquist-Barker.

And you don’t have to be a celeb to use this to your advantage. Sure, you might not have a crew following you around with lights everywhere you go, but you can still be sure to find the best lighting possible whenever you’re taking a picture. Click here for more tips on how to use lighting to get the perfect photo.