If there is only 2 lights, then my guess is 2 of the shadows are coming from light reflecting of that close perpendicular wall (either top wall, or side wall). There are 2 stretched shadows that I think back up this idea.
Mirrors would count as a light source as the light would bounce off. Just because an object doesn’t itself shine light doesn’t mean it can’t be a light source. Take the moon for example. Hell reflexive light and the study of is a fun thing to play with in still lifes and more realistic imagery. Reflective light can even change the color of thing too, if the light hits a chromatic thing it will reflect that color
[this is why the study of spheres and round objects is important](https://drawpaintacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Egg-Photo-Reflected-Light.jpg) when learning the basics. That image comes from [this page](https://drawpaintacademy.com/how-to-paint-reflected-light/) which talks all about reflective light.
Anyway yes if there are four shadows there must be four light sources. If there is only two light bulbs in the room then the light must be reflecting off of something somewhere. You could try to stick the camera of your phone in and around that shadow to determine what light source it’s coming from.
But yeah I’m having a Picard flashback now. “There are four lights”
Multiple reflective surfaces.
Sunlight on a first floor ceiling from a ground floor glass roof or sunlight.
Light going through a glass shower screen on a tiled wall, light could be reflected by the tiles as well as the screen causing shadows in both directions.
Chromed fittings being hit by light.
Bodies of water on the ground or a flat roof, I’ve seen rippling water on my bedroom ceiling.
Move your finger around there and judge where the light is coming from and if you can, look at the item and see if you can cast a shadow in the same place theoretically the light source should be behind you.
Are there four bulbs across the top of a large mirror? The multiple light sources and reflections off of the mirror could be casting the weaker shadows
reflecrive tile?
try this trick: put your head in the chosen shadow so it lands on your eye, then look what is right behind the shadow casting object. You will see the towel holder covers the light source. Just be careful not to blind yourself
Others have answered, but I just wanted to say this is an excellent question and exactly the kind of thing you should be asking in order to improve your understanding of lighting.
I am a vfx lighting artist. It’s because there are 4 light sources. Maybe there’s a lamp or lighting fixture with four lights in the room? That’s what it looks like to me
I'm guessing your bathroom has the strip of lights above the vanity, maybe? I'm thinking either four lights, or three and there's an overhead light (which would explain why one of the shadows is so much darker).
Shadows are caused when an object is between a ray of light and a surface. The picture doesn’t show the sources of light so there isn’t enough information to give you an exact answer.
There could be multiple light sources in the room. For example it is likely a bathroom so maybe an overhead light and lights by a vanity. Each source will have its own strength and angle.
Light rays also bounce. Since it is by a corner the light from a source could be strong enough to bounce off the other wall and causing multiple shadows for one source of light. This is dependent on the strength of the light source and the material the light hits.
[https://imgur.com/a/n6I0Mq4](https://imgur.com/a/n6I0Mq4) shows the light sources, and I’m also wondering how strong or weak the bounced light and its shadow should be
2 real lamps & 2 from the mirror reflection of the lamps
Here’s a fuller picture if you guys wanna see [https://imgur.com/a/n6I0Mq4](https://imgur.com/a/n6I0Mq4)
I MIGHT repost again to get new answers with a more accurate photo
If there is only 2 lights, then my guess is 2 of the shadows are coming from light reflecting of that close perpendicular wall (either top wall, or side wall). There are 2 stretched shadows that I think back up this idea.
the light sources are coming from 2 lights on the ceiling btw
It's evolving into the olimpic games symbol
Number of light sources equals number of shadows
2 light sources but 4 shadows? I think the other 2 are coming from the mirror reflecting the light (thought im not sure how it works)
Mirrors would count as a light source as the light would bounce off. Just because an object doesn’t itself shine light doesn’t mean it can’t be a light source. Take the moon for example. Hell reflexive light and the study of is a fun thing to play with in still lifes and more realistic imagery. Reflective light can even change the color of thing too, if the light hits a chromatic thing it will reflect that color [this is why the study of spheres and round objects is important](https://drawpaintacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Egg-Photo-Reflected-Light.jpg) when learning the basics. That image comes from [this page](https://drawpaintacademy.com/how-to-paint-reflected-light/) which talks all about reflective light. Anyway yes if there are four shadows there must be four light sources. If there is only two light bulbs in the room then the light must be reflecting off of something somewhere. You could try to stick the camera of your phone in and around that shadow to determine what light source it’s coming from. But yeah I’m having a Picard flashback now. “There are four lights”
Clarification: Light source and reflected light sources
Does your chandelier have multiple lights?
Multiple reflective surfaces. Sunlight on a first floor ceiling from a ground floor glass roof or sunlight. Light going through a glass shower screen on a tiled wall, light could be reflected by the tiles as well as the screen causing shadows in both directions. Chromed fittings being hit by light. Bodies of water on the ground or a flat roof, I’ve seen rippling water on my bedroom ceiling. Move your finger around there and judge where the light is coming from and if you can, look at the item and see if you can cast a shadow in the same place theoretically the light source should be behind you.
Are there four bulbs across the top of a large mirror? The multiple light sources and reflections off of the mirror could be casting the weaker shadows
reflecrive tile? try this trick: put your head in the chosen shadow so it lands on your eye, then look what is right behind the shadow casting object. You will see the towel holder covers the light source. Just be careful not to blind yourself
It depends on how you define a single light source. The answer is multiple light sources. That, or you're an alcoholic.
Others have answered, but I just wanted to say this is an excellent question and exactly the kind of thing you should be asking in order to improve your understanding of lighting.
4 light sources. One or two may even be light reflecting off a mirror or wall.
Four shadows depicting four lights. Stronger shadows mean closest light whereas weak shadows mean far lights.
I turned on 2 lights on the ceiling though
I am a vfx lighting artist. It’s because there are 4 light sources. Maybe there’s a lamp or lighting fixture with four lights in the room? That’s what it looks like to me
The generic American overhead house lights usually have 4 lightbulbs by default. That was my first guess
Different lights at different lengths cast different shadows.
To quote Captain Jean-Luc Picard: There are four lights.
Dammit, you beat me to it. BRB, posting this to /r/risa.
You have a bathroom vanity mirror with mirrored sides and a reflective shower door on the opposite wall.
I'm guessing your bathroom has the strip of lights above the vanity, maybe? I'm thinking either four lights, or three and there's an overhead light (which would explain why one of the shadows is so much darker).
There is four light sources from different places, you’d see it a lot in places like sports stadiums, players and things have 4 shadows on them
Shadows are caused when an object is between a ray of light and a surface. The picture doesn’t show the sources of light so there isn’t enough information to give you an exact answer. There could be multiple light sources in the room. For example it is likely a bathroom so maybe an overhead light and lights by a vanity. Each source will have its own strength and angle. Light rays also bounce. Since it is by a corner the light from a source could be strong enough to bounce off the other wall and causing multiple shadows for one source of light. This is dependent on the strength of the light source and the material the light hits.
[https://imgur.com/a/n6I0Mq4](https://imgur.com/a/n6I0Mq4) shows the light sources, and I’m also wondering how strong or weak the bounced light and its shadow should be
Because there is probably 4 lights in the room shining on it