# Raking light > Light at a low angle across a surface that reveals texture through long shadows. Also known as: raking lighting. Category: Lighting and optics. Raking light strikes a surface at a low angle, typically 10 to 30 degrees, so every raised detail casts a long shadow. It reveals texture that frontal or overhead light flattens. ## How PhotoRobot uses it It is the key technique for showing pile direction and weave in carpet capture, combined with soft fill light so shadows do not go black. The [raking light article](https://www.photorobot.com/academy/lighting-raking-light) in PhotoRobot Academy explains the setup. ## See on photorobot.com - [Raking light technique](https://www.photorobot.com/academy/lighting-raking-light) ## Related terms - [Pile-up](https://www.photorobot.com/glossary/pile-up): Carpet fibers that bunch or lift at the edges of a sample and show up badly under raking light. - [Backlight](https://www.photorobot.com/glossary/backlight): Light from behind the subject, used to brighten the background or outline the product. - [Diffusion](https://www.photorobot.com/glossary/diffusion): Scattering light through a translucent material to make it softer and more even. - [Carpet Photography Specialist](https://www.photorobot.com/glossary/carpet-photography-specialist): The PhotoRobot Academy specialty track for the Carpet Studio built on the Carousel.