In the Mar/Apr tutorial, we talked alot about front and side lighting. This month, we’re going to try our hand at backlighting.
Backlighting, as I mentioned in the Canadian Scrapbooker Spring 2010 article, can be a difficult task to master, so it is not widely used. However when used correctly, it can produce dramatic results.
Backlighting results from placing your light source directly behind your subject. This eliminates any undesireable facial expressions such as squinting and blinking, but your camera may be fooled by the background light and your subject will appear underexposed.
There are several methods of handling exposure for backlighting, depending on your desired end results.
Silhouettes are always dramatic – and they are easier to create than you would think. Simply place your subject directly in front of your light source and expose your image for the background light. Most cameras’ sensors will choose settings based on the brightest light available, which in this case is usually the surrounding background light. If in Auto mode (*gasp*), this means that your subject will be underexposed, creating a silhouette. Even if shooting in Manual mode, your camera’s built-in exposure meter will show the same settings. To expose for the subject, you will need to increase the amount of light to your subject by opening up your aperture, slowing your shutter speed or increasing your ISO sensitivity (see prior tutorials and articles, if you’d like a refresher):
Taken with Nikon D70 at f/8, 1/1250 sec., ISO 200
As discussed in my article, backlighting may cause lens flares. Given the right subject and the correct angle, they can provide drama and interest to an image. However, it can ruin some photos as well, so it’s important to know how to create, and prevent, them from occurring.
Lens flares are caused by the sun hitting your lens directly, so to achieve this technique, you have to position yourself so that you are shooting directly into the sun. That means that at certain times, you may need to get right down onto the ground and shoot up at your subject!
Photo Source: www.digital-photography-school.com
In the above photo, the photographer has used the sun to create lens flares for dramatic impact. You can see that because the photographer exposed for the subjects on the steps, the background becomes overexposed, or “blown out”.
As I said earlier, lens flare is not always desireable.
Taken with Nikon D70 at f/5, 1/320 sec.
In this photo, the lens flares cross right in front of the image and mar the subject’s image. As well, you can see the dust mote in the flares that detract from the image. To prevent lens flare, you can purchase a lens hood to use, or create your own! If you are stuck without one, your hand can work in a pinch – just be sure not to obstruct your own view!
Backlighting can also be used for a technique called the hair light, or “the kicker”. It’s often used by photographers when photographing dark-haired people against a dark background, but it can also be used to highlight wispy hair, or whiskers as shown in this photo that I found by serni:
Photo by serni (http://www.flickr.com/photos/serni/)
Lastly, backlighting can be used to illustrate tranparency of objects, such as leaves or flowers. The following photo was taken by naughton321 - gooseberries were laid on a standard light box!
Photo by naughton321 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/naughton321/)
Your May assignment:
Using the May tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject with BACKLIGHTING. Get creative and try to catch some lens flares in an artistic manner. Silhouette your subject, or expose for your subject and see the effects on the background. Try to photograph translucent items. Go out and PLAY!! As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me.
Deadline: 11:59 pm EST, May 31th, 2010
Please submit your photo, using our submission form only, for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize. A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline. Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting. Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw. PLEASE remember that your photos should be sized to 72dpi, and 500 pixels wide. Don’t forget to include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!
This month’s sponsor is Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker – Look at all that yummy goodness!
Thanks for playing along this month – happy clicking!
Sue has been behind a camera for more than 25 years, working professionally as a photographer for the last ten years. While she began the hobby of scrapbooking in 2000, as a complement to her photographer career, it soon grew into a rival passion! Sue loves to enlarge one of her favourite photos and make it the focal point of her page, using her supplies to bring the focus onto her photography. She has, in recent years, turned more to scrapbooking "moments" rather than "events", choosing to leave her children more insight into her point of view of their lives.
Beautiful photos! I love using backlighting…they make the most gorgeous pictures.
I don’t use this technique often other than when purposely doing a silhouette. I will give some of your suggestions a try.
Have always wanted to master this technique………lots of practing, but nothing too ‘awesome” from the result yet. Will practice more.
Lovin’ the photo samples!
Great information! Thanks so much!
this is great
some great shots…I love that horse shot…that is awesome!
Great tips. Thanks for the HOP!
Cool article! Gonna try this!
Valuable information and lots of examples of different ways to handle this tricky lighting situation…Thanks!
LOVE the tips and ideas! I’ve been practicing with the backlighting and have some very cool photos to show for it! Thanks!
I always have trouble with this aspect. Thanks for the directions!
LOVE the shot of the people on the stairs!!! This is another area I am struggling, but love to play and practice!
I have been trying this in some of my more recent photos and have been really pleased with the results
What fantastic tips! I really loved the tranparency of objects photo!
now that i have a bit better camera – i’m loving these tips and tricks – you rawk!
Love the dramatic effects of backlighting with a sunset on a beach.
I don’t usually plan for backlighting. It is usually an accident but I love the angelic look it can provide. I really need to try to do this on purpose.
I tried backlighting this summer after a tutorial from Allison at Scrapbook Your Heart…I gotta keep this in mind to use throughout the year.
This I love….. the picture with the horse is amazing.
great tutorial. glad to have read about flare – looks very cool when done right.
Posted a picture of my son for this tutorial and I love it so!!!
Backlighting can give such a cool effect on a picture if you get flare.
Just posting again because I had a spelling mistake in my mail address in the first submission. Backlighting can give such a cool effect on a picture if you get flare.
What great shots!! My favorite is the horse, picture perfect!! Thanks for the tips!
The horse picture IS gorgeous!! I don’t usually think of using backlighting, but will now add it to my “playlist”, thanks!
Wonderful shots!
I loved this tutorial! It was great to learn how to get the dramatic shot… IF that was what you wanted! (and how to avoid it if it wasn’t!)
Ohhh I love that you can see the rays of sun shining down and through the picture and I have always been a fan of silouettes! Thanks
I love backlighting! Thanks for another great tutorial.
Great tutorial.
It’s fun to play with the light and with digital cameras now….you can play your heart out without worrying about the # of shots/processing, etc. Great article and GREAT photos!
Sandra d.
georgeous photos…learning a lot! thanks
Love the photo of the horse…..back lighting can really add to a photo
This is a great tutorial. When things get back to normal around here, I can start practicing what I read in the tutorials
What gorgeous photos! I am going to have to give the silhouette thing a try again!
WOW! I’ve always wondered how to achieve the lens flare look….GREAT tutorial!!
You’ve given me a lot to think about and play around with – thank you!
This was a great refresher, now I need to get out and practice some more!
OMG… that horse picture is amazing. I always wondered how to get these great shots. Thanks for the tips.
Wow! Those chinese lanterns are such a photo. I’m always hesitant to shoot in the sun, so now I’ll have to try it. Thank you for the info.
loving the effects….love that horse photo! beautiful!
Gorgeous pictures! Love the stairs one!! Thanks for the tips!
Great information. I wish I had read this about 2 weeks ago, my pictures could have definitely been better.
I loved the “hair light” example with the horse…definitely a technique I will have to try out.
Hello Jackie,
I really like this technique but I find it difficult to
I wonder what we could use to achieve that affect with the gooseberries other than a light table. I wonder if I could jury-rig something with my son’s Spiderman lamp?
I’ve done this with silhouettes. That horse pic is fab!
wow, what an amazing shot of the horse! Good refresher – gets me excited to get out the camera and play! Thanks!
I love the great backlighting examples you used especially the horse!
Interesting tutorial! Love it! I will need to try this more often! TFS!
great photos! Interesting article. I’ll have to give back lighting a try.
I’ve been practicing lense flarer lately. Sometimes it works fab. Need to work more with backlight…
This one was a challenge, my daughter was better at than I was:)
Love those photos. Love the technique
i found this very difficult a very hit and miss, something i need to work on more that’s for sure
Great photos shots.Great tutorial and now I need to get out and practice.
love the look of backlighting. want to give the lens flare a try.
Wow, these photos are fantastic. I must try this.
Spectacular tutorial
Thanks for the lesson
i loved this lesson!
Love the shot of the baby!
I’m always afraid to put a subject in front of direct light. I will try this and hope for “good results”
I actually got my first sunset shot with awesome lens flare on the weekend after the hurricane – a straight out of the camera, squeal inducing shot – loved it – before I even started playing with it. I wish I had the time to just play more.
Fabulous! Why was I always told to make sure to take photos with the light behind me not who I was photographing?! Awesome pictures with great outcomes~!
I always forget to use backlighting!! Thank-you so much for the FABULOUS inspiration!!
Need to try out some your great tips!
This is the first tutorial I’ve read on backlighting….I will have to check this out with my camera!
LOVE using backlight!!! Once I figured it out it was one of my favorite ways to use light!
I love your pictures. Great info on back lighting.
Love these pictures and the information is fantastic. Wish I could master this technique with my camera. Thanks for the great tutorial.