Lighting Mini Course: Backlighting {Education for Photographers}

Everyone knows that backlighting is my jam. I love it, I love it, I love it. Not only does backlighting create even lighting on your subject, it also gives you a beautiful, glowy image! What IS backlighting though? There are lots of different ways to backlight your subject, but when it comes down to it, if the light source is BEHIND your subject, your image will be backlit!

With the Lighting Mini Courses, we’re going to briefly discuss using natural light to create certain effects. This weeks topic: backlighting!! Once you understand the different ways to backlight, we’ll talk about how to get a correct exposure! For now, you’ll need to practice shooting in manual mode, because manual mode is the only way you will consistently get a correct exposure from backlight!

 

1. Rim Lighting
Rim lighting is used to backlight the outer edge of your subject, usually the hair, and can vary in intensity. This effect is created when you place the light source directly behind your subject. Use your subjects head to block direct light from entering through your lens. You can see in the image below that I placed the couple in front of the sun, which illuminated her beautiful, wavy hair and created a thin line of light around their bodies.

romantic kiss at sunset engagement session


2. Haze
Haze occurs when the light source is placed just outside of the frame. There is SO much room for experimentation with haze! You can play with the intensity of the haze by placing the light source IN the frame for a more prominent lens flare. You can place the light source on the edge of the frame to add “sun rays” to an image. And you can place the light source far outside of the frame for less haze, creating a crisper image. I love to use all types of haze in my images in order to add a specific mood!

Country senior portrait laughing in the summer


3. Filtered Backlight
This “filtered” light creates a softer backlight. Notice in the photo below that the light source is behind them. The reason the backlighting is so subtle is because I placed the wedding party in a shaded area. There are also several ways to achieve this type of look! Placing your subject in the shade, placing yourself in the shade, placing the light source behind an obstruction (such as a tree or building), and even waiting for the sun to dip just below the horizon, will all create a similar soft backlight. Using your lens hood will also help filter light! Experiment with your lens hood and see if you can notice a difference!

Getting a great image with backlight can be tricky! Its half about knowing the different ways backlight can affect an image (and knowing how to achieve the type of light you want), and half about knowing how to adjust your settings to get a correct exposure! In this mini course you learned about the many types of backlight. If you don’t have the option to get out and shoot with backlight (ahem… probably because of this crazy snow Indiana got this week!) you can study other photographers’ images! Try to notice where the light source is in any particular image and notice how that affects the overall image! In a few weeks we’ll come back to backlighting and we’ll learn more about getting a correct exposure! In the meantime, study up and keep practicing in manual mode!

summer bridal party in indiana with a rustic purple theme