Six Tips For Working With Backlight: Photzy

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SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT

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Written by Chuck Haacker
SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 1

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There is no light like backlight. need at least some light to make pictures. If you
try to photograph in total darkness you won’t get
I like to believe that quote is all mine. I’ve never seen anything, but truly total darkness is actually rare, like
it anywhere else, and I say it often because I really the inside of a closet.
believe it. I think that backlight is THE most beautiful
light. Light coming from behind a subject adds Even on a very dark night outdoors there is almost
drama, depth, dimensionality, translucency, allure, always some light coming from somewhere – if
and detail in a photograph. nothing else, from stars, or a random streetlight.
Even in heavy overcast conditions there will be light
Backlight seems to wrap a subject in a gossamer from the ground reflecting off the clouds, or perhaps
cloak of pure light. It can be strong or soft, warm or moonlight illuminating them from above.
cool. It can be natural or artificial. It can come from
high or low. Once you learn to see it, you can’t deny Note: I use mirrorless cameras that are in
its beauty and quality, no matter the subject. live view all the time. I shoot only in raw, and I
post-process everything I show in Lightroom
Sometimes backlight is not easy to define. It does and Photoshop (Creative Cloud). My approach
not have to be directly behind a subject; it just needs may be different from yours depending on the
to be more, or mostly behind, so that any shadow camera(s) that you use.
cast is somewhere in front of the subject.
Here is what we will discuss in this quick guide:
The source can be in the frame or not. The key thing
is that the main source is somewhere even slightly ·· Translucent subjects
behind the subject, which does not rule out side or ·· Opaque subjects
crossing light. Conversely, the source can be in the ·· People
frame or even directly behind the subject, peeking ·· Landscapes
through. ·· Silhouettes
·· Exposing for backlight
Light is, of course, essential to photography. We

When I was in school training in
commercial photography, we were
handed a first-semester assignment to
photograph: an egg.
The assignment was deceptively simple.

We were to make a picture of a white egg
on a white background. We were to try to
make both the egg and the background
as white as possible, while still keeping
texture in the eggshell, and (the worst
part) give the illusion of eggy roundness
in a two-dimensional picture.
Most of us started out with something like

this. The egg looks base white all right,
and it still has some discernible surface
texture (barely). But while the foreground
is white enough, the background has
fallen off to middle gray, not what the
assignment called for.
If the egg looks round at all, it’s mostly

Photo by Charles Haacker
because we all know what an egg looks
This might have earned a C for effort. Made with a like, but the lighting does nothing to
single direct floodlight close over the lens axis. emphasize its roundness.
This is what the instructors were actually

after.

A single high backlight floods both the
background and foreground equally so
they have the same exposure value as
well as the same exposure value on the
tops of the eggs.
The texture of the shells is strong, owing

to the light skimming across the surfaces
from the rear. The eggs are in their own
shadows, but the reflection off the white
cove opens the shadow beneath.
There can be no question that these are

globular objects.
Recommended Reading: If
you’re interested in learning more
about light and how you can use it to
improve your photography, grab a
copy of Photzy’s bestselling premium
guide: Understanding Light Book Two.
The same single floodlight, except moved high overhead and

slightly behind the eggs to both top- and backlight them.

TRANSLUCENT SUBJECTS
I think that light coming through a leaf

or other semitransparent material is the
most arresting, palpable, spectacular, rich,
luminous light.
It is what caught my eye in the first place,

usually while road tripping in the late
afternoons. Driving along with the sun
going down off to the left or the right,
I’d suddenly become conscious that
the quality and character of the light
coming through roadside woods was
different somehow; dazzling, captivating,
compelling, phosphorescent.
I think I realized it even before I got really

deep into photography. I’m not sure when
I figured out exactly what was happening,
but once I did it was one of those things I
couldn’t un-see.
For those of us who live in regions that
Backlit golden autumn leaves pop against a background of darker red.
get fall colors, they represent one of the
most photographically exciting times of
the year.

We are eager to capture that magnificent
color with anything that will record a picture.
But have you ever noticed that sometimes,
somehow, your pictures just don’t have the
“look”? The colors you saw seemed not to
translate to film or sensor. They lacked the
snap, crackle, and pop our eyes saw.
One possible reason might be that you are

trying to frame it too much, taking in the entire
tree. It has a great impact on the living eye,
but reduced to a two-dimensional photo it may
suddenly look “meh.”
Another reason is that our brains are excited

by all that color and enhance it in the “mind’s
eye,” but the camera can only record what is
really there, and it’s often not as punchy as we
perceive it.
I also suspect a third reason: shooting with

reflected light, which seems to me to lack
“punch.” Somehow the brilliant colors are lost
in translation.
The image on the left is the straight-out-

of-camera scene that caught my eye. As I
perceived it, it was brilliantly colorful, but when
photographed it went all “meh” on me.

This is the same picture after processing
in Lightroom to make it look more like
I remembered it, but to me it’s still
basically “meh.” I increased the vibrance,
darkened the greens, and added more
saturation to the yellows, but it still seems
to lack that certain je ne sais quoi.

Now this is more like it! I walked over
to the trees and turned around so the
backlight was popping that ethereal
golden glow, with layered leaves casting
shadows for texture, color, and interest. I
also cropped in the camera, framing for
just the leaves rather than the entire tree.

Only a skylight in a greenhouse lit these globular Peace Lilies. This lighting is quite flat and
not very flattering to these beautiful flowers. Backlight would have helped immensely!
I loved the rich red of this bush, but was confounded by the feeling
that I was not getting the picture as I saw it.
I walked around to the back side of

the bush so that the setting sun was
shining through the leaves rather
than reflected from them. I think this
is a much more exciting capture.

This one is a little unusual. It is backlit and the sun is in the picture, but it’s also a macro shot. The subjects are tiny
blueberry buds that are just emerging. The photo was made with my Sony A6300 and prime 30mm macro lens. The result
is many times life size. Shooting at f/16 created the starburst. Backlighting in this macro example created high drama!

OPAQUE SUBJECTS
One of the characteristics that I love

about backlight is that it seems to wrap
around solid objects.
They become rim lit.
They are then standing in their own

shadows, which can be very dark (but we
will address that).
These are simply called The Columns and

are frequently visited and photographed.
I was there as the shadows were getting

long, and I deliberately shot the columns
backlit, exposing for an average so that
the sky would have some detail, as would
the columns. The original raw capture was
pretty bleak in color.
In a park near where I live are some columns that were removed from a
federal building long ago and deposited here. They became an attraction.
This picture is what the unedited raw capture looked like.

My approach may be a little unorthodox.
I shoot only raw (I never bother with

JPEGs), because raw files deliver all of the
data captured by the sensor.
The original file has far more dynamic

range and latitude, and in a good post-
processing program (Lightroom in my
case), every single thing you see can be
“fixed” (to a point).
It does require skill, practice, and

patience, and there are other ways to get
this result, but this works best for me.
Key Lesson: One of the main

challenges to becoming an expert
photographer in backlighting is to
learn how to expose so that you
can maintain adequate detail in the
areas that you want visible. If not
properly exposed and post-
Photo by Charles Haacker processed, the columns would have
This is the edited version of the same file. become silhouettes with little or no
detail on the camera side.

The example on the left is the unedited
raw file of a backlit bronze bell atop an
antique steam engine. I let the setting sun
peek around the base of the bell at the
boiler to create a focal point.

And here is why I like my method
(exposure and post-processing) better
than using a fill flash or a reflector. Once
more, a camera raw file, plus Lightroom
processing, makes a once-impossible
picture possible.
The image on the left shows why I am

never fearful of shooting pretty much
anything against the light.
My approach can even work when

shooting JPEG, but the exposure
becomes more critical and the depth
and subtlety of detail will never be as
broad as a camera raw file, because the
JPEG engine in the camera has already
processed and compressed it, discarding
some 2/3 to 3/4 of the original raw
capture.
You can shoot raw and JPEG, but I see no

good reason to clog up the buffer and the
card.
However, if you prefer JPEG, I always

suggest that you expose for the highlight,
and develop for the shadow.

Recommended Reading: If you’re
interested in learning more about
light and how you can use it to
improve your photography, grab a
guide: Understanding Light Book
Two.
This picture was made years ago with a tiny point-and-shoot camera and
using the JPEG format while on an early spring walk across the prairie. If you
expose and process properly, you can achieve good results with JPEGs.

PEOPLE
Any time that you find yourself Key Lesson: Using

photographing people in full sun, backlighting on people is very
your best bet is to place them with useful for creating a hair light or a
their backs toward the sun. halo effect around the entire
body. The challenge is that you
Their hair will be lit, but their face will have to balance out the
will be in their own shadow, so you shadow side to the backlighting.
don’t get weird blotchiness. (See the This can be accomplished by
image on the left.) putting light into the shadow side
This technique works well during the with a reflector or a fill flash. You
‘Golden Hour.’ can also accomplish this by
minimizing the intensity of the
You may want to use a reflector to backlight. The image on the left is
get some light back into the shadow a great example of minimizing the
side, or use a fill flash. intensity of the backlight. The tree
is breaking up the direct sunlight,
It’s a good idea to use a lens hood, thus reducing its intensity but not
and if you have a protective filter on eliminating its effect on the girl.
the lens, take it off to minimize flare
(I never use them).
My granddaughter is up in a tree (in, yes, a tutu). I love how the backlight

accentuates her hair. This was shot in camera raw, so it was easier to
prevent the hair from blocking up, while opening up the shadows, but
that could also have been done using a reflector or a fill flash.

This is a candid photo at a farmers’ market. I loved how the mom was being a living music stand for her daughter. The
light gray pavement helped bounce some of the backlight up into the shadows of the people. This is real “street” being
used. Had I tried to deploy a reflector or pop a flash, I would have lost the spontaneity of the moment, which is why
I keep emphasizing shooting in camera raw so you have the total data. This was easily processed in Lightroom.

Going into a Mud Run, a team of Air National Guards is backlit. Their hair shines, and there is no harsh
sunlight on their faces. The track is a lighter color, so it helps by reflecting some light back into the shadows.

LANDSCAPE
When I shoot landscape photography, I

often prefer to get in close and isolate
details rather than capture the big picture.
I look for the substance of detail: the

component parts of the bigger scene.
In this image the sun is right in the

picture, coming through a thin layer
of clouds. In this case, I wanted to
emphasize the texture of the pampas
grass and those luminous clouds.

This is that same strand of pampas grass,
except I moved around to get side
lighting (almost backlit). I then processed
it for bright color.

This is the same image file as the last
picture, except I processed it differently,
to be dreamier and more ethereal. I
usually shoot for sharpness, but this
version could benefit from a little motion
blur.
Key Lesson: Study these last

three images (pages 21-23). Each
version is significantly different.
What they have in common is some
degree of backlighting. Backlight
gives you many options to change
the look of your photograph.

I love these feathery grasses. This shot
was taken very near sunset. I finished this
to make the shadows beyond the plumes
go to deep black because there were
houses back there that were a distraction.
This is almost a silhouette. Why isn’t it
a silhouette? The feathery grasses are
translucent!
Key Lesson: If you’re just

starting out with backlighting,
translucent objects are a great
place to start, because they make
exposure calculation a little easier.

This photo was taken in early spring,
getting right up underneath a flowering
tree with the sun in the picture blazing
through a gap in the blossoms.
Key Lesson: When using

backlighting with an opaque
subject, careful placement of the
backlight can create interesting
flares and focal points. This works
best when you place the source of
the backlight near an intersection
of two solid (non-translucent)
objects. (See the image on the left.)

This photo was taken in very late fall, in
very late afternoon light, of desiccated
oak leaves with the sunburst peeking
through a gap. This is another example
of the previous Key Lesson. In this case
I used a short extension ring to get in
very close. Take notice of how the use of
backlight adds color, shadow, shape, and
texture, while also providing a dramatic
focal point.

The sun was rising just out of frame,
above the trees, to illuminate this plant.
The sun above and behind the trees lets
them go black so as not to distract from
the fuzzy, tiny pussy willow blossoms.
Key Lesson: Backlighting is a

very effective tool to help your
chosen subject stand out from the
background.

Key Lesson: When it comes to
landscape photography,
backlighting is your friend. Direct
front lighting on a landscape
creates a very flat-looking image.
Also, study your angles. Try to put
the sun somewhere in a side/rear
position to your subject.
This is a classic anvil thunderhead at sunset. The sun is just out

of frame to my left and behind the cloud formation.

I was captivated by the early morning backlit spring green. This is

the character of light that first caught my eye years ago.

SILHOUETTES
There are different ways to expose for

silhouettes. I don’t think foregrounds in
silhouettes absolutely must be black with
zero detail. I think there can be gradations
of detail, from none to little.
This is an abstract sculpture with the sun

in the shot. This is a pretty straightforward
dark black silhouette, exposing for the
clouds and letting everything else fall dark.
There is a flare spot at lower right because
I was shooting straight into the sun.
Key Lesson: If you choose to

shoot your photograph with the
source of the backlight, clear and
unfettered by opaque objects, then
there is a strong chance that your
image will capture some lens flare.
This can be used creatively.
However, be careful about where
the flare occurs and what it is
covering, because lens flare can be
extremely difficult and sometimes
impossible to remove in post-
production!

The original image of this wintry scene
was a total silhouette, but I like some
foreground detail. I deliberately framed
the sunset through the bare branches,
wanting a bleak foreground looking out
to the more hopeful blaze of warmth. In
this case, the intensity of the backlighting
has been reduced to allow foreground
details.

This was made on the White Sands of
New Mexico during a sunset ranger walk.
I saw it and grabbed it, exposing for
the sky. I only got one shot. It has been
processed to show the faintest amount of
detail in the otherwise silhouetted figures.
In this case, the white sand helped fill
in the shadows to prevent a completely
black silhouette.
Recommended Reading: If
you’re interested in learning more
about light and how you can use it
to improve your photography, grab a
guide: Understanding Light Book
Two.

EXPOSING FOR BACKLIGHT
Backlight can cause photographers headaches, You need to decide if you want detail in the subject’s
because it puts your main subject into its own shadow, and also how much detail.
shadow. It can be easy to get an unintended
silhouette. You can just expose for the shadow. However, if you
are shooting JPEG, you will probably overexpose the
There are different ways to deal with this. sky and clouds beyond post-processing repair; if you
are shooting camera raw you have a better chance of
I find exposing for backlight to be fairly recovering some detail.
straightforward.
I generally leave my cameras in matrix metering, but Key Lesson: I’ve shown you that I like to
I also shoot with a mirrorless (live view all the time) expose “down the middle,” trusting in my
so I can see in my EVF if an adjustment needs to be ability to compress the tonal range in post-
made. processing.
If the subject is translucent, like leaves, I find that One of the reasons that I emphasize shooting raw is
matrix metering usually nails it. that, at least in my experience, I can expose to avoid
overexposure in the background details because I
If you are using a DSLR or a compact rangefinder-
can lift out the foreground detail.
style camera, I see nothing wrong with reviewing the
image (thank goodness digital lets us do that) and Depending on a host of factors, starting with how
making corrections as needed. bright the backlighting is (its intensity), I find that I
can do this without creating too much noise in the
When shooting backlit opaque subjects, it gets a
shadows.
little trickier.

If I do get some noise, most post-processing apps My cameras and techniques in Lightroom allow me
have good noise reduction methods, plus there are to “get away with (photographic) murder” by just
other apps or plugins that can do a marvelous job. going for a well-balanced raw exposure and opening
the shadows in post-production. However, that takes
Don’t overlook the possibility of bracketing your some experience. Using bracketing can help you
exposures. gain that experience.
Most modern digitals have onboard means of doing In closing, don’t be intimidated by backlight. You
so automatically, usually with choices of three to five can shoot anything with any camera with it. It’s
exposures and control of the number of EVs of each. especially effective with translucent subjects, and
Doing this either affords you a chance of getting one most especially during the Golden Hours (the hour
perfect photograph, or combining them into an HDR or so after sunrise and before sunset). If you’re using
image. a DSLR and having exposure issues, don’t be afraid
to “chimp” (I hate the word, but it’s now established
Key Lesson: If you are new to working slang). Checking a few frames will tell you if you are
with backlight, learn how to use the “exposure on the right track, or which way you need to adjust. If
bracketing” function of your camera. This will you are not shooting raw, I absolutely recommend it,
help you to get the shot. It will also help you but the plain fact is that you must post-process, like
learn what exposure works best for each it or not. The advantages of raw so far outweigh the
lighting situation. small extra trouble of processing that it’s more than
worth it, and you’ve seen examples of what I’ve done
using only raw and Lightroom with no reflectors nor
flash fill.

Self-Check Quiz:
1) True or False: Backlight is exceptionally lovely 6) True or False: You cannot use backlight with
light. opaque subjects.
2) True or False: Backlighting must be directly 7) What are two good ways to open up shadows
opposite the camera. in a backlit picture?
3) True or False: When using backlight, the light 8) If shooting something round like a ball, does
source must be visible in the frame. front light show shape better than backlight?
4) True or False: You can make backlit pictures 9) True or False: When shooting a silhouette,
with any camera. you should expose for the background.
5) True or False: Backlighting works extremely

well with translucent subjects.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Congratulations! You’ve completed
this Photzy guide!
If you liked this photography tutorial, check

Charles Haacker graduated Summa out this premium lighting guide to help
cum Laude from Laney College you master light and produce amazing
in Oakland, California. He holds a photographs: Understanding Light Book Two.
degree, “Associate of Science in
Commercial Photography”. He worked
as a professional photographer
specializing in weddings, children,
family, and business portraiture from
1968 until 1994. He also handled
assignments in the corporate and
industrial arenas. After retiring from
his studio, he stays busy by donating
his talents to pro bono work for
charities that cannot afford the rates
of a professional photographer. He
is a proud member of the Lincoln,
Nebraska Camera Club.
You can reach him on Quora or view his work at:

https://flic.kr/s/aHsjoEW9oR. IF YOU’D LIKE TO CONTINUE
LEARNING AND IMPROVING
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What are some tips for working with backlight?

What are some tips for working with backlight?

What subjects work well with backlight?

What subjects work well with backlight?

Photzy

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 1

Before you dive into this guide, here's a few other

Take Quiz → Download Cheat Sheets → Download eBooks →

Want quick photography tips?

SPONSORED Advertise with us

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 2

The assignment was deceptively simple.

Most of us started out with something like

If the egg looks round at all, it’s mostly

This is what the instructors were actually

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 3

The texture of the shells is strong, owing

There can be no question that these are

Photo by Charles Haacker

The same single floodlight, except moved high overhead and

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 4

I think that light coming through a leaf

It is what caught my eye in the first place,

I think I realized it even before I got really

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 5

One possible reason might be that you are

Another reason is that our brains are excited

I also suspect a third reason: shooting with

The image on the left is the straight-out-

Photo by Charles Haacker

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 6

Photo by Charles Haacker

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 7

Photo by Charles Haacker

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 8

I walked around to the back side of

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 11

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 12

One of the characteristics that I love

They become rim lit.

They are then standing in their own

These are simply called The Columns and

I was there as the shadows were getting

Photo by Charles Haacker

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 13

I shoot only raw (I never bother with

The original file has far more dynamic

It does require skill, practice, and

Key Lesson: One of the main

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 14

Photo by Charles Haacker

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 15

The image on the left shows why I am

My approach can even work when

You can shoot raw and JPEG, but I see no

However, if you prefer JPEG, I always

Photo by Charles Haacker

SIX TIPS FOR WORKING WITH BACKLIGHT // © PHOTZY.COM 16