How to take backlit photos

Introduction: Objects that are backlit will also form long shadows toward the camera, thus providing additional points of interest in the picture. So how to take a backlit photo? Follow me and take a look below! How to take a backlit photo

There are many subjects suitable for shooting from a backlight angle: portraits, birds, animals, plants, etc. wait. Backlighting is a powerful means of expression when you want to highlight the delicacy and texture of translucent objects. Therefore, furry and gracefully contoured animals are very suitable for shooting with backlight, because it can emphasize the details of the subject's outline. Backlit objects will also cast long shadows in the direction of the camera, providing an additional point of interest in the frame.

1. Main skills? A simple way to shoot beautiful light.

1. Suitable subjects

Suitable for subjects that are backlit. Plants or flowers, for example? Translucent leaves or petals; a furry animal, or a friend or model with stunning long hair.

2. Careful composition

Carefully consider the light and background. The low angle of the sun works well as a backlight source. Try taking backlit photos in front of a clean, dark background to make your subject stand out more vividly and emphasize the dramatic lighting effects.

3. Use spot metering

Select spot metering mode to meter the subject directly. This metering method ensures that the subject is correctly exposed. If the SLR camera does not provide a spot metering mode, you can also use the following method: close the distance or lengthen the focal length, let the subject occupy the entire field of view, shoot in manual mode, and then recompose the picture.

In many photography tutorials, one principle is often mentioned: you should let the sun be behind you and shoot with smooth light so that the subject is illuminated from the front. This is a well-known piece of photography advice, and generally speaking, photos taken following this advice tend to be very successful. However, rules are often not broken or established. If you shoot directly into the sun, you can also get eye-catching backlit images.

2. Cutting-edge skills? Control the light correctly.

1. Think about light

Shooting in front of a dark background can emphasize the backlit parts of your subject and make them more vivid. At the same time, it can also reduce the area of ??bright areas behind the subject and eliminate interference from these areas.

2. Test exposure

Carry out exposure bracketing to examine the impact of different exposure parameters on the picture effect. Exposing the highlight area around the subject can create a dramatic effect, with only the outline of the subject visible. This effect can also be achieved by adjusting the exposure settings when post-processing RAW files.

3. Reduce contrast

When the sunlight is weak or the position is low in the sky, the contrast of the picture will be reduced, thereby reducing dead black shadows and dead white shadows. Highlights.

4. Lens hood

When shooting in backlight, be sure to install a hood on the lens to avoid glare. When shooting directly at a light source, glare is often one of the biggest problems, so you might as well keep the lens with a hood. If necessary, you can also block it with your hands or paper over the lens. In addition, you can also experiment by hiding the sun just behind the subject to see what interesting effects you can get.

3. Backlit portraits? Ignore the overexposed background highlights and create eye-catching portraits.

Whether in the studio or outdoors, backlit portraits can always present a unique style. When both the character and the backlight are in the right position, the latter creates a beautiful rim light around the character's head, giving the hair a soft, shimmering sheen and making the character pop out from the dark background.