How to shoot backlight photography?

Perhaps one of the styles that many friends like to shoot is backlight, which is called backlight photography. When the camera is aimed directly at the light source (whether it is the sun, street lamps or relatively bright parts of the scene), backlighting will occur in photography. This effect will backlight the object between the object and the light source, and its edge seems to emit light from the inside. Using backlight correctly can help you create vivid and mysterious photos.

First, select the backlight theme.

When backlit, anything translucent will glow from the inside. Especially when backlit, objects surrounded by fog, steam, dust, waves and even falling snow look amazing.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III camera, Canon EF 200-400 mm f/4Lisum lens, 1.4 times internal magnifying glass, ISO 400, f/

5.6, 1/640 seconds.

Second, block the lens to prevent overexposure.

When shooting in reverse light, the direct light will cause stray light spots in the front lens element, especially in the case of strong light source, which is a very serious problem. Highlights will reduce the contrast of the image and increase the strange color cast and oval color patches caused by overexposure. Usually, you can use a hood, hand or hat and other convenient objects to hide the lens in direct light, so as to ensure that there is no direct light to illuminate the lens and don't overexpose it!

For this grizzly bear lens, the outline of the bear is displayed, only the details of the raw edges are retained, and the water droplets are backlit, which leads to the simplification and mysterious presentation of the scene. Although the midday light, which is traditionally considered to have limited effect on natural photography, is used, the backlight still seems to be effective, and a hood is used to prevent the light from directly shining on the front lens of the lens, thus obtaining a clear and bright image.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera, Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L is USM lens, ISO 800, f/5.6, 1/

2500 seconds.

Third, carefully adjust the exposure settings.

The edges of backlit objects are easily overexposed and all details may be lost. Try to avoid overexposure of highlights, but if you can't do this, please adjust the exposure to make the important halftone detailed enough, so I chose the best exposure suitable for the rest of the scene lighting, thus providing a bright and colorful photo as a whole.

Canon EOS 20D camera, Sigma 300-800 mm f/5.6 ex dgapo if HSM lens, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/

Eight hundred seconds.

Fourth, look for a dark background

Backlit objects are best placed in a dark background (usually the shadow part of the scene). For this photo of the rainforest, the bright noon lighting creates a dramatic edge effect, and the translucent moss outline of the trees seems to emanate from the inside. Choosing an angle can hide shaded hillsides behind trees, which can enhance the effect and make them look like "falling out" from the background.

Canon EF 24- 105 mm f/4Lisum lens, ISO 100, f/ 16, 1/4 seconds.

Fifth, shoot in dazzling light to get the maximum impact.

Strong light is essential to get the best backlight-the stronger the light, the better the effect! Clear horizon, no clouds, no fog, no other obstacles, let the bright warm light wrap every translucent surface and "catch fire", which is exactly the effect that should be pursued!

Canon 5DIII, Canon EF 500mf/4Lisii USM lens, 1.4 times magnification, ISO 400, f/5.6, 1/500 seconds.

abstract

Although backlighting will bring many problems, shooting is highly recommended. The next time you shoot a landscape, you should start thinking about creative ways to shoot light!