Backlighting can create stunning effects in photography and take your photography to the next level. However, backlit photography seems to be somewhat contrary to our theory of photography knowledge. After all, when you shoot an object backlight, the main light source comes from the back, not the front, so the light effect may not be too ideal problem, here is how to create a beautiful backlit photo.
尼康 D750 | 尼康 50mm f / 1.8G | 50mm | 1 / 250s | f / 4 | ISO 1100
First, the backlight in the portrait
This picture is a fairly standard portrait photo.
尼康 D750 | 尼康 70-200 f / 2.8G ED VR II | 122mm | 1 / 350s | f / 4 | ISO 800
The subject is illuminated from the front, the image is evenly exposed, there are no glaring shadows, and this is a great photo.
尼康 D750 | 尼康 70-200 f / 2.8G ED VR II | 180mm | 1 / 3000s | f / 2.8 | ISO 400
Expectant parents are covered in shadows, pregnant women's hair glows with a shiny golden halo, the man's head has a glowing silhouette, and the whole scene has a somewhat mysterious color, all in the creative use of lighting.
When you illuminate an object from behind, you can get an image with glowing hair, shiny silhouettes, and a beautiful background, this type of photography requires practice, but after some trial and error, you can use backlighting to get similar results.
尼康 D750 | 尼康 70-200 f / 2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | 1 / 250s | f / 2.8 | ISO 100
In this portrait, where sunlight shines in from the front, the man's face is evenly illuminated, the background is colored and easy to see, and this image is now compared to its backlit illumination.
尼康 D750 | 尼康 70-200 f / 2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | 1/180 | f / 2.8 | ISO 320
The hair of the portrait is suddenly more prominent, the ears of the person are even slightly glowing, the right side of the background is lush green, and the left side of the sun is almost completely obscured, even the shoulders of the man are outlined with gold, and the photo has a light effect that the headlamps cannot match, so that the portrait will stand out in the crowd.
Second, natural backlighting
To illustrate the use of backlight in nature photography, check out this backlit landscape photo.
Nikon D7100 | Nikon 35mm f/ 1.8G | 35mm | 1/3000 sec. | f / 4 | ISO 200
Once you start paying attention to the light, you'll see similar light effects all around you. One of the best ways to learn backlight is to go into nature and experiment by placing objects between the camera and the sun, sunrise and sunset times are a good time to experience backlit photography, looking for objects that are a certain distance apart, which also helps to get a rough idea of the position of the sun at dawn and dusk.
Backlight metering can be tricky, so it's a good idea to use aperture priority to control the depth of field, then adjust the exposure compensation to keep your photos light or dark as needed.
尼康 D750 | 尼康 70-200 f / 2.8G ED VR II | 200mm | 1 / 4000s | f / 22 | ISO 100
You can find objects to practice in nature, such as interesting leaves.
尼康 D7100 | 尼康 50mm f / 1.8G | 50mm | 1 / 1500th | f / 2.8 | ISO 100
When shooting outdoors, the sun is the main source of light, but you don't necessarily have to use direct sunlight. In the photo above, the leaves emit light, and the sun is not in the picture, but still illuminates the leaves from behind.
The photographer used a similar shot, and you can see how he used the highlights, and the large blades of grass look almost translucent.
Nikon D7100 | Nikon 50mm f / 1.8G | 50mm | 1/500 | f / 4.8 | ISO 100
Most people will encounter such a shooting scene without thinking, but how to show the lighting, how to give new life to even ordinary objects?
Third, silhouette lighting
An interesting way to use backlighting is to completely darken the subject, a technique known as silhouette lighting that can be an interesting and creative way to showcase people, animals, and other objects.
You can create a silhouette image by shooting directly at a light source that completely darkens the subject, and the result is a photo that shows a shape or outline rather than a well-exposed object.
To capture such an effect, the photographer pointed his camera at his main light source and waited for someone to pass by, because the fountain itself does not emit light, but reflects the light from the sun, completely obscuring the object.
尼康 D7100 | 尼康 85mm f / 1.8G | 85mm | 1 / 1000s | f / 4 | ISO 200
The photographer used a similar backlit approach to capture a young woman in a hurry in the early morning.
尼康 D200 | 尼康 50mm f / 1.8G | 50mm | 1 / 6000s | f / 4 | ISO 200
The photographer knows where the sun is, so wait patiently until a person enters the frame, and by placing the subject directly between the camera and the main light source, the photographer is able to capture the silhouette, and the end result is much more interesting than a normally well-exposed image taken in broad daylight.
You can use silhouette lighting on a variety of themes; It only takes a little creativity and ways to try new things, and for this type of photo, it's best for a camera in manual mode, which gives you more control over the final image.
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