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Photography Tips – Backlighting – an Introduction



What’s meant by Backlighting? Backlighting simply means having the light coming towards the camera from behind whatever it is you’re photographing. It’s also called shooting against the light. Yes I know we were all told to put the light behind us but doing the opposite can yield some super cool photos.

So why is this? Some images like portraits work best in shade and when you shoot into the light the side facing you will be in shade and there’ll be a lovely rim light around them. Translucent things like wine bottles and ice always look their best when the light is coming through them from behind.

When you backlight a photo bear in mind that your camera can become confused because sometimes the background will be much brighter than the foreground. Left to it’s own devices it’ll make the picture darker than you want it because a camera things the world is mid grey (check out our exposure films) and your portrait might become a silhouette. So you might need to overexpose the shot to compensate.

Check out the video and I’ll show you how to expose when backlighting. Or come see us at http://www.photographycourses.biz for many more free photography tutorials, courses, DVDs and workshops.

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46 responses to “Photography Tips – Backlighting – an Introduction”

  3. Mike Browne, I spent almost $70 in cable bill a month, my point being, I would rather donate the $70 bux to your channel a month on a more productive, more enlightening and more satisfying than these garbage we watch on TV Today. Am now your Latest Subsciber. Start a Go Fund Me Page Bro.

  6. THANK YOU SO MUCH! You have no idea how appreciative I am of his video! Senior pictures are coming up real soon and I was trying to understand how to use backlighting! Now I get it! Thank you very much sir! 😄♥️

  13. I like your videos there are a lot of helpful tips. In this one I think it would benefit to explain that AEL only works with automatic or partially automatic modes some people when making the transition from the manual modes don't understand the simplicity that THEY are fully in control of the exposure and that they take a reading and then ignore the lightmetre that would also benefit from a whole lesson for it to sink in for people even though you covered it briefly I feel, at least I know it is something that confused me for quite some time

  16. Mighty Thanks Mike for this enlightening tutorial. That small AE-L button on the back of my Nikon D5500 used to bug me a lot and I couldn't get to know its function. You have explained the backlighting so lucidly that all one needs to do is go practice with your words ringing in mind. Thanks again Sir.

  44. Thanks Mike. How do you deal with situations when the backlight is way to strong for the picture you want and your subject is relatively in the dark? I find this happens when you're shooting on things like a sheltered balcony but it's very sunny outside.

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