How to Do Backlighting for Subjects ~ Enhance Photography Skill

Positioning your subject just right will make the difference between a shadowed and poorly lit photograph or a breath taking, inspirational portrait. Backlighting is the technique of positioning the sun, or artificial lighting, during the photo shoot so the light illuminates from behind the subject. Backlighting adds interest, shape and form to details that typically go unnoticed in a front-lighted photo. The techniques have the same effect whether your subject is still life, moving or posing for the portrait.

Instructions

Shade the lens of the camera to avoid lens flare during the shot. Lens flare is the absorption of light by the lens that causes small circular spots of light to appear in the picture.

Place the subject in front of the light. When shooting outdoors, you may need to change the angle of the shot so the sun is directly behind the subject.

Place a fill light, or light reflector in front of the subject if you intend to illuminate the face, or the front side of the still object, as well. It is not necessary to light the front of the subject and using only backlighting will produce shadowing effects or a glow effect around portions of the picture.

Adjust the camera so the light is hidden behind the main subject, such as behind her head.

Turn off the flash if using artificial light. Using the flash will wash out the subject of your picture and remove the transparency of objects in the shot.

Take the photograph with the flash as fill lighting if the sunlight is creating a shadow in front of the subject that points towards you.

Instructions

Shade the lens of the camera to avoid lens flare during the shot. Lens flare is the absorption of light by the lens that causes small circular spots of light to appear in the picture.

Place the subject in front of the light. When shooting outdoors, you may need to change the angle of the shot so the sun is directly behind the subject.

Adjust the camera so the light is hidden behind the main subject, such as behind her head.

Turn off the flash if using artificial light. Using the flash will wash out the subject of your picture and remove the transparency of objects in the shot.

Take the photograph with the flash as fill lighting if the sunlight is creating a shadow in front of the subject that points towards you.

How do I upload my photos? - Welcome to Flickr - Photo Sharing
www.flickr.com/help/photos
How do I upload my photos? The easiest way to upload to Flickr is to use our Web Uploadr. For quick access we have added an "Upload" link to the navigation at the top ...
wikiHow - How to do anything
www.wikihow.comRelationships Articles Hobbies and Crafts Youth
wikiHow is a wiki based collaboration to build the worlds largest, highest quality how to manual. Our multilingual how to manual has free step-by-step instructions ...
DIY Instructables - Share What You Make
www.instructables.comTechnology Craft Workshop Outside Food
Web-based documentation platform where people share what they do and how they do it, and learn from and collaborate with others.
How To Use Easy Peasy -- All in One Homeschool
allinonehomeschool.com/how-to-use-this-curriculum
A complete, free online Christian homeschool for your family and mine (by Easy Peasy All-in-One Homeschool)
Exclusive: How Much Do Kindle Singles Authors Make?
paidcontent.org/2012/03/12/419-exclusive-how-kindle-singles...
The top-ten list of bestselling Kindle Singles includes a number of big-name writers. But how is the format working for writers who dont ha The top-ten list of ...
Employee Termination Guidebook How To Fire And Layoff
www.employeeterminationguidebook.com
Employee Termination Guidebook gives you reliable procedures and effective options for terminating any employee. Find out how to fire an employee properly with no ...
How to Do Desktop Publishing and Design
desktoppub.about.com
Let's say you've been doing design work for a while. Maybe not years and years, but long enough to be comfortable. How do you bump up your game a notch or two?
Neil Slade - Easy How To Paint A Car PRO Your Self Home-
www.easypaintyourcar.com
How to Paint a Car Yourself Easy Anywhere. Free Info and Details, Video, DVD, Manual, Tips, Instruction, Get Professional Results, Save Money Easy To Follow ...
HippoCampus - Homework and Study Help - Free help with your ...
www.hippocampus.org
The best multimedia instruction on the web to help you with your homework and study.
Fat Burning Furnace Fast Weight Loss Tips, How To Lose Fat
www.fatburningfurnace.com
How I lost pounds and pounds of stubborn flab and belly fat using Fat Burning Furnace, and how she cut down even more fat than me, plus several dress sizes while ...
Tony Robbins: Why we do what we do - YouTube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cpc-t-Uwv1I
Tony Robbins discusses the "invisible forces" that make us do what we do -- and high-fives Al Gore in the front row. TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of ...
HippoCampus - Homework and Study Help - Free help with your ...
www.hippocampus.org
The best multimedia instruction on the web to help you with your homework and study.
How do You Know if Someone Really Loves You Life Goals
www.lifegoals.org/how-do-you-know-if-someone-really-loves-you
IN THE BEGINNING Love is something that most people aspire to attain during their lifetimes. There are many different types of love, of course: Platonic love, such as ...
How To Protect Your Home From Cell Tower Radiation. www ...
www.electricsense.com/1299/cell-phone-tower-protection-tips-what...
Theres one big difference between cell phones and cell towers. You can choose not to have a cell phone at all. And if you do have one you can switch it off ...
How to Write an Effective Reference Letter or Recommendation Letter
examplereferenceletter.com
Answers to your most commonly asked questions about how to write any type of reference letter or recommendation letter including character reference letters,
Cougar Method - How to Seduce Older Women
www.cougarmethod.com
to Bang Hot Cougars... Day In and Day Out, On Command. Cougars are the easiest women to meet and turn into regular no-strings-attached sex partners.
Employee Termination Guidebook How To Fire And Layoff
www.employeeterminationguidebook.com
Employee Termination Guidebook gives you reliable procedures and effective options for terminating any employee. Find out how to fire an employee properly with no ...
Blackboard Learn
blackboard.sdsu.edu
Please enter your credentials and click the Login button below.
Seth Godin: How to get your ideas to spread Video on TED.com
www.ted.com/talks/seth_godin_on_sliced_bread.html
In a world of too many options and too little time, our obvious choice is to just ignore the ordinary stuff. Marketing guru Seth Godin spells out why, when it comes ...
How to easily score 90+ in Physics CBSE exam
cbseguy.com/score-ninety-plus-physics-cbse-exam
Provides a quick guide to easily score 90+ in the Physics CBSE board examination, also contains tips and tricks from a ninety-plus student...
Kidport Home Page
kidport.com
Kidport provides a unique, multi-step program to teach K-8 students thinking and learning skills. Kidport also provides math, science, social studies and language ...
How To Get A Girl To Like You Dating Advice Body Language
www.howtogetagirltolikeyous.com
How to get a girl to like you through mastering the art of talking to women. Articles on the best ways to approach and chat to women.
How To Become A Model - Modeling Portfolios - Fashion, Glamour
www.purestorm.com
Purestorm aims to help you become a successful model, for all types of modeling including glamour, fashion, photographic, teen and many others. Sign up for a free ...