Backlighting puts the main light behind the subject, facing the camera. It can produce a bright outline around hair and shoulders, a hazy glow and a sense of atmosphere. It is also easy to get wrong, because the camera tends to expose for the bright background and leave the face dark. This article explains how to control both.
What does it mean to backlight someone?
Backlighting means the light source, such as the sun or a flash, is behind the subject relative to the camera. The front of the face is then lit only by whatever light bounces back, unless you add some. The light shows up as a rim along the edges, or as glow in the hair, or as flare in the lens.
When backlight works well
- Low sun, especially around golden hour (see golden hour portrait photography), when the light is soft and warm.
- Subjects with hair that catches the light.
- Scenes where mood and atmosphere matter more than detailed facial texture.
- Situations where the background would otherwise be dull and a glow adds interest.
Positioning the subject and light
Place the subject so the sun is behind them, usually slightly off to one side. You can then change the look by moving yourself.
- Sun directly behind the head: strong glow, more flare and a higher risk of silhouette.
- Sun partly hidden by the subject, a tree or a building: less flare, a controlled rim.
- Sun at an angle behind: a rim light on one side, with the face receiving more fill from the sky.
Shade the lens with your hand or a lens hood to reduce unwanted flare, and step slightly to change how the sun hits the front element.
Exposing a backlit portrait
The camera’s metering may read the bright background and make the face too dark. Options include:
- Exposure compensation: dial in positive compensation (often +1 to +2 stops is cited, though it depends on the scene).
- Spot metering: meter on the face and lock exposure.
- Manual mode: set exposure for the face and check the highlights.
- Raw files and shadow recovery: raise shadows in editing, bearing in mind that noise rises when you lift dark areas.
Watch for clipped highlights in the sky, which cannot be recovered. A little loss in the background is often acceptable in this style.
Adding light to the face
If you want visible facial detail, add light from the front.
Reflector
A white or silver reflector placed in front of the subject, angled to bounce the backlight (the sun) onto the face, is the simplest option. Gold can add warmth but may look strong.
Fill flash
A small flash on or off camera can brighten the face while the sun serves as the rim light (the idea is the same as fill lighting). Try low power, then adjust. Be mindful of your camera’s flash sync speed when working in bright light.
Open shade as fill
Shooting with the subject in a shaded area, facing the camera, while the bright background glows behind them, can balance light naturally. See portrait photography without flash for similar approaches.
Managing lens flare
Flare can be a deliberate effect or a problem.
- Use a lens hood.
- Block the sun partly with the subject or an object.
- Change your angle slightly and review the shot.
- Wipe the lens, since dirt increases haze.
- Some lenses flare more than others, and coatings matter.
Reduced contrast and a hazy look are part of the style for many photographers. If you want a cleaner look, keep the sun just out of the frame.
Camera settings
- Aperture: f/2 to f/4 gives a blurred background and soft glow. A narrower aperture produces more defined sunstars from the sun.
- Shutter speed: fast enough to avoid blur, which is usually easy in bright light.
- ISO: low.
- Autofocus: backlight can confuse autofocus. Use a single focus point on the eye or high-contrast edge, and check sharpness.
- White balance: warm light can be left alone for mood, or corrected for neutral skin.
Is f/4 good enough for low light? In dim backlit conditions it is workable, but you may need a higher ISO or a slower shutter speed than at f/2. It depends on how low the light is and your camera.
Silhouettes as an alternative
If you expose for the sky and let the subject go dark, you get a silhouette. It works best with a clear outline and a simple pose. Choose it deliberately and not as an accident.
Common mistakes
- Leaving metering on the background and getting a dark face.
- Heavy flare that hides the subject’s eyes.
- Forgetting to check focus.
- Using too much fill, which kills the backlit look.
Related lighting ideas
Backlight combines well with soft frontal fill, which is covered in soft light portrait photography. If you are using flash as your only light, see portrait photography with one light. For the broader theory, return to the portrait lighting guide.