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I can place my subject in-between me and the sun and get so many different effects. I can create a sun-soaked, low contrast dreamy image or even a dramatic, moody image with emphasis on shadows. Here are some examples and how to achieve the desired result.

The $13 product came in a small box, and it took under a minute to install. You simply remove the adhesive backing from the 14.5 inches of LED lighting, attach to the back of your monitor, and connect the cable to an empty USB port. The strip lit up, I sat down, and began an epic six-hour gaming session for my Deus Ex: Human Revolution review.

Tips: Exposure is key with backlighting.  In order to produce varied effects, you must expose according to your vision.  Basically, shooting manual is a must when trying to manipulate backlighting situations.  Another important aspect of shooting into light is your metering mode.  Spot metering is my recommendation because it allows your meter to read a very specific point in your frame, therefore making intended exposure much easier.

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Tip: Don’t limit yourself to the outdoors for silhouettes.  This effect can be achieved just as well indoors.  Put your subject in front of a window or sliding glass doors or even in a doorway…get creative!!

Haze is achieved by shooting into sunlight.  The light must hit your lens to get that haze or flare effect.  It fills your image with a magical, dreamy quality and adds a lot of interest to a photograph (and sometimes, you can even get rainbows).  It is not necessary to aim straight at the sun.  Usually, I find that angling my camera slightly to the side or down while still including the sun in my frame works best for pretty haze. It is also crucial that the sun is low in the sky.  A softer sun is preferable if you are looking for that golden color (and it’s also easier on your eyes when taking the photo).  Expose for your subject’s skin in this case.  This may mean an overexposed sky but, that’s okay as long as important aspects of your subjects are not losing any detail.

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"It works because it provides enough ambient light in the viewing area that your pupils don't have to dilate as far. This makes for less eyestrain when a flashbang gets thrown your way or a bolt of lightning streams across the screen," he told Ars. "Because the display is no longer the only object emitting light in the room, colors and black levels appear richer than they would in a totally black environment. Bias lighting is key in maintaining a reference quality picture and reducing eye-strain."

The effect isn't an industry secret, and you can try this yourself if you have a set of LED lights to attach to the back of your monitor. Antec's product is easy to use, works well, and is inexpensive. This only makes sense if you do heavy computing or gaming at night, but for those who are active on their computers at that time or want to improve the lighting conditions in their home office, there are certainly worse ways to spend $13.

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Kris + Lauren Penland are family + newborn storytellers, photography educators, new podcasters, and Offset artists living and adventuring in Alaska with their 3 daughters. They have a passion for documenting their family and inspiring others to do the same.

Before I share my thoughts, I wanted to check out if other people were using similar solutions. Timothy J. Seppala writes for Sound and Vision, and he's often who I turn to when it comes to setting up new displays or purchasing monitors. When I purchased my last television, a Panasonic plasma screen, he told me about the pluses of bias lighting, and when I asked his thoughts on this story, he seemed a trifle annoyed I was only just now adding lighting hardware to my setup. This is a man who gives people test patterns the way my grandmother gives people lemon candies.

Ars Technica has been separating the signal from the noise for over 25 years. With our unique combination of technical savvy and wide-ranging interest in the technological arts and sciences, Ars is the trusted source in a sea of information. After all, you don’t need to know everything, only what’s important.

If given the choice of any lighting situation, I always choose backlight, no matter my subject. It is magical and it is flattering and believe it or not…versatile.

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Yes, silhouettes are achieved with backlighting. I love silhouettes because of the sense of anonymity.  Often, viewers can’t tell who exactly they are looking at, which is why form is so important.  Viewers must be able to recognize what is being portrayed in the photo.  You don’t want everything blending in together.  Exposure for silhouettes is pretty simple by metering for the sky or the background; so essentially underexpose your subject, making the subject a shadow.

I challenge you to go out and try each one of these effects.  It takes practice, but really, it doesn’t have to be over-complicated.  Don’t be afraid to play around until you get the hang of it.  And the best part is that you can get all 3 of these effects in the same location as long as the conditions are right!  Good luck.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]Tip: Don’t limit yourself to the outdoors for silhouettes.  This effect can be achieved just as well indoors.  Put your subject in front of a window or sliding glass doors or even in a doorway…get creative!! When you’ve mastered these effects, try two together or even all three! Here is an example of an image with both flare and rim light: This image is a silhouette with rim light: Here is an image that includes all three effects: it is a silhouette with both flare and rim light: I challenge you to go out and try each one of these effects.  It takes practice, but really, it doesn’t have to be over-complicated.  Don’t be afraid to play around until you get the hang of it.  And the best part is that you can get all 3 of these effects in the same location as long as the conditions are right!  Good luck. Save[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container] About the AuthorLatest Posts Lauren Penland Kris + Lauren Penland are family + newborn storytellers, photography educators, new podcasters, and Offset artists living and adventuring in Alaska with their 3 daughters. They have a passion for documenting their family and inspiring others to do the same. See more from Lauren at www.seaandrhythmphotography.com. Recent Posts by Lauren Penland What is Rembrandt lighting and how to get it with one window 5 Tips for indoor photography during the dark winter months The versatility of backlighting

After doing more research I found this is why movie theaters aren't completely dark, and the effect is more pronounced when viewing a 3D image, due to the dimmer screen. I was surprised at the results: my eyes did feel better after long sessions on the computer, and even the muscles of my face felt more relaxed. The next night I tried my marathon session without the lights and found I was right back to strained eyes and discomfort by the end of my gaming. It's always possible there's a placebo effect at play here, but after trying both ways, the results were both immediate and strong: the lighting helps.

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Rim light refers to that gorgeous rim of light that outlines your subject (often being the most noticeable in the hair of your subjects).  I love this effect because it adds depth to your image by separating your subject from the background so well and drawing the viewer’s eye to your subject.  It literally makes your subject glow.  What could be more flattering than that?  Again, the sun must be fairly low to achieve this effect. This is best achieved when the area behind your subject is dark (think grass or trees).  Often times, I prefer not to have the sun hitting my lens, or it can overpower my subjects, not allowing for noticeable rim light.  One trick I utilize a lot is to keep my subject in front of the sun, but I will stand in shade that is close by, just to be sure the sun is not hitting my lens.  I like to expose for the shadow of my subjects’ skin to achieve this effect.  This way I know my subject is exposed properly and it allows that rim of light around my subject to be nice and bright.

It's hard to stare at a computer monitor for hours after dark, with the rest of the lights turned off in your home or office. Still, this is how many of us play games, myself included. When Antec offered to send the soundscience halo 6 LED bias lighting kit—which is a long official name—I had nothing to lose. If it didn't work, I could write a short, snarky post dismissing it as hokum. If it did work, my eyes would be more comfortable.