Coupling backlighting with a shallow aperture – such as f/1.4 to 1.8 – can bring really beautiful results. The background will soften or blur, and the viewer’s eye will be drawn to the subject.

Photographers love sunsets for the ‘quality of light’ they give. The range of colours – reds, oranges, yellows and tints of green as the sky fades to blue, purple and then black – can give stunning results.

Backlighting can be challenging as we’ve already discussed. But a silhouette can sometimes make the absolute best of a backlit situation and create an incredibly beautiful image.

Bracketing was a method used all the time back in the days of film. Digital cameras mean you can quickly see your results so there is less need to take multiple different exposures.

direct-litvsbacklit

Usually, a photographer would choose to light a subject from the front (see examples) so we can, quite literally, see what’s going on. Backlighting reverses this procedure by having the main light behind the subject.

Backlighting is very versatile. By lighting a subject from behind you can create separation from the background. You can also use it to create striking silhouettes that entwine the subject within a vivid sky.

In addition, some rear reflectors (see diagram above) peeled away with age further degrading the performance of early edge-lit LED panels.

Too few LEDs are being used. Too few LEDs (generally 36 or fewer) means that they have to be driven at a high current to generate the light output needed. Compared with designs using more LEDs, this is less efficient (LEDs perform most efficiently with low drive currents), generates more heat, shortens the life of the LEDs, and hastens the lumen depreciation.

Lenses have become cheaper to produce and modern adhesives mean that they can be securely fixed to each LED to create an even light distribution without the risk that they will fall off – a failing with some earlier and cheaper back-lit panels.

Also, you can adjust the height if you’re using a flash or other artificial light source – in these instances experiment with the light being to one side or directly behind them.

This means your image will then include more detail on the subject. To create a more natural look using a flash, angle the flash up and bounce it off a ceiling, if you can.

The heat from the LED chips is dissipated via the frame, so the rear can be lightweight and it won’t get hot, so the driver can be placed here if required.

The positive shape being the figures and the negative space is the shape of the background you see. Moving the light, the camera or the figure(s) just a little can alter the negative shapes a great deal.

edge lit vsdirect-lit samsung

It is strongly recommended that you shoot in RAW file format for this method to be successful. Jpeg won’t give you as much latitude to recover the shadows or highlights.

However, if you set your camera’s metering to spot metering, you will be taking a reading for only your subject (or wherever you place your focus point).

So it’s vital that we understand the different methods that can be used and the effects that can be created. For example, you can create your backlit image fully ‘in camera’ (using manual mode, spot meter – perhaps with the addition of a reflector).

Before we begin – one important note about health and safety for yourself and your models/clients and protecting your eyesight.

The lighting market now accepts back-lit panels as readily as edge-lit panels and, because back-lit panels require no LGP or rear reflector, they are often the lowest cost as well as the most efficient LED panels available.

By using a flash as a ‘fill light’ – either on or off-camera – you can lessen the effect of the backlit window or door by overpowering it with artificial light.

direct-litvsfull array which is better

If you have any questions or would like to share your own backlighting tips, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.

Backlighting is lighting that comes from behind the main subject. This light may be natural or artificial, accidental or intended.

‘Gels’ are pieces of translucent plastic tinted in a range of colours that can be used with photographic/video lights or flashes – check out our MagMod gels review for some good ones.

The subject you choose to backlight can be just about anything. For example, figures in a landscape with the sun going down behind them, a dancer in silhouette or a standard portrait with a subject or a group of people.

Plastic bodies. The better back-lit panels use a metal body. This is more effective as a heat sink than a (cheaper) plastic body. LEDs generate some heat and this needs to be dissipated if their life is not to be shortened further.

Spot metering is crucial when using backlighting if you want to create an image ‘in camera’ with good exposure for the subject.

You can use artificial or natural backlighting to create silhouettes. Stop down the aperture. Check the ‘dynamic range’. You can choose to have a high contrast silhouette or one that still retains a little detail.

Select spot metering (as in the image above), point your focus at the subject and your camera will take a meter reading for that subject.

Find out all about backlighting in photography in this must-read guide! Learn the tips and tricks involved to capture that perfect shot.

If you’re keen to use backlighting, be it as a rim light behind the subject, or simply as a creative light source to elevate your photography, here are some helpful tips.

edge lit vsdirect-lit which is better

This is a simple tip that many people never consider. On a sunny day in the park, you’ll see so many people taking snapshots of squinting friends and family with harsh unattractive light on their faces.

The positioning of your light source makes all the difference. If you’re shooting a couple, you can place the light directly behind them – you can experiment with the distance between the light and the couple.

You can use Lightroom or Photoshop to lift the shadows on them to bring a more even look to your image in terms of lighting. This way you can make the most of that beautiful backlighting while still retaining detail in the couple.

Edge lit vsdirectlitreddit

By shooting backlit, you instantly remove harsh shadows on people’s faces – not to mention you won’t have squinting subjects.

Micro-prismatic diffusers have become more common, less expensive, and more effective, so the double action of the LGP/diffuser combination is no longer required.

But bracketing still has its uses now. If you’re shooting a fast-moving backlit situation, you may not have time to carefully choose the correct exposure. And small adjustments make such a big difference.

Dell LED edgelight system

All you need is one flash placed behind the subject. Set the camera with a low ISO (such as 100) and use a high shutter speed (anything above 250, but do experiment) and high aperture (try f/8 or above).

Secondly, make sure you or those you are working with don’t look directly into spotlights or bright beams of light produced by flashes or any other source.

Patrick Mateer is an award-winning photographer who lives in Yorkshire, England with his wife (wedding photographer Hollie Mateer) and two children.

Backlighting can even affect the tones and contrast in an image. Using natural light, you can create a backlit image with a dreamy pastel color behind your subject.

The effect will be less dreamy – but no less effective. You will just be creating a very different kind of backlit image, like the one above.

If you’re shooting a person or couple, the alternative to spot metering for the subject is to underexpose your subject and expose for the background. For example, if you’re shooting a couple with a backlit sky, expose for the sky.

Whether you go for a specific technique like ‘rim lighting’, or a photographic trope like ‘figures in the sunset’, or simply add your new awareness of ‘backlighting’ as another tool in your bag of ‘photo-tricks’, you will have much to experiment with and a whole new world of imagery to enjoy.

Backlighting is a common term in photography with an obvious enough general meaning – lighting coming from behind the main subject.

There are so many ways to create a backlit image. So, pick up your camera and flashes or head outside at sunset and start creating to perfect your backlighting techniques!

Find out all about backlighting in photography in this must-read guide! Learn the tips and tricks involved to capture that perfect shot.

A back-lit LED panel is made of an array of LEDs fitted on a horizontal plate shining vertically down through a diffuser into the space to be illuminated. Back-lit panels are sometimes also known as direct-lit panels.

The examples provided below are mainly about portraiture and images of people but you can also use backlighting for other subjects such as still life and product photography.

Some people may see a backlit scene as an opportunity for a silhouette – others may want to ensure the subject is still clearly visible.

A classic example is a large window or doorway with your subject directly in front of it. It’s easy enough to create a striking silhouette – however, this isn’t always what you want to achieve.

You can alter the mood – add a warm glow or ice-cold blues. So, try things out! A red gel will often create a dramatic and brooding image.

Are the lenses firmly fixed in position? Only time will tell, but the risk is that the heat generated by the LEDs, combined with cheap adhesive poorly applied, will cause the lenses to fall off. The result will be uneven light distribution and possibly glare too.

If you’re outside – there will probably be nothing to bounce the flash off. So in this case, use a diffuser on your flash to avoid harsh light on your subject’s face.

These settings will ‘kill’ the ambient light and leave only the subject and ‘rim light’. Rim lighting is very versatile. It also works well with objects with fine edges such as glass bottles or fibres and fabrics.

Pairings of colors such as blues and greens, yellows and oranges will give heightened but harmonious results while pairs of ‘complementary colours’ – red and cyan or blue and yellow – can create arresting, even unsettling, images.

So, the next time you’re photographing a person or a couple at sunset, position them so that the sun is behind them. The results can be quite beautiful as this image shows.

Built-in driver. Manufacturers can save money by building the driver into the body, but this has multiple drawbacks. It can’t be replaced in case of a problem and there will be no dimming or emergency options. It is a very inflexible approach.

There are several ways to expose a subject with backlight photography. First of all, it’s important to consider there is no ‘correct’ exposure. It’s subjective!

The elimination of the LGP in back-lit designs means that the potential energy savings are greater than with edge-lit designs if all other factors are equal.

Both designs can, with the right front cover, produce excellent UGR performance. To compare different brands and models look at the UGR tables that are part of the photometric data that should be available from all reputable manufacturers.

Backlighting can bring impact and drama, creating a very graphic image, or it can be used to subtly accentuate the qualities of the subject.

If you’re in manual mode, adjust your ISO, shutter and aperture until your meter is not showing over or underexposed for your subject.

Your choice of aperture when using backlight in photography dramatically alters the image and its feel. By stopping down, you will not only create a harsher light with higher contrast, but you can turn your source of light into a ‘starburst’ if you can see it within the frame.

Technical advances have now allowed a new generation of back-lit LED panels to be introduced. These are often more efficient with lower unit costs than previous LED panels.

If you’re experimenting with natural light for your backlit image, consider the time of day you are taking your photographs. Better still, try them all!

Edge litTV

Putting all this together can create a really ‘dreamy’ looking image with pastel colours, quite different from the stark silhouettes usually associated with backlighting.

Light distribution not overlapping. In a good back-lit panel each LED is individually lensed and the lenses are designed so that the light from each LED overlaps the light from its neighbors. This will produce an even lit effect and some resilience in the event that a single LED fails. Poor lens design and a low number of LEDs are likely to decrease the overlap between LEDs and increase the risk of bright and dark spots on the front of the fitting.

While ‘correct’ exposure depends on your desired outcome, one key tip is to use spot metering. This will ensure your exposure reading is for the subject only and not the background. Another option is to expose for the background and bring out the subject’s details in post-production using software like Lightroom or Photoshop.

Backlighting can be used for creative or dramatic effect. For example, natural light can create a dreamy backlit image, while a harder backlight can create a striking silhouette.

Simply set your aperture to f/16 and position yourself so you can see the light source clearly in your image. Warning! Don’t look directly through the lens/viewfinder into the sun with the naked eye!

Of course, you don’t need to shoot a shallow aperture. If you want to tell a different story and show the details of hair or clothing plus the background and surroundings, stop down.

You’ll find that the higher the F-number, the more pronounced the starburst effect will be. Also, you can use a lens hood to reduce lens flare.

Whenever you choose to shoot, be prepared to work quickly. It’s not uncommon to set up a striking pose against a nicely lit window and as you begin to shoot a passing cloud intervenes and the moment is lost.

Along the way, we mention some photography equipment such as flash, diffusers and gels; but nothing complicated or expensive – and it’s completely optional if you utilise these accessories or not.

In practice, however, backlight in photography covers a number of different photographic techniques and can be used to describe a wide range of possible outcomes. This guide will define the term and explain how and why it is used.

So, if you find yourself in the open with bright sun and you’re taking images of people with no flash or artificial light, utilising backlighting is the way to go.

Normally, you’ll be using matrix/evaluative metering on your camera, which takes an average meter reading and suggests a best fit exposure value for the scene as a whole.

By forming silhouettes, backlighting can quite literally take perspective out of the picture and create a more graphic image that explores the play between positive and negative space.

This method may, of course, lead to a blown-out background due to the backlighting – however, it will ensure you can see your subject clearly in terms of exposure. Sometimes, this is what matters most.

When choosing your location, make sure you look for some trees or something similar for the sun to filter through behind your subject, while you have open space behind you, so your subject has some natural light on their face as well as the backlighting.

At midday, sunlight is particularly harsh. As the sun goes down, the quality of light changes – it softens and becomes more golden.

An edge-lit LED panel is made of a row of LEDs attached to the frame (or circumference) of the panel, shining horizontally into a light-guide plate (LGP). The LGP directs the light downwards, through a diffuser into the space below. Edge-lit panels are sometimes also known as side-lit panels.

In portraiture, if you place your light source directly behind your subject, then you can create a highly effective rim light effect. The technique creates a slither of light all around the contour of the subject – it’s a stunning effect, which is quite simple to achieve.

Edge-litvsbacklitvsfull array

Moving the camera position will, of course, change the way the image looks and alter the effect the background light gives. So, move your feet!

For backlighting, there’s no rule as to how you source the light. You can use natural light such as the sun or the moon, or it can be ambient – windows, doorways or lamps.

It really is recommended to try shooting at these different times and consider the effect this has on your backlight photography.

LEDs have become more efficient, so the thermal advantage inherent in the side-lit design became less important. Back-lit designs are no longer so hot that the driver cannot be placed on the rear.

The presence of the LGP means that the diffuser is not solely responsible for spreading the light evenly so low-cost materials can be used, provided they don’t yellow with age.

So use bracketing to take different exposures of the same moment. Then in the edit, you can select the exposure that matches what you wanted to create.

Over time the drawbacks of this approach made themselves apparent. The best material for an LGP is acrylic (PMMA), but this can be quite expensive, so cheaper polystyrene (PS) was often used. If it is not blended with UV stabilizing additives, PS LGPs turn yellow over time so efficiency falls, the light output turns a dull yellow and the center of the panel darkens while the periphery remains bright.

The ‘golden hour’ – that hour or so before the sun really starts to set – is much talked about within photography circles. If you know any wedding photographers, you will be aware they are always chasing that elusive sunset.