Hey Chicago! Backlight Your Photographs
Every photograph needs a source of light. Where the source of light is located in relation to you and your subject will have a huge impact on the quality of your photo. If you ever look at images that feel dreamy, soft and romantic, it might be because backlight was used to illuminate the subject.
HOW TO CREATE A PICTURE WITH BACKLIGHT:
1. Position your subject with their back to the sun
2. Have your subject face a wide open sky. There should not be any buildings or trees directly in front of your subject. If there is not enough open sky or space in front of your subject, their face will be in heavy shadow and it will not be illuminated with flattering light.
3. Taking pictures in this type of light can be tricky, because it can be difficult to control how the light is hitting your lens (you are facing the light). Try shifting your position by getting higher or moving slightly left and right so the light doesn’t directly hit your lens. Try to use some foliage or trees to filter the light coming from the sun
This image was taken on the beach about 40min before sunset. The sun was still high in the sky, there were no clouds or trees to filter the sun, so I was still getting strong light. I played with my position - moving left and right, up and down, so the sun was not shinning directly into my lens. You can see the light landing on the back of her head/hair, giving a nice soft halo/glow to her hair.
