How to master backlight in portrait photography

Backlighting is a powerful tool in portrait photography and gives you several different ways to highlight your subject and create visually stunning images. This lighting method involves placing a light source behind your subject, facing toward the camera, which adds depth, dimension, and visual separation from the background.

In this video, Ed Verosky explores three different ways to backlight your subjects, including their effects, applications, and how you can use them to elevate your studio portraits.

What is backlighting?

Backlighting refers to any lighting setup where the primary light source is positioned behind the subject. This can create a halo effect around the hair and body contours, making the subject stand out against the background. While some definitions of backlighting suggest the light must come directly from behind the subject, in practice, it refers to any light illuminating the subject from behind, toward the camera.

Halo effect

One of the more interesting ways of backlighting is the halo effect. This occurs when the backlight illuminates the subject’s hair, creating a glowing outline. This technique was popular in the late 1970s and 80s and gives the hair a translucent, almost ethereal appearance. Using natural sunlight behind the subject can also achieve this effect, for example, in outdoor portraits where the sun perfectly lights up the hair.

Hair light

A hair light is a specific type of backlight focused on illuminating the hair, adding subtle separation between the subject and the background. Unlike the halo effect, the hair light is more traditional and often used in a classic three-point lighting setup. This setup includes a key light, a fill light, and a hair light, which typically comes from directly above the subject, softly highlighting the top of the head.

Rim or kicker light

The rim or kicker light is a form of backlighting that creates a narrow highlight around the edges of the subject. This light often emphasizes the body’s outline, providing a glowing contour on one or both sides. For instance, a rim light from the side and rear of the subject can highlight the arms or body, adding depth and drawing the viewer’s attention to the subject’s form.

Backlighting set ups

To create these backlighting effects, you can use various lighting setups. For the halo effect, placing a flash behind the subject’s head will illuminate the hair, while a key light in front makes sure that the subject’s face is well-lit.

For a hair light, you can use a small softbox above the subject, or even a bare flash slightly to the rear and side, to create that subtle highlight. For rim lighting, position a strip softbox or similar light source to the side and rear, creating a striking contour that separates the subject from the background.

Creative techniques

Backlighting also opens up opportunities for creative experimentation. You might intentionally blow out the details with strong backlighting, creating a glowing wraparound effect. Alternatively, allowing lens flare can produce artistic effects, especially when shooting outdoors with sunlight streaming toward the camera. Underexposing the subject while using a strong backlight can also create dramatic silhouettes, adding a sense of mystery to your portraits.

Have a play around with these three different ways to use a backlight in your portrait photography. It can be the subtle difference that takes your photographs up another level, and also stops your dark-haired subjects melting into dark backgrouds.