{"id":154108,"date":"2021-05-05T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-05-05T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=154108"},"modified":"2021-05-04T16:28:42","modified_gmt":"2021-05-04T21:28:42","slug":"backlighting-your-subject","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/backlighting-your-subject\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Things to Know About Backlighting Your Subject"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We\u2019re going to take a look at ten of the most important things to know about backlighting a subject and how to utilize them on a set.<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The backlight may be the most important light on any set. A well-placed and utilized backlight can quickly elevate any production, giving it that coveted \u201ccinematic look.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As often as we all share our successes, I feel we should also share some failures along the way. For me, when I think about backlighting, my mind immediately goes to one job I failed at. I’d been working professionally for a couple of years at this point and was hired to help a friend of a friend create a Kickstarter video. As part of that video, I shot an interview on a black backdrop. The subjects were wearing black shirts. It was the perfect situation to utilize a great backlight to separate the subjects from the background. But, guess what I didn\u2019t do? I didn\u2019t set a backlight. As a result, the video looked like two floating heads in a state of oblivion. I\u2019m purely sharing this screenshot for educational purposes on what not to do. No backlight = Not good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Interview<\/a>
As you can see, no backlight was used during this shoot.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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1. A Backlight Is an Essential Component in 3-Point Lighting<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A 3-point lighting setup is the most common and practical means to light any subject. It consists of a key light, fill light, and backlight. The backlight\u2019s role in this setup is to create a sense of separation between the subject and the background.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"3-Point<\/a>
Three-point lighting consists of a key light, fill light, and backlight.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2. Backlighting Creates a 3D Effect in a 2D Medium<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Filmmaking is a 2D art form. However, using a backlight can help create the illusion of dimension in your video. While there are other means for creating a sense of depth like depth of field, backlighting is a key component.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. Essential to Create Separation<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you have a subject and background that are similar in tonality, exposure, colors, or even patterns, an effective backlight can help to separate those similarities. In return, this helps your image look more dynamic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. “When in Doubt, Backlight!”<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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