Illumination Strategy Back Light

Back (or “hair”) Light. A top or backlight, consisting of one or more flashes located out of the field of view, can make the bird image pop and stand out from the background. This is why a portrait photographer uses a light from behind to illuminate the subject’s head and shoulders. It does not take much. Try shooting a photo with just the back light flash turned on. You know you got it right when the flash generates an outline of the otherwise black bird. You can see this in the photo below.

Figure – Lights off except for the back light, this is how to verify the back light is correct:

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Figure - Main light only. Blue Throated Hummingbird at Smooth Bouvardia, bouvardia ternifolia, Portal AZ
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Figure - Main plus back light. Blue Throated Hummingbird at Bull Thistle, Cirsium vulgare, Portal AZ

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