If you steer clear of shooting directly into a light, be it artificial light or natural, because you fear the end result. then there's a photography technique to help you. Place a bright light behind the subject; that'll create a silhouette against the backdrop and add a layer of drama to the photograph. The brighter the backlight, the more silhouetted the subject will seem. Use backlighting in a photograph to defeat overexposure and eliminate flares, or bright patches of light illuminating from behind the subject. Use a lens hood to eliminate the flare. Use smaller aperture settings, or higher F-stop settings, to eliminate overexposure.
Purchasing artificial lights for photography, or even renting artificial lights, can be quite expensive and add up over time. If you're looking to shoot outdoors, then you can rely on the sun as a natural form of backlighting. Place subjects directly in front of the sun to achieve the full silhouette look. Depending on the artistic vision of the photographer, you can also place the subject to the left or right of the sun, allowing flashes of light to creep over their shoulders.
Professional motion pictures and home movies alike both benefit from backlighting. The main purpose of backlighting in film -- as well as television -- is to make the actors pop out from the background. To achieve this effect, first have a firm knowledge of three-point lighting. Just using a backlight will leave your actors in shadows. Three-point lighting consists of a fill light and a key light, both aimed at the actor, and a backlight. The key light is the most powerful light, giving the actor proper illumination. The fill light reduces or increases shadows. The backlight, working in conjunction with the key and fill lights, makes the actor stand out from the backdrop.
Experimentation and patience are the two best backlighting techniques, especially for those who are just getting started in the field. If you are not getting the results you desire, then rearrange the lighting and reposition your camera. Photographers who become quickly frustrated with backlighting -- be it too much light or too little -- should invest in a camera with an auto backlighting control (ABC) feature. This feature will automatically adjust your camera's shutter speed, flash and aperture setting to best illuminate the subject.