We, here at Saiaf Films, take photography very seriously. And one of the most important (if not the most) elements of Gilbert Wedding Photography is light. We chase after good light and learn to work with harsh light. But we especially love the challenge of working with natural light, as it changes every day and every season, so there’s always something new to create.

One of our favourite techniques in creating Gilbert Best Wedding Videography and photography in natural lighting with our couples is back-lit photography. It creates a romantic and dreamy effect with beautiful warm tones in the image. Here are a few tips that we want to share with you that will help you master those perfect back-lit portraits in natural lighting condition.

Spot Meter for the Face

When shooting in matrix or evaluative metering mode, the camera takes into account the light of the entire image. In that case, because of the light streaming from the back, your subject will naturally be darker than the background. Using spot metering will get you the right exposure of the subject’s face. Now when you spot meter the face, the background will be blown out. But if the subject gets dark while you’re trying to correctly expose the background, our next tip can remedy that.

Reflector or Fill Flash

This is how a Gilbert Wedding Photographer compensate for the brighter background, and light up your subject. You can use fill flash to light up part of the subject’s face that is dark or getting less light. The flash will give you the option of lighting up the subject’s face with the angle, acting as a supplement to the natural light. You can also use a reflector to add light to the subject’s face. Hold it and adjust until the right amount and intensity of light are reflected on your subject’s face.

Diffused Effect of the Sun

When shooting against the light, the sun can cause flares or haze in your images. Unless including the flare is part of your artistic vision as a Gilbert Wedding Videographer, you need to place your subject or angle your shot in such a way that you are able to control it. Try the “open shade” method, which is trying to position your subject in places where the sunlight naturally filters through objects like tall buildings, large bushes, trees or any other element in your surroundings.

Another thing to remember is not to shoot from only one place or angle. Keep moving around to find a spot where your subject and light are both balanced in the frame. Back-lit photos don’t mean that the sun has to be directly behind the subject, it can also be angled to get the most dramatic lighting effect in the image.