Backlight / Rim Light
Light shining from the side opposite the camera, that is, from behind the person. It usually draws a thin outline of light around the person, separating them from the background. That outline, or a light aimed to create it, is called a rim light. Backlight is a broad word for the light’s position; rim light is the name of the edge of light that results.
How it feels
- Mystery
- Heroic
- Separation
- Warmth
- Tension
When to use it
- A person standing against the light at dusk
- A person sitting with their back to a window
- Lifting a person crisply off a dark background
- A low-angle shot of a hero’s first entrance
In the movies
Not to be confused with
- Silhouette
- With only backlight and no light from the front, the person shows only as a black shape. Backlight is the light’s position; silhouette is the result.
- Hair Light
- A hair light is a back light aimed from behind and above at the top of the head and shoulders. It is used as the third light in three-point lighting.
- Lens Flare
- When a backlight source shines straight into the lens, streaks or circles of light appear in the image. A flare is an effect made in the lens; backlight is the position of the light on the person.
Prompt
backlighting, rim light
Backlit portrait. A strong light behind the subject draws a thin glowing rim around the hair and shoulders, separating them from the dark background.
Try these combinations
Low angle + backlight: a hero’s entrance
Low angle shot, a hero standing on a hill, backlit by sunset, rim lighting around the hair and shoulders
Close-up + warm backlight: a person by the window
Close-up, a woman sitting with her back to a window, warm backlight with soft rim, dim room