How do you shoot with back-light?

<p>Hello,<br>

I had a photo shoot this weekend at the very famous Manhattan bridge DUMBO area. The street itself was in the shade and so were my subjects, but the bridge in the back was in the sun. I wanted to take a photo where I expose the subjects properly, but when that happened I pretty much lost the bridge because it was over-exposed. How would I have done this correctly? If the answer is flash, I have tried that but when I use flash the background always comes out over-exposed. Can you help me figure out the settings I need?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p><div></div>

<p>Flash is definitely the answer. If you haven't read it already, get your hands on a copy of "Light, Science, & Magic" which will help you understand especially difficult lighting situations. Basically in your case you need to adjust the flash intensity so that the exposure matches that of the background.</p>

<p>Flash would not have helped in this shot unless you had a very LARGE flash. Maybe a graduated ND filter would have helped...</p>

First I think you did a decent job with the lighting you had. I agree with Harry, that its too large an area for flash

to have worked (unless you brought along a truck full of professional lights), and that a graduated neutral

density filter would have helped. Without all that I would have exposed the bridge area so that the important

highlights are exposed right up to the clipping point (but not past clipping) and let the shadows fall where they

are. In post processing try to tame the highlights (perhaps with a graduated filter tool in Lightroom), and boost

up the shadows. Of course for the most successful images, come back to that location when the light is better.

<p>Sometimes you have to rely on DR....and better camera will give you that flexibility. If I tried to do what you did, I'd get the light on the bridge correctly (override the camera if necessary) and then pull the shadows in the pp....or just ignore the building shadows. Unless you have an ultra ultra strong flash to light both buildings, you'll likely never get a balance of light. Granted, if the sun hits the entire street at certain time of the day + the bridge, you might be able to balance both.</p>

<p>IMO, you could approach this from somewhat different angle, try to take the same photo either at sunset (or after) where the light would even out or leave somewhat of a glow, or try this at sunrise. Good luck.</p>

<p>Les</p>

 

<p>Looking at the picture again, I don't think a Graduated ND would have helped either. Shots like that, you just have to wait until the sun goes down and there is not that much difference in f-stops between shadow and highlight. You can always modify in PP.</p>

<p>Many smartphones and some (most of the latest models of all brands) camera's (DSLR's mirrorless, etc) have a socalled HDR mode.</p>

<p>In a very small nutshell, the camera take a series of pictures at different exposures, ranging from the 'correct' exposure of the shadow parts, to the 'correct' one for the area's with the most light.<br>

It then merges all of those images 'in camera' into one where both shadows and highlight parties are correctly exposed and yet in balance<br>

This in contrast to a 'standard' exposed shot where in eg a picture exposed for the shadows, like yours, the area where the sun shines would come out overexposed/whitened out with the shadow area's 'correct'</p>

<p>Only works with static subjects of course, a moving subject will risk to have moved to a different sport while the sequence of differently exposed pictures are taken.</p>

<p>I don't see anything that raising Shadows and lowering Highlights in Lightroom wouldn't easily fix. Even if you didn't shoot in Raw, a software like Adobe Elements would allow you to fix that.</p>

<p>Do you shoot in Raw. If not, then you should start doing it and enjoy greater control over the dynamic range.</p>

<p>Whoops, I was thinking the OP meant his subjects were people, but just not in the photo he showed. I agree if it is just the buildings either adjustments to the dark areas, or even better...two shots on a tripod exposed differently and blended in p/p.</p>

<p>Oops! is right.</p>

<p>The sample image provided was shot with a Samsung G928T Smart Phone: ISO 40, 1/570 sec.; 28mm equivalent lens @ f/1.9. Center-weighted Average metering ... no flash. </p>

<p>Assuming the attached image was just an example of the scene, <strong>and a cell phone was NOT the camera that the OP used</strong> <strong>for the actual "photo Shoot" referenced</strong>, then it is a simple case of how to shoot a back-lit subject (People as subjects) using flash.</p>

<p>Gayana, when you shoot a back lit subject using flash you need some basic understanding of metering. In this location, if you are getting an over-exposed subject in the foreground, it is because the TTL flash is generally trying to illuminate the dark areas (which it cannot accomplish), so it puts out too much light on the closer human subjects and over-exposes them.</p>

<p>Hopefully you are using something other than a cell phone ... a camera where you can set the ambient non-flash f-stop, shutter speed manually to get a nice background exposure ... then turn on the flash and use the flash compensation controls to adjust the flash exposure to be more natural looking. The camera manual will have instructions on how to +/- compensate flash exposure.</p>

<p>In a case like this one, you would minus the flash compensation to avoid over-exposing the foreground subjects. With a digital camera you can check the compensation effect on the LCD and make refinements to taste.</p>

<div></div>

<p>Do you have the software to marry two exposures into one? If so, bracket the image and take the best of the dark and light areas.</p>

<p>Gayana did a great job with one exposure. The only reason for HDR would be to keep from blowing out the metal suspension part of the bridge. There's probably not a lot of important detail there, but it won't show as all-white. Set the camera to bracket and then hand hold.</p>

<p>Knowing what equipment you used would be helpful. That said, if you can take a perfectly exposed ambient light picture of your scene like the one you posted your half way there. Next, put your camera on manual and keep those same settings. Next add flash on manual power and keep upping the power until the subject is lit and exposed properly. All done.</p>

<p>The OP used the term "back lit" to describe the problem and people are making suggestions, such as use flash, without bothering to look at the image. If the bridge is the main subject of the image, then it is, indeed, back lit, but the shadows on the bridge and under it are not the problem. The problem is the suspension metals in direct sunlight are blown out. A multi-exposure HDR would fix that. Otherwise, it would need to be underexposed to not blow out the highlights and then raised in post, but I doubt that sensor would stand that without adding lots of noise.</p>

<p>Would everyone that suggested flash, please look at the OP's image and reconsider? A picture is worth 1,000-words!</p>

<p>Will everyone who thinks the bridge is the subject please reread the OP post and reconsider! She just posted the backlit scene without including her subject. That was a mistake on her part.</p>

<p>If you look at the image and read the post, then only thing clear is that she's confused. If there were people standing down in the street, all she'd have to do is raise their faces in post. The dynamic range is not that huge, but for the metal on the suspension part of the bridge.</p>

<p>Yes, she confused all of us with that picture. Hopefully she will post her actual shot and tell us what type of lighting she has.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>If you look at the image and read the post, then only thing clear is that she's confused. <strong>If there were people standing down in the street, all she'd have to do is raise their faces in post.</strong> The dynamic range is not that huge, but for the metal on the suspension part of the bridge.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>At first glance at the posted image I was pretty much surprised by the quality of capture, but when Marc confirmed it was taken with a Samsung cellphone and I checked the image's EXIF to check other details, I was even more surprised that the OP is using a cellphone "for a photo shoot" implying this was a paying gig.</p>

<p>I was also considering tossing my DSLR and going with a cellphone because of this quality but when I downloaded sample images this past week even from the iPhone 6 and other Samsung cellphones no way would I be able to apply that extreme of an edit as to pull up detail out of the shadows. There is so much heavy noise reduction on cellphone image jpegs I would not consider it a professional capture.</p>

<p>If the Samsung cellphone can shoot Raw then maybe. But depending on the subjects and how close they'll be to the cellphone, shoot manual and expose for the bridge and use a fill card or flash. If the subjects are too far away then expose for the bridge shooting Raw and lift in post.</p>

<p>Or maybe the posted cellphone shot was just to show the type of lighting and that pro equipment would be used. Not sure.</p>

<p>Sounds like she had people in the foreground but cropped them out. I am guessing the Chrysler bldg framed in the lower part of the bridge is the reason for the camera position near the center of the street. The shade in the street would be flat so addition of light as a main to create form on the subjects as well as to balance them with the sky/bridge in the background would be the way I would go. Camera position and dark buildings, stuck in the middle of the street for composition and few windows make a bounce as main difficult if not impossible. We don't know what gear she has, but I'd use some sort of off camera flash to bring up the subjects. May need to knock down the ambient so could consider a nd filter if can't get the bg to level wanted with camera's sync speed. That is, assuming she is using a slr, not only a cell phone. Then as Michael suggests, after dialing in the bg with desired aperture and adjusting shutter speed, adjust flash power to get the desired subject exposure. If has a meter, reflective meter the bg, and power the flash to the desired subject incident reading difference with the bg.</p>

<p>Your subjects need to be lit to the same level as the bridge in the background. Not 'fill' at a lower level. The subject is primary. Not only does it need to be lit, it needs to be "realistically" lit... not just fill flash from camera position, which provide the required lighting brightness equivalent but also provide favourable modelling. That may require a hard light equalling the light level at the bridge, but also a fill light to balance the the (then) black shadows.</p>

<p>If your background is too bright with the lighting you're using, then you're not adding enough flash. OR.. you are tripping into HSS/FP mode beyond 1/250s where your lighting is compromised and cannot provide enough output.</p>

<p>When you are creating environment portrait, your choices are dictated by the environment. In this particular scene, even if you light the subject with flash, there is no way to light those dark buildings. So if you want to get a dramatic view of bridge in the background,<br>

1. Forget about including buildings in the frame (along with bridge properly exposed). <br>

2. Use flash light for lighting the model, however most likely you need to use high-speed sync so that you can slightly underexpose background for dramatic results. Using HSS means that your flash power is limited, so most likely a flash on camera will not properly illuminate the subject. So you need to put flash on a stand, move it closer to the model at about 45 degrees right or left) and use some sort of wireless sync to trigger. Properly done, you can get an image like this (or better)<br>

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uiXkgJ8xW2s/maxresdefault.jpg<br>

3. Place the subject against a dark background (building walls) and use back light to highlight the subject outline (e.g. hair). This will most likely overexpose bridge, but you will still get bridge lines which you can use for better composition. The trick is to choose a dark background, and let highlights go to town. You will just need fill flash in this case, which can come from external flash mounted on camera.<br>

There are many ways to skin the cat, you don't have to have bridge properly exposed to have it adding to the picture. A good picture is not about proper exposure, it is how different elements work together.<br>

That said, I will confess that while I can think about all of this sitting on my couch, I can't remember all of this when taking pictures (I am not a professional). That is why I shoot in raw (using cameras with better DR) and do some of the highlight pull-down and shadow push-ups in post.</p>

 

<p>I googled DUMBO and found that this shot framing the building in the lower bridge is a common shot. So it appears it is essential to the image and camera position on that line is important. I would consider a longer lens back further on this line if possible to use compression to make the building framing larger and more dominant in the image. I think the back lighting op is describing is from the end of the street back lighting the cropped out subjects. The bridge is lit by the sun from upper left, not from behind. Relative brightness of subject to the background is an artistic choice the photographer will have to make based on how dominant the people are desired to be in the shot. Brighter people will separate them and draw the viewers eye to them. Matching the background intensity will make them more equal in importance to the framed building. Making the background brighter will help draw the eye there. A higher camera position could place them in a darker street pulling the eye to them if they are brighter and a high contrast as well as brighter. A low camera position with them mostly against the sky, less so. Hopefully, the op will clarify her vision for the shot and any thoughts or questions she has on the comments. </p>

<p>I don't know if this is to your liking, but here's the picture after a couple of adjustments in ACR.</p>

<p>Well, looks like the picture did not get attached.</p><div></div>

<p>It would be easy to recover the highlights and bring up the shadows in CaptureOne Pro. I imagine it would be even better if you lit your subjects with a little flash.</p>