How can I create bright, golden backlit portraits like this?
Asked 7/4/2014
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I like portraits that look very bright and bathed in warm golden sunlight. I know golden hour helps, but my photos still don’t get the same look. What’s the usual technique for this style? Should I slightly overexpose, shoot toward the sun, or position the sun in a particular way? Is this mostly done in-camera or in post-processing?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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You need to shoot at either sunrise or set (sunset is generally warmer in tone), when the sun is very low in the sky. Shoot with the sun behind the model (taking care not to look directly at it if possible). As you are shooting into the sun, you need some light source to light the front of your model: this could either be a diffused flash or a reflector.
As you will be exposing for the model, who is obviously not as bright as the sun, the sky and sun will be overexposed, creating the characteristic bright look.
Originally by user3205. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user3205
12y ago
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This look is usually made with a mix of lighting setup, exposure, and some editing.
Shoot at sunrise or sunset, when the sun is low and warm. Place the sun behind your subject or just outside the frame to create backlight and possible flare. Because the subject’s face will go dark when shooting into the light, use a reflector or diffused flash to brighten the front of the subject.
Expose for the subject rather than the sky. That will often make the sky and highlights overexpose a bit, which helps create the airy, glowing look.
Post-processing is also part of it. The example you describe likely has lowered contrast, with blacks and whites pulled toward softer grays, and a warm/red tint added to the highlights, which gives that pink-golden glow. Some highlight clipping or blown-out areas are normal for this style.
So: low sun, backlight, fill light on the subject, expose for the person, and finish with softer contrast and warm tinting in post.
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