Get into position to make the best use of natural light and backgrounds
Backlighting is particularly wellsuited to shots of nature, helping to highlight exquisite details, such as the tiny hairs on a dragonfly’s body or the transparency of a lacewing or butterfly. Backlighting can produce dramatic results by adding contrast, depth and an emphasis on shape and form. Morning and evening are the best times for shooting naturally backlit subjects, as the sun is low in the sky and the light is warmer.
To minimise highlight clipping while getting the best contrast you’ll need to carefully position yourself to shoot towards the light. However, it’s normally best to exclude the sun itself from the frame, and attach a lens hood to reduce the risk of flare. On dull, overcast days, consider using a small LED device, or even the torch on your mobile phone, to create a backlit effect.
There’s a wide range of rechargeable LED devices aimed at macro photographers – some even allow you to alter the light’s colour temperature to warm up or cool down results. Place or handhold the device behind and to one side of the subject, ensuring that it’s out of shot. With a continuous light source, what you see is what you get, so, unlike flash, you can preview and refine the light’s effect. Move the LED closer to or further away from the subject to adjust its intensity until you achieve the result you desire.
