Backlighting Wildlife Photos

This article was written by Melissa Groo, and she makes a really interesting case for its uses when capturing animals. One of the main considerations that she lists is that it opens a new door for easier shots when the wildlife are easily scared or in a bad position for pictures. These pictures also need special consideration because there may be lens flare, or distractions in the form of dust or bugs that may catch the light in addition to the subject.

Backlighting a subject could draw some intense attention to the outline and other features of the subject. I just wonder if the details of the subject are also washed out in the picture because the eyes are naturally drawn to the outline of the subject. Maybe if its done well, the other rules of dominance can be used to keep the audience's attention on the subject, and allow the viewer more time to look at all the smaller details of the animal that make it unique.

This technique may be easier for me to try because there isn't always good lighting in the conditions I want to capture, which are usually low light, with light only supplied through windows. However, if I were to try this technique on some of the horses, I would have to be really careful about stray hairs and other things that would draw attention away from the subject.

This is the article