Contre-jour

Contre-jour photo taken directly against the setting sun causing loss of subject detail and colour, and emphasis of shapes and lines. Medium: Colour digital image.

Contre-jour emphasizes the outline of the man and the tunnel entrance. The ground reflections show the position of the man. Medium: Digital scan from B&W paper print.

Contre-jour, French for 'against daylight', refers to photographs taken when the camera is pointing directly toward a source of light. An alternative term is backlighting.^[1][2]

Contre-jour produces backlighting of the subject. This effect usually hides details, causes a stronger contrast between light and dark, creates silhouettes and emphasizes lines and shapes. The sun, or other light source, is often seen as either a bright spot or as a strong glare behind the subject.^[2] Fill light may be used to illuminate the side of the subject facing toward the camera. Silhouetting occurs when there is a lighting ratio of 16:1 or more; at lower ratios such as 8:1 the result is instead called low-key lighting.

See also

• High dynamic range imaging

References

1. ^ "contre-jour". The Free Dictionary. Retrieved 2011-04-16.
2. ^ ^{a b} Freeman, Michael (2007) The Complete Guide to Light & Lighting in Digital Photography. ILEX, London: Lark Books. pp. 74&75. ISBN 978-1-57990-885-0.