Backlighting

[K-Mount]

I want to confirm if this is the correct technique to get this sort of picture using backlighting.

To get a shot with the backlight yet still maintain a lot of detail in front of the subject without severe undexposure, I would have to set my camera to spot meter and aim at the face. Is this correct? Also if I used a flashgun to lighten up the front (opposite direction of the backlight), it would reduce the halo effect of the image right?

If you guys can, can you also tell me how you think this image was done just by staring at it? Was a flash used? Was the technique I talked about even possible to create backlight shots of this level?

Please help a noobie out, thanks!

http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs38/f/2008/342/8/4/love_love_love_by_Grinch7.jpg

[funlovincamera]

I once tried to do this but actually ran into focusing problems as well (I was using the center focus point) presumably because the center point was relatively low-contrast... so I'm interested in learning this technique as well.

[midnight_rider]

Is that your picture?

[asysin2leads]

Is that your picture?

If he/she is asking how it was done, chances are it isn't.

OP: unless the image is yours, POTN policy requires a link and not the actual image due to copyright infringement.

[wamguy89]

Here is one of my own photos that uses this kind of technique (all the lighting info is on my flickr page, too)... If you're going to be shooting directly into the sun, you really need a flash of some sort, or else you'll usually get a silhouette or totally blow out the background... Just think of the sun like a giant, stationary flash! Haha You can use it to your advantage in most cases, especially when you're using it in combination with other flashes. If you want to attempt something like this, I would suggest going to the top of a hill and trying different shots with the sun at different angles with respect to the subject (sun in front, sun behind, sun to side, etc.), and then see the effects. Hope this helps!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4273125780_31cb07bd35.jpg