Mastering the Art of Perfecting Backlit Photos on iPhone

The iPhone boasts an impressive photo editing toolkit capable of rescuing even the most challenging backlit shots. In this article, join Mytour to explore the ultimate formula for achieving stunning and professional-looking backlit photos on your iPhone!

1. What is a Backlit Photo?

Backlit photos are a common issue faced by anyone who has ever taken pictures using a phone or camera. Typically, this problem occurs outdoors, where the intense sunlight disrupts the exposure balance on imaging devices.

A backlit image occurs when the camera is positioned opposite the light source (such as the sun or a lamp). In such scenarios, achieving proper exposure balance becomes challenging. For photographers using manual settings, increasing brightness to illuminate the subject often results in overexposure, while keeping settings unchanged leaves the subject underexposed. Backlit photos often appear unappealing because the background outshines the subject, making them appear darker and less prominent in the frame.

To fix a backlit photo, the key is to reduce the brightness of the background while enhancing the brightness of the subject or object in focus.

2. How to Edit Photos Using Built-in Tools on iPhone

To adjust backlit photos on an iPhone, you can utilize the device's built-in photo editing features.

Step 1: Open the backlit photo you wish to edit on your iPhone and tap the Edit option to begin adjusting the image.

Step 2: Next, adjust the editing parameters one by one, following the 05 formulas outlined in Section 3 of this article.

3. The Ultimate Formula for Perfecting Backlit Photos on iPhone

If you encounter backlit photos where the subject appears dark but the background is beautifully bright, what should you do? Don’t worry—simply apply the standard backlit photo editing formulas below to achieve a stunning result.

3.1 Backlit Photo Editing Formula 1

• Exposure: 50
• Highlights: 80
• Shadows: -80
• Blacks: 40
• Contrast: -30
• Brightness: 10
• Black Point: 15
• Saturation: 10
• Vibrance: 10
• Warmth: -10
• Sharpness: 5
• Noise Reduction: 5

Result:

3.2 Backlit Photo Editing Formula 2

• Exposure: 30
• Highlights: 30
• Shadows: -90
• Blacks: 60
• Contrast: -50
• Brightness: 20
• Black Point: 12
• Saturation: 9
• Vibrance: 20
• Warmth: -30

Result:

3.3 Backlit Photo Editing Formula 3

• Exposure: -15
• Highlights: +78
• Shadows: -50
• Blacks: +65
• Contrast: -40
• Brightness: +17
• Saturation: +15
• Tint: +5
• Vibrance: +33
• Warmth: -33
• Sharpness: +5

Result:

3.4 Backlit Photo Editing Formula 4

• Exposure: +5
• Highlights: +75
• Shadows: -50
• Blacks: +75
• Contrast: -35
• Brightness: +15
• Saturation: +30
• Tint: +1
• Vibrance: +10
• Warmth: +15
• Sharpness: +5

Result:

Backlit Photo Editing Formula 5

• Exposure: -20
• Highlights: +50
• Shadows: -100
• Blacks: +45
• Contrast: -25
• Brightness: +35
• Saturation: +35
• Sharpness: +15

Result:

In this article, Mytour has shared with you the ultimate formulas for perfecting backlit photos on your iPhone. Wishing you great success!