Contre-jour

Contre-jour

Contre-jour, a French word meaning “against the light,” refers to the manner of taking a photograph in which a camera more or less faces the light source. In Italian, the technique of contre-jour is known as chiaroscuro, meaning “light-dark.” The Italian term refers to the contrast produced by the interplay of shadow and light that contre-jour produces.
Contre-jour photographs often will render the central object as a darker silhouette that is surrounded by a soft, halo-esque light. This technique emphasizes the backlight of the photo which leaving the main image with less detail and definition.
Contre-jour tends to emphasize an object’s size, shape and lines. Moreover, it adds a dramatic effect to the photo by clearly defining the object’s borders while illuminating it from behind. The contrast between light and shadow that occurs with the contre-jour technique can add a grave and serious tone to any photograph.
One pitfall associated with contre-jour portraits involves the possibility that the resulting photo will pick up glare because the camera directly faces with the light source. Experts recommend using a lens hood to reduce the glare.
Contre-jour is most often used in nature, landscape or cityscape shots