Fill flash for backlight and harsh sun

Fill flash adds just enough light to open up shadows — perfect for a backlit subject who'd otherwise be a silhouette, or harsh midday sun that leaves raccoon-eye shadows.

Recommended settings

Flash mode: TTL

meters fill against the bright ambient automatically

Flash exposure comp.: −1 to −2

you want a subtle lift, not a flash-lit look

Exposure: Set for the bright background first

fill only lifts the subject's shadows

Shutter: At or below sync speed (or use HSS)

bright sun often pushes you past sync speed

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Why it works

In high-contrast light the camera can't hold both the bright background and the shadowed subject. A touch of flash raises just the subject's shadows to meet the ambient, so you keep the sky and still see the face — the classic outdoor-portrait save.

Beginner tip

Put the sun behind your subject and add −1 to −2 fill flash; you get a rim-lit subject with a clean, lit face.

Going further

In very bright sun you'll exceed the sync speed — switch on high-speed sync (HSS) to keep a wide aperture.

Common mistakes

Using full-power flash outdoors, which looks obviously artificial.
Metering for the subject and blowing out the whole background.

FAQ

What is fill flash?

A low-power burst of flash that fills in (lifts) shadows while the ambient light still does most of the work — used to rescue backlit or harsh-sun subjects.

Why is my subject a silhouette?

The camera exposed for the bright background behind them. Add fill flash (or exposure compensation) to light the subject's side.

Learn more

flash sync speed exposure compensation metering