The act or technique of using light from behind or opposite to an object, often to create outlines or dramatic contrast in photography or theater.
From counter- + lighting (from Old English leoht, 'light'). Modern photographic/theatrical term for a specific lighting technique.
Counterlighting creates a halo effect that can make subjects ethereal or beautiful, which is why Renaissance painters discovered it and why it's still the secret weapon of professional photographers.
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