Light Shadow Reflection

backlit silhouette
Hana Haley

backlit silhouette
Hana Haley

shadow
Imogen Cunningham

reflection
Imogen Cunningham

backlit + shadow
Hana Haley

backlit non-silhouette
Olivia Bee

This photo by Olivia Bee is a properly exposed backlit image, although Bee may have even overexposed the image for effect. She likely metered a stop or two above the meter reading on the model. The image has an ethereal quality that's enhanced by the exposure of the model, soft lighting and shallow depth of field. If Bee metered in the opposite way, the model would be a silhouette or at least a dark figure and because the model's soft features wouldn't be the focus any longer, the photo would be much less soft and angelic.