Cross's photograph of the white group lit from in front of the camera: the near faces of the cone, sphere and cylinder are in shadow, with light on their tops and edges and cast shadows running toward the viewer.

Concept · Seeing Light

Backlight

Backlight comes from behind the subject, toward the viewer.

Most of what we see is in shadow; light mainly catches the tops and outlines.

  • Cast shadows run toward the viewer and become large, dark shapes.

Image: Internet Archive · Public domain (published before 1931)

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