A couple of Backlit pics I decided against

[MissHoneychurch]

Comments? Are they even backlit???

[NV Whino]

1. The cat is side light IMO

And how did you get a picture if my cat anyway?

The rest work as backlit.

[MissHoneychurch]

2. That is your cat?

:rofl:

His name is Sylvester and he is the cat from a very dear friend.

[Mira]

4. OMG - that's why I don't understand cats. n/t

[MissHoneychurch]

6. What do you mean?

Sylvester is just relaxed, that is all :)

[NV Whino]

10. Nope, mine are short hair

But, I gotta tell ya, at first take, I wondered how you got a picture of Millie.

[MissHoneychurch]

13. What a cute face n/t

[Mira]

3. It's a challenge for me to answer your question, because I too have struggled

with the concept.

I decided the following for myself and I put it out for any correction as needed because I am extremely tentative with my interpretation:

If a subject gets lit up strongly to where the light if at all possible could travel through it and render it transparent, that's backlit. Some things can't become transparent, but if they were a leaf, or glass, they could and the principle still holds.

In that vein, your first photo: the window is backlit from the light outside. The statue is front lit and also backlit. Were there no light from the front, the statue would be black and only backlit.

In your mine shaft, scary place photo: it is simply "lit". There is a light, and it illuminates the area it reaches.

The cat's left (right from her perspective) is back lit. And the photo is so gentle and endearing.

And the man (how beautiful a setting and photo) is what? Frontlit only, because the light comes from the front, as is evidenced by the shadow?
Or perfectly backlit because were he out of glass he would be shimmering clear? I think that's the answer.

I do not know. So you and I both can see that your question was extremely valid. This is not exactly easy.

[MissHoneychurch]

5. Oh I struggled with the topic

at first it sounds so easy. But then you look at the pictures and start to wonder. So you are not alone regarding the backlit. I hope the pic I finally decided for will be the right one for the topic.

I do have one perfect pic for the topic. But since that was used in our first DU calendar I couldn't and wouldn't use it in this contest.

[Mira]

7. Perfection! It makes the eye travel all the way around to make sure you don't

miss any little part of it's delicacy. Perfect example of what we're trying to do.

[MissHoneychurch]

14. Thank you Mira n/t

[Celebration]

8. LOL, I doubt if I send any back for not being backlit

But my take on it...

Overall, the first one is backlit. Yes there is some light coming from the front, so there isn't a silhoette, but I would not deduct points for this not being one hundred percent backlit. To me it qualifies.

The second one does not seem backlit to me. Maybe I am missing something.

The cat seems both backlit and front lit. There definitely is a lot of light coming from the back, and it can plainly be seen. Nevertheless, I would not enter this in a backlit contest, I don't think, because I would think other pictures could represent the contest theme better.

The man is mostly backlit, but you are at a bit of an angle rather than having the shadow being completely toward you. Still, it has a lot of the effect of a backlit shot because it is a silhouette. Again, I personally would not deduct points because it is not one hundred percent backlit.

Among these, I think the first one best represents the backlit concept. Others might disagree.

[MissHoneychurch]

15. Thank you for your input Celebration

now I can hope that my decision is the right one and that you won't send back my entry :)

[NV Whino]

9. I think the easiest way to understand back light

is to liken it to a clock. If the primary light source comes from 11 to 1 o'clock, it's definitely backlit. The 10 and 2 o'clock position (your underground shot) are iffy, but could be considered backlit. Anything else is side lit or front lit.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

11. thank you for that definition. makes it easy to understand. n/t

[MissHoneychurch]

16. Thank you NV Whino

that explanation makes it really easy to understand.

[Mira]

18. That's a great way to grasp it. Thanks. I was struggling, now I don't. n/t

[ManiacJoe]

12. Excellent job with the exposure on the statue in the window!

[MissHoneychurch]

17. Thank you n/t