When a subject is not lit, but is placed against a brightly lit background, the effect is called a

• A. Silhouette
• B. Backlit
• C. High-key
• D. Low-key

Answer: (A)

Silhouette is the effect you get when the subject is not lit and sits against a brightly lit background. The camera exposes for that bright backdrop, so the subject receives little light and appears as a dark shape, often with a crisp edge where the light from behind defines the outline. This approach emphasizes form and contour rather than texture or detail.

In this setup, you’re leveraging high contrast between the bright background and the dark subject to create a striking outline. If you wanted to see detail on the subject, you’d add light to the subject or adjust the exposure to favor the subject instead of the background. Other terms describe different lighting directions or overall tonal ranges (backlit refers to light behind the subject, while high-key and low-key describe overall brightness and contrast), but the described scenario specifically yields a silhouette.