Lighting is one of the most difficult parts of photography. Too much light, too little light, or a combination of the two can ruin an otherwise perfect photo. There are different types of lighting that I will describe below.
Backlighting - This is light that comes from behind your subject. This can make a beautiful photo. Backlighting is what turns a palm tree into a silhouette against the sunset. This would be a beautiful photograph.
Side lighting - Side lighting's brightness comes from the right or left of your subject. This tends to cast one side in total darkness, while putting the other in the spot light.
Diffused Lighting - This is when you want to soften the incoming light because light from all angles are too harsh and take away some of the contrast for a more pleasing photograph. Bright sunlight at midday is the worst kind of light for photography. The light colors are washed out and the contrasting shadows are too dark. To avoid this, wait for the sun to go behind a cloud or if your subject is moveable, put them in the shade of a tree or building and take the photo there. The light will be much more natural here and will result in a better photo.
Artificial Lighting - Artificial lighting comes in all shapes and sizes. From a built in flash on your camera to expensive lights in the studio, they all have their strengths and weaknesses.