Backlighting creates silhouettes, rim light, lens flare, haze. All of it is useful. Point your camera towards the light source and expose for the highlights. Your subjects go dark, their outlines sharp.

Or expose for your subject and let the background blow out entirely. Both approaches work. The mistake is splitting the difference.

Watch for: strong graphic shapes - silhouettes need to be readable. A person mid-gesture against a bright sky is more interesting than a person standing still.

The point: most photographers put the sun behind them. Turning around completely changes what you're making.