There’s something about a stunning silhouette photograph that grabs our attention and has us made wonder every time. Maybe it’s the contrast of the dark and light, The simplicity, The mystery, And the beauty in it.
Or may be, it’s all of the above.
It may look difficult. But all that you need is to be back lit (in other words, the light needed to be behind the subject),
In addition, The Location and time of day matter. But where you place your subject, how you pose them, what angle you shoot from, and what camera settings you use are equally as important.
Want to try taking a Stunning Silhouettes photograph?
Here are 10 Tips For Stunning Silhouettes Photography
#1 | DAY/EVENING
In order to take a clear silhouette, All that you’ll need the background to be brighter than your subject (beginning or the end of the day) The ideal time to shoot a silhouette is when the sun is low in the sky – either when it is rising or setting. Sunsets are a favorite among photographers who regularly create spectacular silhouettes, but you can also shoot a decent silhouette against a blue sky.
#2 | OPT OUT OPEN SPACE
Location matters when it comes to capturing a striking silhouette. We have found that open space works best: a flat, grassy field, a beach along the ocean, or a river bank. Make sure, though, that the area isn’t cluttered with distracting elements – cars, trees, buildings – that would easily take the viewer’s attention away from the subject.
Interested in finding open spaces in your community to take good silhouettes? Ask your local photographer friends, reach out to photographers in your area via Facebook or Meetup, or check with your local Flickr group.
#3 | POSITION YOURSELF FIRST, THEN THE SUBJECT
Once you’re facing the sun, ask your subject to stand between you and the sun. The subject does NOT have to be right in front of the sun, blocking it with his or her body, unless that is the look you prefer.
#4 | POSE YOUR SUBJECT
Once your subject is standing in the optimum spot, you’ll need to pose your subject so that they truly stand out from the background – and the viewer can clearly see who or what is in the photograph – just by looking at its outline and shape. You may also need to walk around your subject, crouch down, or stand on a step stool to find the angle that best captures the outline of your subject.
#5 | CAPTURE THE ACTION
When I think of silhouette photos, what first comes to mind are people posing, usually standing, with little-to-no movement. But silhouette action shots can be successful, too.
Here are a few ideas:
- Encourage dad or mom to throw their young child up in the air. (Increase your shutter speed to at least 1/250 to freeze the action.)
- Capture a child jumping off a sand dune onto the beach.
- Take a photo of your child swinging at the park. (You may have to lie down on the ground to capture this shot.)
- Have a group of kids jump off the end of a dock into the water.
#6 | THINK BEYOND PEOPLE
While people work well in silhouette photos, inanimate objects are fair game, too. For instance, you could photograph the silhouette of a tree, The skyline of your favorite city, a lifeguard stand on a beach, cattle standing in a field, a bridge or a windmill.
#7 | SHOOT IN MANUAL
To obtain the clearest silhouette photo, you’ll want to ideally shoot in manual, so you can choose the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO – not the camera.
Set your aperture (f-stop) for 8.0 or higher, Shutter 1/250 to freeze the action and ISO as low as possible.
#8 | TRICK YOUR CAMERA
Because you want to shoot a silhouette, you’ll need to trick your camera by metering off the sky, not the subject. Start by pointing your camera at the brightest part of your frame – but not directly into the sun – and press the shutter halfway down. Then, while you’re holding the shutter halfway down, recompose your image and take the photo.
#9 | SKIP THE FLASH
Using a flash, either the one on your camera or an external flash, is not recommended for silhouette photography. If you usually shoot in automatic, it’s likely that your camera will automatically fire the flash. To make sure this doesn’t happen, switch to P mode (program mode), A mode (aperture priority), S mode (shutter priority), or M mode (manual).
#10 | POLISH IN POST PROCESSING
Do your best to capture the best silhouette you can from behind the lens, but keep in mind that most photographers perfect their silhouettes in Lightroom, Photoshop or both.
In post processing, it’s generally helpful to boost the contrast in your image, add more saturation, and increase the blacks slightly.
Hope these tips would help you to take some Stunning Silhouettes Pictures!
Happy Clicking!