In this article we will talk about silhouette photography: basic camera settings, principles of working with light and peculiarities of creating a picture. This technique is used in different areas of photography – studio photography, architecture, landscape, weddings, still life. It is not difficult to create a silhouette image, but it is much more difficult to make it attractive compositionally.
What is a silhouette
The essence of silhouette photography is creating a shot where the main subject is not illuminated, but set against a light background. Shape is the most important component of the silhouette. Silhouettes contain no color or texture, although their surroundings can. That is why it is important for silhouette photography to choose objects of recognizable shape or not, in the case of abstract photography. Silhouette lines should be crisp, with a well-drawn outline.
Lighting
Knowing how to work with light correctly is extremely important when creating a silhouette photo. The source can be either the sun or artificial light. The light source is behind the subject (backlighting) or it illuminates only the background, the subject itself must not be illuminated. If silhouette photography is done with natural light, the most optimal time would be dawn and dusk, for shooting in the daytime you need a little more skill and the right choice of location. A window or doorway in a bright landscape might be the right location.
Creating a silhouette shot in the studio you need to light the background. You can use one light source or several, it all depends on the idea. And the model or objects should be positioned so they form interesting figures, so they don’t get caught in the light reflected from the background.
Camera settings
The technical parameters for taking pictures are very simple. When shooting outdoors, we adjust exposure metering to the bright part of the frame in aperture priority mode. We choose the aperture value so as to get a sufficient depth of field. Then you can switch to manual mode and set the settings as suggested by the camera to make a silhouette shot.
Useful tips
- It’s easier to make a silhouette photo at sunrise or sunset with natural light
- Use the lighter parts of the background for exposure, not the sun
- Keep an eye on your shutter speed – it should be set to provide a sharp edge to your subject, especially if it’s moving
- Think about shapes – a silhouette must have an interesting idea and be recognizable
- The black part shouldn’t take up too much of the frame