Silhouettes
Silhouettes
By Dan Waters
Silhouettes are one of the easiest ways to take your photography to a new level. They almost always have that wow effect. Frequently, beginners accidentally make silhouettes by placing their subject in front of a strong light source. However, the best silhouettes are well thought out and planned in advance. The shutter speeds are generally higher because you’re exposing for the light, which means you can hand hold without worrying about camera movement.
There are a couple simple guidelines to help you make great silhouettes.
1. Place your subject in front of a light source.
2. Expose for the light source. In other words make sure you’re getting a correct exposure for the light behind your subject. You can do this by framing your shot without your subject
pushing the shutter button down half way to lock the exposure, then re-frame to include the subject and take the photograph.
3. The subject has to be simple and easily recognizable.
4. Change your angle and perspective until the elements in your photograph are clearly visible, with no overlaps.
If you follow these simple guidelines, silhouettes are easy to master and will give a fresh look to your photographs.