Profiling Silhouette Photography

The above photo may not be considered a tru silhouette however I wanted the "silhouette" of the Lifeguard chair and just a touch of the "Rules " on the back. To me the loss of detail carries the meaning of the photo

Creating a silhouette photograph can be tricky. You want to make sure the background is lighter than the object in your photo. When shooting a silhouette, timing is everything. Pay attention to the time of day and the position of the sun. When you know the time of day, you can create a beautiful image with a bit of practice. And keep in mind that the proper exposure settings will also go a long way.

First of all, make sure the silhouetted subject is in a robust and distinct shape. If you're using Auto mode, your camera will most likely use the flash. This is not ideal because your silhouette will have a lot of detail and be hard to see. As a result, you'll want to think backward to get the best silhouette. And remember, if you're photographing a lone figure, you can use a simple trick: pose the subject so that the outline is clear.

You can also combine multiple images to create a dark silhouette with a bright background. This technique is known as bracketing and involves taking several photos of the same subject using various camera settings. In the end, you can get the perfect dark silhouette without having to make much effort. Just remember to practice and have fun! If you've never shot a silhouette before, you should start practicing right away! After all, you'll be able to do it with some practice and luck.

For helpful tips you can always check out Adorama with a variety of Photographers and they also include equipment reviews the video below is presented by Gavin Hoey