This week, experiment with light and capture a silhouette.
Photography is all about experimenting with light, and then positioning yourself (or your subject) in the right spot to achieve a certain effect. One such effect is a silhouette, in which an outline of someone or something appears dark against a lighter background. Silhouettes can be very dramatic and resemble black shapes without any details, but the effect varies from picture to picture.
While strolling on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, I snapped a photo of a couple taking a picture of the sunset:

Sunset on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii
Quick Tips:
- Place your subject in front of a light source.
- Keep the background simple and uncluttered.
- Create clean lines and distinct shapes. (You don’t want to photograph a blob!)
- Move around — the light will change with each angle.
I was walking quickly, and when I clicked the shutter, I wasn’t sure of the final result. But when I looked through my shots later that night, I was unexpectedly pleased with this image. I captured a distinct silhouette of two people (and an extended arm holding a camera), a nice contrast between sea and sky, and a bonus detail — a sailboat in the horizon on the left, which I didn’t see when I took the picture.
This week, share a photo with a silhouette. Revisit Wenjie Zhang’s post on the quality of light for quick tips on backlight, or dive into silhouette tutorials by Digital Photography School and PetaPixel for more guidance.
We’d love to see you experiment with your positioning, POV, and the time of day of shooting. Have fun!
I think I have this kind of photo.
I’ll be right back 🙂
LikeLike
mine:
http://indomoto.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Perfect challenge. Let me search for my best silhouette photos. I’ll be right back.
LikeLiked by 1 person
http://retirenicaragua.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
LikeLike
Love silhouette photography! This will be a fun one to share and explore!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Breathtaking sunset by a woman who lives with bipolar & at times suicidal depression… http://brokenlightcollective.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/new-beginnings/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here’s a cool conceptual silhouette self-portrait!!
https://brokenlightcollective.wordpress.com/2014/08/17/awaken/
LikeLike
One more… Taken in India from on top of an elephant! http://brokenlightcollective.wordpress.com/2014/08/21/alone-2/
LikeLike
Nice challenge. I really like silhouettes and have some older posts with silhouette shots. Here is a new one: http://wp.me/p3gqMf-eT
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here’s my post: http://solaner.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
LikeLiked by 1 person
My entry this week: http://esengasvoice.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette-2/
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is my entry for this week. http://myenz.com/2014/08/16/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Excellent! One of my most favourite photo styles! Thank you. 😀 http://veronicaroth.com/wordpress-weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gandhi at Waikiki:
http://insellos.wordpress.com/2014/08/16/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette-2/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay! I get to share one of my classic favorite shots from when I started getting interested in travel and photography!
http://lipglossandabackpack.com/2014/08/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
LikeLiked by 1 person
http://justanothernatureenthusiast.org/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette-dog-at-beach/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Our Labrador Retriever is the star this weekhttps://wordpress.com/dailypost/dp_photo_challenge/silhouette-2014/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here is my entry: http://wp.me/p24idL-2lT
LikeLike
Hi…
http://follygirlsphotoworld.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
Thanks for visiting!!! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Wow… This morning I received the package from all posters website, which I was waiting for… with amazing photo of Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, which I will publish in my next post 🙂 and here is my post for this challenge: http://byswav.com/2014/08/15/the-dancer-triptych-no-3-by-swav/ Have a great weekend 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Have taken some silhouette images of the magnificent statues in the area of Piazza della Signoria, Florence, Italy http://dcdoolan.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here is what I have come up with for this week. ENJOY!
http://ceenphotography.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
LikeLiked by 1 person
2 from me, I always find something compelling after my first choice…
http://ambitiousdrifter.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
http://ambitiousdrifter.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-2-flying-solo/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Echoes stir in the wind… http://drieskewrites.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette-2/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi again! Here are two more silhouette shots I like: http://wp.me/p3gqMf-7q and http://wp.me/p3gqMf-ao
Have a nice weekend!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Something spooky…
http://wp.me/p1ZuYK-10V
LikeLike
my silhouette 🙂 http://theeclecticeccentricshopaholic.wordpress.com/2014/08/16/silhouette/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Cheri, nice to see you. Here is my entry, http://lucidgypsy.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/running-shadows/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautiful pic
LikeLiked by 1 person
I didn’t think I’d have many for this one. I was quite wrong! 🙂 https://castelsarrasin.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dark day light Silhouette (kind of – hope is good enough) 😉 Enjoy the weekend!
https://byniki.wordpress.com/2014/07/15/into-the-darkness/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fun one – I gots this….stay tuned:)
LikeLike
here is it:
http://words4jp.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
thanks for the fun!
LikeLike
This challenge is sure to produce some spectacular contributions. We hope ours measures up!
http://dewetswild.com/2014/08/15/silhouette/
LikeLike
Great theme! So here`s my entry 🙂 https://321klick.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=898&action=edit&message=6&postpost=v2
LikeLike
Link above is administrative link.
Here’s the one to the silhouette: https://321klick.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
LikeLike
Sailing across Tampa Bay at sunrise… http://windagainstcurrent.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette-2/
LikeLike
My silhouette photo: First food, then moral.
http://artishorseshit.wordpress.com/2014/08/15/weekly-photo-challenge-silhouette/
LikeLike