The combination of silhouettes and landscapes is an underutilized art and one I wish more people practiced. Not only is it extremely useful in creating dynamic landscape images, but it is also extremely easy to execute. First, lets take a look at why you would want to intentionally clip shadow detail and then wrap this up by learning how to effectively pull off a silhouetted image.
Shape, lines, and imagination – Landscape photography may be one of the most literal forms of picture making. Find a pretty scene and present it as was. Sometimes it’s a good exercise to shake up this habit by emphasizing shapes, lines, and your viewer’s imagination. When utilizing silhouettes, it’s important to include easily distinguishable shapes in your photograph so that you aren’t presenting a blob of black in the frame. Compose and frame your shot with shapes and lines in the fore front of your mind. Ask yourself, would a person other than me know what they are looking at? This isn’t always the easiest thing to recognize, but the more you practice and train your eye, the easier it will come.
There are so many distinguishable elements in the frame that their is plenty to see and think about while at the same time it isn’t too busy. The best part is it seems as though I could have taken this in Africa or in the middle of a desert; the imagination can run wild. In reality, I made this image off the shoulder of Ocean Parkway on Long Island. Just don’t tell anyone.
People are allowed in – I’m the first to admit, I don’t like people. Let me rephrase. I don’t like people in my landscape images. I do whatever it takes to avoid photographing a human in the middle of a beautiful sunset. There are times however, where people can actually add a nice touch to a landscape photograph. Throwing a person into a silhouette, if done correctly, can compliment a scene nicely and add some emotional attachment to the photograph. Make sure of one thing if you decide to go this route: ensure the person(s) is distinguishable. Avoid a head on shot with arms at the side for example, because all you will see if a big blob.
I was wrapping up a sunrise shoot at a beach when I took another glance at the rising sun. What caught my eye at first was the golden sun hitting the crashing surf. Then I noticed a moment between a dad and his young kids getting ready to fish. Not only did I wind up with a nice landscape shot, but this family adds a nice feel and emotion to it as well.
Pulling off the shot – This is easy, I promise. First, place your camera into (gasp) Manual exposure mode. Choose a small aperture, somewhere between f/11 and f/18 should do the trick. Get your meter reading off of the sky, which will be the brightest part of the scene. Adjust your exposure dial until you are exposed correctly for the sky. Keep in mind this will be a very fast shutter speed because the sun is very bright. Recompose your shot, focus, and fire away. Being a general rule of thumb, your exposure could possibly be under exposed, especially if you metered the sun itself. The good thing about Manual mode is you can slow down your shutter very easily and capture another image. Once you get some practice in, you will find this technique very easy to successfully maneuver.
Jesse Pafundi is a photographer hailing from Long Island, New York. A lover of all things photography, he enjoys traveling and capturing the world around him as much as possible. In addition to shooting landscapes, he has a major affection for New York City architecture and urban exploration. Whether it’s HDR, lens filters, or iPhoneography, he enjoys dabbling in and learning as many techniques as he can consume. Jesse believes strongly in the use of social media and blogging as a tool to further his knowledge and share his passion with anyone who wants to listen.
Company: Pafundi Images
Website: http://dudewithcamera.com
Twitter: @dude_withcamera
Facebook: http://facebook.com/pafundiimages
Photo Credit: © 2011 Jesse Pafundi
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I love silhouetted photography. I think that the images it creates are just so striking, they can convey emotions so well.
Love the way it can totally change how a scene looks.
Fantastic.