Silhouette

A silhouette is one way to creatively represent ones subject matter. Through back lighting, a silhouette places the focus of the photo on the shape of your subject as opposed to highlighting its intricate details. The effect can be achieved with any light source, but the most common source is the sun, typically at sunrise or sunset. Silhouette photographers must have great timing and perfect exposure settings.

The shot below was taken in New Jersey, on Bunker Hill Golf Course. I went out early in the morning to catch some sunrise shots and saw this tree at the top of a hill on the 9th fairway. I moved down the hill to make sure the sun was completely behind it and then utilized the Rule of Thirds by placing the tree on the left side of the shot.

This shot of a sailboat on the Jersey shore was taken in a simmilar fashion by going low enough that the sun was stuck behind the boat.

Hidding the light source behind the subject is not the only way to compose a silhouette, as my next two shots will illustrate. The shot on the dock shows that you can focus your exposure on the sun and thus create a dark silhouette of your subjcet in the middle of the day. Here the pylons are the subject.
One of my favorite photos that shows this technique is one shot by Lex Linghorn and it can be found here. Try to emulate these shots and come up with your own creative silhouette photos.

Happy Shooting-
DC