1, select the appropriate scene and time.
The golden light is very touching.
The basic skill of silhouette shooting is to use backlight shooting, that is, the photographer faces the light source. Generally speaking, most silhouettes are taken at dusk. In addition to the golden light is very moving, the light is also very soft, not dazzling. When the sun sets at a low angle, the photographer can easily see the silhouette effect of backlight.
2. Shoot in full manual mode
Manual mode can also shoot according to the photographer's requirements more accurately, and achieve the effect in the photographer's mind.
Although exposure compensation can be used to reduce exposure to shoot silhouette, in order to increase the success rate of shooting, it is safest to shoot in full manual mode. Generally speaking, you only need to focus on the light source in the background, then increase the shutter speed, reduce the aperture and reduce the exposure, and you can take a silhouette photo.
Manual mode can also shoot more accurately according to the photographer's requirements, and achieve the effect in the photographer's mind. If you shoot in automatic exposure mode, the parameters of each photo may change after metering, and the photographer may not get the desired effect.
3. The main outline is clear
A clear outline of the subject helps to express the content of the photo.
Because of the serious underexposure, the subject of the silhouette photo can't see the details of the subject, so it depends on its outline to express the subject. In order to let the viewer know what the subject of the silhouette is at a glance, the lines of the subject outline must be very clear, and the photographer should even use the subject outline as a language to express what is happening in this photo.
4. Background of cooperation
The cooperation between the subject and the background gives the viewer more imagination.
If the subject outline is the language of silhouette photos, then the background of silhouette photos is rhetorical devices. Being able to write doesn't mean you can write a good article, and so does taking a silhouette photo. When the photographer uses the outline of the subject to express the picture, if he can use the background to match the subject and outline the whole environment complementarily, he can give the viewer more room for thinking and imagination, and can also use the interaction between silhouette and background to bring out the story.
Step 5 create an atmosphere
The atmosphere will affect the mood of the audience.
Because the silhouette is a black shadow after all, in addition to the beautiful outline and matching background, it is more important to set off the overall atmosphere. Even if we can't see the expression and details of the silhouette, we can understand the emotions expressed in the whole photo from the picture, which can affect the mood of the viewer. This photo is regarded as a successful work.
Practical skills:
1, exposure control is not spared.
Silhouette photography pursues underexposure.
If you are a novice photographer, inexperienced in using the aperture shutter and don't want to use the automatic exposure mode, then you must remember that when adjusting the aperture shutter, you would rather be underexposed than overexposed. Silhouette photography is the pursuit of underexposure. If overexposed, the black part of the silhouette will not be black enough. And the background will be overexposed.
2. Add some side light.
Although the goal of silhouette shooting is to make the subject seriously underexposed, the silhouette is not necessarily the best performance. Sometimes, in addition to the same silhouette effect, a small amount of light at the edge of the subject can make the subject more textured.
Step 3 use key metering
Use focused photometry
If you take a silhouette in automatic exposure mode, you can first measure the position of the light source with focusing photometry, and then use AE? Lock the lock exposure function and lock the exposure parameters. If it is in full manual mode, you can also refer to the shutter speed and aperture provided by using key metering, and then adjust the camera yourself.
4. Don't chase the sun blindly.
Don't chase the sun blindly.
Although it is easy to take a silhouette of a person with the sun as the light source at dusk, it is not only the sun that can take a silhouette. Even a picture can take a silhouette without a clear light source. For example, if someone is sheltering from the rain under the eaves, the brightness under the eaves may be far from that outside. At this time, there is no need to find the position of the light source. As long as people who take shelter from the rain are underexposed, it can be regarded as a kind of silhouette photography. Therefore, silhouettes are everywhere. Photographers should not think that silhouettes can only be taken when the sun is against the light, which will limit their observation and creativity.