Silhouettes rule at sunset
A sunset makes for a great photo oppotunity.
A strong silhouette in the foreground can spice up any old sunset. Not that Ernst Zitzke’s shot needs much jazzing up – it has great clouds – but it’s the silhouetted people in the foreground that make this a great picture.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Flash off. Switch off the flash; you won’t need it. Make sure the icon is displayed.
2. Expose for the background. Take your light reading in the sky (the brightest part of the scene) above or behind the subject that you want to put in silhouette.
3. Focus on the subject. Make sure the person/ tree/ windmill that you want in silhouette is sharply in focus.
4. Watch the outlines. Ensure that people stand in such a way that their limbs are clearly discernible: legs slightly apart rather than together and hands on hips rather than in pockets. You must be able to tell what the silhouette is at first glance. Ask people to face sideways so their chins and noses are in profile.
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