SILHOUETTES & BLACK SHADOW BACKGROUNDS

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[EXCERPT Page 1, Lesson 1] Lesson #1 - Sunset & Sunrise Silhouettes Silhouettes are one of the most fun and instantly gratifying photos to make. They are wonderfully bold, colorful and expressive, distilling design into the elements of color and shape. What is a silhouette? The definition of silhouette is: silhouette (n.) A representation of the outlines of an object filled in with a black color; a profile portrait in black, such as a shadow appears to be. A silhouette is simply the outline of something filled in with a solid color that appears dark against a light background. The outline is crucial to the silhouette and the colorful background adds pizzazz. Silhouettes are almost universally compelling. People LOVE them. There is definitely some magic in the combination of shape and color as simple, clean design elements. Silhouettes are dramatic and elicit a passionate response. Elements of Design We need to backup for a moment and talk about the elements of design. The elements of design make up the basic vocabulary of visual design. Here are the elements of design and their definitions. Line - A line represents a path between two or more points. Lines can be straight or curved. The direction and orientation of a line adds to its meaning. Horizontal lines imply tranquility, whereas vertical lines imply power and strength. Diagonal lines imply movement and action. Curved lines or S shaped lines imply quiet, calm and peaceful feelings. Shape - Shape is an area enclosed by line. It is 2 dimensional and can be geometric or organic. Some primary shapes include circles, squares and triangles all of which appear in nature in some form or another. Space is defined and determined by shapes and forms. Positive space is where shapes and forms exist; negative space is the empty space around shapes and forms. Space gives images a sense of balance. Form - Forms are 3-Dimensional. They occupy space or give the illusion that they occupy space, which is due in part to light, and dark areas. Light and dark areas within an image provide contrast that can suggest volume. Color - Color is the most expressive element of art and is seen by the way light reflects off a surface. Color is used to create illusion of depth, as red colors seem to come forward and blue seems to recede into the distance. Color affects us emotionally, with different colors evoking different emotions. Texture - Texture refers to the surface quality, feel or visual feel of an object - smooth, rough, soft, etc. There are two types of texture: tactile or visual texture. Texture is often emphasized with side lighting. There are many other factors that make up composition or "make" a photo too. They include but are not limited to, light, mood, perspective, pattern, framing, lens, aperture and shutter choice, balance, horizontal or vertical framing and more. Beyond our elements of photographic design there are principles of design like unity, balance, harmony, repetition, emphasis, contrast, proportion and more. Image design is the organized arrangement of one or more elements and principles of design (eg. line color or texture) for a purpose. Do you see where we are heading with this? Silhouettes are perhaps so interesting because they work with a well defined set of elements and principles of design. A silhouette is made of a Shape on a background of Color. You really need to pause here and think about this and let it soak in. Shape and Color are going to be your tools for making successful silhouettes. Once you grasp the importance of Shape to the image design of your silhouettes you are 90% of the way to being a master! Choosing a subject When you choose your subject you should have the outline you are going to create in mind. The subject can be a human model perhaps acting out a scene. The subject can also be a horse, dog or still life. There are lots of wonderful shapes like cowboy hats and pitchforks that are quickly identified when shown in silhouette. Choosing a background When you choose your background you are going to be looking for something colorful and vibrant to show your outlined subject against. Sunrises and sunsets are typically excellent backgrounds for silhouettes. There are many other wonderful, creative possibilities for backgrounds. This might be one area of photography where the background can be as big a part of the final image as the subject. THIS IS ONLY PAGE ONE OF LESSON ONE! Lesson One is over 10 pages long. This course is 2 lessons absolutely chock full of information. Click here to read the course outline.