Silhouettes – Keeping it Simple

Great Images feature traits like sharpness, detail, wide tonal range, and visual impact.

Black-mandibled Toucan – Costa Rica
Many animals have unique shapes. They can easily be identified simply by their silhouette. Everyone knows this shape is a toucan. I took this photo in Costa Rica when I brought my camera to our patio dinner anticipating one to visit this Cecropia Tree as the sun set. I wasn’t disappointed.

Unfortunately, complex images often fail to attract attention. The intended message can easily get lost in excessive details.

Adopting the KISS principle (Keep it Simple) works with any art form, especially photography. The simplest images frequently possess the strongest compositions. Details and textures are unnecessary here and can potentially interfere with the image’s purpose.

Western Greenland Coast
With particles in the atmosphere, distant objects can have diffused silhouettes. The closer the subject, the more contrast. I took this photo using a telephoto lens as we sailed by the western shores of Greenland at dawn. The closest land is darkest while the furthest hills are more diffused. The varying distances between the hills create a sense of depth.

Swallowtail Lighthouse at Dawn – Grand Manan, New Brunswick
It’s easy to find shapes at sunsets or sunrise. If your primary light source is in front of you, you can’t expect details in the shadows without overexposing. Take advantage of these situations by exposing for the background, not your main subject.

Silhouettes are the epitome of simplicity in photography. Many shapes are easily recognizable and don’t need anything else to tell a story. All that’s required is a cooperative subject and a bright light source behind it.

Bald Eagle in front of Full Moon Image Composite
Create silhouettes with a photo editor and insert them into a photo composite like a scene or dominant object like the moon. In this image, I inserted a silhouette of a young Bald Eagle into an image of a full moon.

Parliament Buildings at Dusk – Ottawa
Famous landmarks or buildings make excellent silhouettes. Canadians should recognize these shapes as our Parliament Buildings in Ottawa.

A simple shape can send a clear message or set a mood. The good news is that silhouettes are easy to capture, especially with a golden sunrise or sunset as your backdrop. 

Suguaro Cactus at Sunset – Arizona
Some plants, like this Suguaro Cactus in Arizona, make lovely silhouettes. I went into the Arizona desert just before dawn, selected my composition, and waited for the sun to add colour to the horizon.

Riding at Sunset – Russel, Ontario
People, as well as animals, make excellent silhouettes. Although it’s difficult to capture detail in low light, there’s still adequate light transmitting from a sunset’s glow to keep your shutter fast enough for image sharpness.  

Sailboat at Dawn – Tadoussac, Quebec
Any recognizable shape can make a great photo provided it’s placed strategically in your frame. I’ve always got my eyes out for them, including this early dawn image of a sailboat outside my hotel window in Tadoussac, Quebec.   

Lesser Yellowlegs at Dawn – Ottawa
Sometimes, silhouettes of backlit subject show rim lighting. The thin brightness around the edge adds an extra dimension to the subject. I took this photo of a Lesser Yellowlegs as the sun popped above the dawn horizon.

Sunrise over Costello Lake – Algonquin Park
Colourful sunrises and sunsets alone have aesthetic value. However, throw in a recognizable shape, and the mood of your entire image changes. This sunrise in Algonquin Park was vastly improved when fishermen entered the scene.

Bonded Loon Pair at Dawn – Ontario
The best tool for a nature photographer is an alarm clock. Calm summer mornings reveal much wildlife activity. When morning air temperatures are warmed by water, mist is created. This is a perfect time to go for a paddle with your camera. This pair of Common Loons near a misty marsh were bonded and likely breeding nearby.      

Tony Beck © 2024

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR