Shooting silhouettes Camera Club topic

The subject last week was shadows, so it seemed reasonable to discuss silhouettes this week.  Basically, a silhouette is the shape of something that appears black against a bright background. And as with shadows, the sun will produce great silhouettes when it’s very low in the sky or just below the horizon.

If your subject is a group, you need some spacing between each body so the light can define them and depending on the reason for the photo, have them doing something that is related to the occasion (waving, holding hands, etc.). Suggest that they imagine a line in front of them and place themselves along that line on a rise such as a sand dune or our reservoir.

If the person is alone, you can have them stand at the angle to you that fulfills the purpose of the picture, but again, instruct them to be doing something to add interest to the scene. If they have a hat, make sure its shape is identifiable rather than appearing as a black disk.

Set your camera to expose for the sky. Select an ISO just high enough that with a lens opening of f8 or higher (you want good depth of field), your shutter speed will be fast enough to avoid camera shake.

You don’t have to go outside if you place the subject in front of a large window or open door, and repeat the steps given above. It probably won’t be as dramatic, but you can make the shot.  If you have the space and props, you could also stretch a sheet, put bright lights behind it and place the subject between you and the sheet or between the lights and sheet.

Van Wert Area Photography Club representatives will meet with officials of the Delphos Canal Commission Museum on July 6 to gather information about a tour and potential photography sites for a photo shoot.  That information will be presented to the general membership at their regular meeting Thursday, July 13, at 7 p.m., at 114 S. Race St.