Clackers' Beginners Tip Number 12: Silhouettes

**clackers** · 03-10-2022, 03:16 PM - **13 Likes**

I think we all know my past as a top rated chef, so here are some beginner's cooking tips as well. Fresh seafood doesn't smell. When shopping, ask your fishmonger what time the catch came in. He'll probably lie, so don't hesitate to ask for proof. Be on the lookout for pale eyes and a fishy smell. If you detect these (in either the produce or shopkeeper) consider going elsewhere.

Frying is important, and there are several ways to check the temperature of your oil. The most obvious is with a thermometer, but you can also use the handle of a wooden spoon by dipping it in and seeing if the oil bubbles. Back in my sous chef days, the most common method was to flick hot oil at one of the newer kitchenhands and see how loudly they yelled. Thankfully, this practice has been abandoned, as it was not only cruel but also quite inaccurate.

Now to a recipe for silhouettes - underexposure. First, expose for the sky near the sun, not the subject. Spot metering helps (a tip about this to come) as well as locking off the exposure in manual mode so it doesn't change when you compose to include the subject again. Decreasing the aperture will mean you can get both your subject and the background in focus.

Then use the Flash Exposure Dial to go even darker. Go a couple of stops if necessary to get richer colours - be happy with the tones in the pictures you're chimping afterwards.

Artistically, the silhouette needs to have an interesting, unambigous shape to compensate for all the details being eliminated, since we have to rewire our photographer's mind to instead celebrate all the negative space. So, keep objects from overlapping unless you have a purpose uniting them. For example, a coffee cup could be turned so its handle is now visible, and a person can keep their arms and legs separate from their body so it's not one unflattering dark mass. In postprocessing, you can turn up Saturation and Clarity on the skies to taste, and because Pentaxes have such great dynamic range, destroy any details left in the subject by darkening those further.

A final cooking tip. While the kindest way to 'dispatch' a lobster is to place it in the freezer for half an hour before cooking, if you're pushed for time (or simply feeling angry) a metal skewer between the eyes will do the trick. I wouldn't recommend reversing the car over one, unless you're planning seafood patties.

The rest of the series here: Clackers' Beginners Tips (Collected) - PentaxForums.com

Attached Images

Last edited by clackers; 04-14-2022 at 09:25 PM.

C_Jones · 03-10-2022, 03:27 PM - **1 Like**

Nice shot. The detail and lighting are done well.

**clackers** · 03-10-2022, 03:30 PM

Originally posted by C_Jones

Nice shot. The detail and lighting are done well.

Thanks, CJ!

pschlute · 03-10-2022, 04:08 PM - **6 Likes**

A wealth of tips in this article.

Love the silhouette.

I grabbed my favourite a number of years back in the Hayden Valley, Yellowstone. The wolf-watchers were not having much success that evening and this guy's demeanour summed it up.

**clackers** · 03-10-2022, 04:31 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by pschlute

I grabbed my favourite a number of years back in the Hayden Valley, Yellowstone. The wolf-watchers were not having much success that evening and this guy's demeanour summed it up.

I love that you caught him walking away, rather than towards his gear, Peter.

It's a very different mood - the subject disengaging rather than anticipating.

You'll have to yell at him next time to look down at the ground instead of straight ahead, so his silhouette can be more forlorn. Give him one of your beers as a thank you for cooperating.

Beginners, it's worth noting from the two examples on this page that the ground is your enemy as well as friend, because the subject disappears into it, so shoot from a low position pointing up!

**AggieDad** · 03-10-2022, 06:37 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by clackers

Beginners, it's worth noting from the two examples on this page that the ground is your enemy as well as friend, because the subject disappears into it, so shoot from a low position pointing up!

This is a very strong BONUS TIP.

And you are right – these two images are excellent examples.

Thanks for this series.

**clackers** · 03-10-2022, 07:43 PM

Originally posted by AggieDad

This is a very strong BONUS TIP.

And you are right – these two images are excellent examples.

Thanks for this series.

No worries, Don, I might get to twenty and get bored, but it's fun for now!

**yucatanPentax** · 03-10-2022, 11:25 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by clackers

Beginners, it's worth noting from the two examples on this page that the ground is your enemy as well as friend, because the subject disappears into it, so shoot from a low position pointing up!

Another great tip, Clackers! Thanks for your on-going lessons and reminders for those of us who have forgotten a thing or two over time.

BTW, this quoted tip is .. ahem.. yet another good reason for flippy screens!

I know, I know, a horse beaten past death, but still true.

**BigMackCam** · 03-10-2022, 11:32 PM - **1 Like**

A very good and worthy instalment in your series, Ian! Whilst I've just about passed the outright beginner stage, and I've taken a few silhouette shots I'm pleased with over the years, I've never put the thought into them regarding shape (arms, legs, body) and positioning. Frankly, I hit lucky through observation on the occasions where I pulled it off. So, thank you - I'll be keeping this in mind for next time

**Michail_P** · 03-11-2022, 04:05 AM - **1 Like**

Silhouettes is a favourite theme for many of us. The ways of the artist aren't always obvious, so thank you for sharing. We also share the passion for cooking, that's nice! We treat seafood with special respect here in Greece.

**BigMackCam** · 03-11-2022, 04:33 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by Michail_P

We also share the passion for cooking, that's nice!

You can add me to the group

Originally posted by Michail_P

We treat seafood with special respect here in Greece.

Some of the nicest seafood dishes I've eaten were from tiny, family-run restaurants in Skiathos and Kefalonia...

**clackers** · 03-12-2022, 02:19 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by yucatanPentax

yet another good reason for flippy screens!

Or a real time viewing app, YP! In fact, ImageSync makes it possible for you to see and take pictures when you're not even near the back of the camera.

You could have someone holding it at the end of a monopod and raised over a fence, for example.

03-10-2022, 03:16 PM - 13 Likes	#1
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Clackers' Beginners Tip Number 12: Silhouettes I think we all know my past as a top rated chef, so here are some beginner's cooking tips as well. Fresh seafood doesn't smell. When shopping, ask your fishmonger what time the catch came in. He'll probably lie, so don't hesitate to ask for proof. Be on the lookout for pale eyes and a fishy smell. If you detect these (in either the produce or shopkeeper) consider going elsewhere. Frying is important, and there are several ways to check the temperature of your oil. The most obvious is with a thermometer, but you can also use the handle of a wooden spoon by dipping it in and seeing if the oil bubbles. Back in my sous chef days, the most common method was to flick hot oil at one of the newer kitchenhands and see how loudly they yelled. Thankfully, this practice has been abandoned, as it was not only cruel but also quite inaccurate. Now to a recipe for silhouettes - underexposure. First, expose for the sky near the sun, not the subject. Spot metering helps (a tip about this to come) as well as locking off the exposure in manual mode so it doesn't change when you compose to include the subject again. Decreasing the aperture will mean you can get both your subject and the background in focus. Then use the Flash Exposure Dial to go even darker. Go a couple of stops if necessary to get richer colours - be happy with the tones in the pictures you're chimping afterwards. Artistically, the silhouette needs to have an interesting, unambigous shape to compensate for all the details being eliminated, since we have to rewire our photographer's mind to instead celebrate all the negative space. So, keep objects from overlapping unless you have a purpose uniting them. For example, a coffee cup could be turned so its handle is now visible, and a person can keep their arms and legs separate from their body so it's not one unflattering dark mass. In postprocessing, you can turn up Saturation and Clarity on the skies to taste, and because Pentaxes have such great dynamic range, destroy any details left in the subject by darkening those further. A final cooking tip. While the kindest way to 'dispatch' a lobster is to place it in the freezer for half an hour before cooking, if you're pushed for time (or simply feeling angry) a metal skewer between the eyes will do the trick. I wouldn't recommend reversing the car over one, unless you're planning seafood patties. The rest of the series here: Clackers' Beginners Tips (Collected) - PentaxForums.com Attached Images Last edited by clackers; 04-14-2022 at 09:25 PM.

03-10-2022, 04:31 PM - 1 Like	#5
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397 Original Poster	Originally posted by pschlute I grabbed my favourite a number of years back in the Hayden Valley, Yellowstone. The wolf-watchers were not having much success that evening and this guy's demeanour summed it up. I love that you caught him walking away, rather than towards his gear, Peter. It's a very different mood - the subject disengaging rather than anticipating. You'll have to yell at him next time to look down at the ground instead of straight ahead, so his silhouette can be more forlorn. Give him one of your beers as a thank you for cooperating. Beginners, it's worth noting from the two examples on this page that the ground is your enemy as well as friend, because the subject disappears into it, so shoot from a low position pointing up! Last edited by clackers; 03-10-2022 at 06:24 PM.

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03-10-2022, 03:27 PM - 1 Like	#2
C_Jones Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,084	Nice shot. The detail and lighting are done well.

03-10-2022, 03:30 PM	#3
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397 Original Poster	Originally posted by C_Jones Nice shot. The detail and lighting are done well. Thanks, CJ!

03-10-2022, 04:08 PM - 6 Likes	#4
pschlute Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Surrey, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,217	A wealth of tips in this article. Love the silhouette. I grabbed my favourite a number of years back in the Hayden Valley, Yellowstone. The wolf-watchers were not having much success that evening and this guy's demeanour summed it up.

03-10-2022, 06:37 PM - 1 Like	#6
AggieDad Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Houston, TX Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,457	Originally posted by clackers Beginners, it's worth noting from the two examples on this page that the ground is your enemy as well as friend, because the subject disappears into it, so shoot from a low position pointing up! This is a very strong BONUS TIP. And you are right – these two images are excellent examples. Thanks for this series.

03-10-2022, 07:43 PM	#7
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397 Original Poster	Originally posted by AggieDad This is a very strong BONUS TIP. And you are right – these two images are excellent examples. Thanks for this series. No worries, Don, I might get to twenty and get bored, but it's fun for now!

03-10-2022, 11:25 PM - 2 Likes	#8
yucatanPentax Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Dallas / Yucatan Posts: 1,842	Originally posted by clackers Beginners, it's worth noting from the two examples on this page that the ground is your enemy as well as friend, because the subject disappears into it, so shoot from a low position pointing up! Another great tip, Clackers! Thanks for your on-going lessons and reminders for those of us who have forgotten a thing or two over time. BTW, this quoted tip is .. ahem.. yet another good reason for flippy screens! I know, I know, a horse beaten past death, but still true.

03-10-2022, 11:32 PM - 1 Like	#9
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,699	A very good and worthy instalment in your series, Ian! Whilst I've just about passed the outright beginner stage, and I've taken a few silhouette shots I'm pleased with over the years, I've never put the thought into them regarding shape (arms, legs, body) and positioning. Frankly, I hit lucky through observation on the occasions where I pulled it off. So, thank you - I'll be keeping this in mind for next time

03-11-2022, 04:05 AM - 1 Like	#10
Michail_P Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Kalymnos Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,006	Silhouettes is a favourite theme for many of us. The ways of the artist aren't always obvious, so thank you for sharing. We also share the passion for cooking, that's nice! We treat seafood with special respect here in Greece.

03-11-2022, 04:33 AM - 2 Likes	#11
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,699	Originally posted by Michail_P We also share the passion for cooking, that's nice! You can add me to the group Originally posted by Michail_P We treat seafood with special respect here in Greece. Some of the nicest seafood dishes I've eaten were from tiny, family-run restaurants in Skiathos and Kefalonia...

03-12-2022, 02:19 PM - 1 Like	#12
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397 Original Poster	Originally posted by yucatanPentax yet another good reason for flippy screens! Or a real time viewing app, YP! In fact, ImageSync makes it possible for you to see and take pictures when you're not even near the back of the camera. You could have someone holding it at the end of a monopod and raised over a fence, for example.