Silhouette Photography: Shooting and Post Processing
1h 43mIntermediate2017-03-17
Authors
Erika Thornes
Photographer, PPA and ASMP member
Course details
Sometimes shapes tell better stories than shadows. A silhouette of a person or object can be a powerfully expressive, graphical representation of a person or scene. Besides, silhouettes can be fun to shoot.
In this course, photographer Erika Thornes demonstrates shooting techniques for several kinds of silhouette scenarios, from people to trees and more. She explores the lighting conditions that work best for silhouettes, and shoots several examples. The course concludes with an exploration of post-processing techniques that accentuate shapes and bring out lighting.
Learning objectives
Getting the shot
Changing angle
Exposing for the sky
Using AE lock
Setting exposure compensation
Using Shutter Priority mode
Selecting a lens
Fixing the horizon
Adjusting contrast and blacks
Using the Targeted Adjustment tool
Adjusting HSL (hue, saturation, and luminance)
Using the histogram
Fixing banding and haloing
In this course, photographer Erika Thornes demonstrates shooting techniques for several kinds of silhouette scenarios, from people to trees and more. She explores the lighting conditions that work best for silhouettes, and shoots several examples. The course concludes with an exploration of post-processing techniques that accentuate shapes and bring out lighting.
Learning objectives
Getting the shot
Changing angle
Exposing for the sky
Using AE lock
Setting exposure compensation
Using Shutter Priority mode
Selecting a lens
Fixing the horizon
Adjusting contrast and blacks
Using the Targeted Adjustment tool
Adjusting HSL (hue, saturation, and luminance)
Using the histogram
Fixing banding and haloing
Skills covered
LightroomAsset ManagementPhotographyGraphic DesignAdobeDeep Dive (X:Y)
Concepts
Introduction
- Welcome
- What you should know
- Exercise files
Silhouette Photography
- What is a silhouette
- Get the shot
- Post-production
How to Get the Shot - Location
- Finding the light
- Angle
- Separation
- Think outside the box
How to Get the Shot - Camera
- Expose for the sky
- Dynamic range for silhouettes
- Exposure, an overview
- Leaving auto mode - Make the jump
- AE lock
- Highlight Alert enable
- Shutter priority and exposure compensation
- Exposure compensation on a mobile phone
- Exposure compensation with a small camera
- Lens selection
Clean Edit Basics
- Fixing the horizon
- Basics panel
Tone Curve
- Contrast
- RGB
- Targeted Adjustment tool
HSL
- Saturation
- Hue
- Luminance
Lens Correction
- Distortion and vignetting
- Chromatic aberation
Adjusting Your Blacks
- Using the histogram
- Fine tune with the Adjustment brush
Split Toning
- Split toning
- Before and afters
Bold Silhouette
- Workflow movie - Make adjustments
- Gradient filter
- Fixing banding and haloing
- Color overlay
Conclusion
- Recap