Back in December 2017 I wrote a blog about shadows & silhouettes and in that blog I spoke about how using mirrorless cameras has made these types of photos easier to get, but at the same time, you have to know what you're doing and how it isn’t as easy as it looks.
Since April this year, the light here in the UK has been getting better and I've started using the Fujifilm 23mm F2 WR lens more, I’ve been finding myself looking for great spots of light that I can use to try and get great silhouettes, like the photo below of this lady and her hair blowing in the wind:
There is a lot of work and patience that goes into making a photo like this and I would also say a great deal of luck.
For me, it’s about trying to get that good silhouette that stands out from the crowd.
Now, this isn’t easy when using a lens like the 56mm, you can end up being to close to the subject, so this is why I've been using the 23mm lens. As well as looking for a spot with good light you also have to find somewhere with a good background that will help with making your subject stand out.
So there is a lot of thought that goes into making a good photo with a shadow or silhouette, it’s very rare that you can get a good capture within minutes of finding somewhere, but even after saying that it does happen and that was the case with the photo here:
I saw this gentleman walking towards me wearing a Sherlock Holmes hat and I got the photo within seconds, but this was pure luck.
The mistake I see some photographers making when taking these types of photos is they’ll take them or edited them in monochrome, the thought being the photo will be easier and it will stand out more. When taking the photo they might be looking for a white background and then wait for someone in a hat, look don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with doing this, but why not look for some color.
When I head out I'm looking for reds, Yellows, etc and then I work the area for hours, sometimes days waiting for the perfect person to walk by. The background can be white and the person walking past might be carrying something that is colourful, like a bag if you get the light right this will make a good photo.
I’m going to spend the summer getting more of these photos and I will, of course, be posting them here on the blog.
