There are many ways to achieve an elegant silhouette and it doesn't have to be complicated or require a lot of gear. In this article, fashion photographer Lindsay Adler guides you through the process of creating breathtaking silhouettes with only one light.
Step 1 - Position your backlight
Place a Profoto D2 through a RFi Softbox 3x4' Rectangular directly behind the subject, pointed back toward the camera. Be sure to utilize the inner diffusion to cut down on overexposed/hot spots. The closer the softbox is to the subject, the more visible the rim light on the jaw/body will appear. If you do not have a softbox, you can create a similar effect by placing a white V-flat behind the subject and bounce a bare Profoto D2 (behind the subject) into the V-flat.
Step 2 - Avoid flare and hot spots
Avoid highlights that are so exposed that they begin to flare at the camera. If this occurs, reposition the light to hide the hotspot (bright area) or turn down the power of the light. Too much haze or flare can become an unwelcome distraction. Check your lens for fingerprints/smudges that may exacerbate flare.
Step 3 - Add contrast
Add contrast in post-processing. This will help you to create bright highlights and dark shadows. Check your histogram; you may need to adjust your black point to help you achieve deep, rich shadow areas, especially if you have unwanted haze in the image.
Step 4 - Negative fill
When using a strong backlight in a small white shooting space, light will likely bounce around back onto your subject. This may result in too much illumination from the front, and therefore ruin your silhouette. If there is excess bounced light, consider adding negative fill to block/absorb the light.
Tip
Don’t forget that styling makes a difference. For portrait/fashion images you will likely be viewing your subject in silhouette. To make your images ‘iconic’ you’ll want to include styling that creates for interesting visuals and compositions. This could include interesting hats, jewelry (that will catch reflections) or other stylistic features that look interesting when viewed in profile/silhouette.
About the photographer
See more of Lindsay Adler's silhouette portraits and lighting setups on her Share the Light profile.
