How to Take Beautiful Silhouette Photos with an iPhone, Android, Pixel, or DSLR

Learn the tricks and techniques to taking great silhouette photos with any camera

Last Updated: January 2, 2023 References

Silhouette photographs can be beautiful works of art. The concept behind them is surprisingly simple: take an everyday subject, like a tree, person, or animal, and photograph it in front of a light source so that it appears as a shadow. Applying this technique to flowers in a windowsill or a person running in front of a sunset turns a familiar scene into something mesmerizing. Ever wanted to try it for yourself? You should! This guide will teach you the basics of taking silhouette photos, from picking the right things to photograph to getting the best performance from your camera—whether it’s a smartphone or DSLR.

Things You Should Know

Start with a camera you’re familiar with, like a smartphone. You can also use a DSLR if you have access to one.
Choose an interesting subject and photograph it in front of a light source, like a sunset, spotlight, or backlit window.
Set your camera to “manual” mode so that your subject looks dark in front of a bright background. Post-processing can make your silhouettes look even better.
Experiment with different subjects, camera angles, background scenery, moving vs. still objects, and indoor vs. outdoor spaces.

1

Choose a camera you’re familiar with.

Smartphones and DSLRs are both perfect for capturing silhouettes. Most smartphones have fantastic cameras with tons of features, so you don’t need to buy an expensive camera to take great photos. Of course, you can use a high-end camera like a DSLR if you already have one. The important thing is that you choose a camera that you’re comfortable using.
- Many photographers use DSLR cameras (short for “Digital Single-Lens Reflex” camera) since they offer superior image quality and give users more control over how their photos look.
- While they’re more expensive and tricky to use, a DSLR could be a great investment if you want to take your photography to the next level.

2

Choose an interesting subject to photograph.

A subject can be a person, animal, tree, or anything that interests you. Choose a subject you can photograph easily, like a pet or a close friend. You can also create a “scene” by putting a few objects together, like houseplants or a pile of books.^{[1]
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- When in doubt, try many different subjects and see what works. It’s like taking selfies: post the good ones and delete the rest!

3

Place your subject in front of a light source.

Try photographing in front of a sunset or window. The important thing is that the light comes from behind your subject. This ensures that the subject’s shadow faces the camera, which makes it appear as a silhouette against a bright background.
- Make sure there’s no light source shining on your subject. If you’re photographing in front of a sunny window, for instance, you may need to turn off all the lights inside the room.
- You can also put a spotlight or bright lamp behind your subject.

4

Set your camera to “manual” mode.

This lets you control your camera’s settings to ensure a good silhouette. Each smartphone and DSLR has its own quirks and submenus, so you’ll need to find the “manual” setting for your specific device.^{[2]
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- iPhones: Open your camera app. Point your camera at an object, then press and hold on the brightest part of the image until “AE/AF LOCK” appears on the top of the screen. This stands for “Auto-exposure/Auto-focus” lock. Make sure to select the brightest part of the image so that the objects in the foreground appear dark.^{[3]
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- Android: Open your camera app and scroll left or right and select “manual” (or “professional” in some Android versions). A set of icons will appear on the bottom of your screen. Select the one on the far left shaped like a small rectangle. This lets you adjust your “metering,” a.k.a. the amount of light your camera takes in. 3 rectangular icons for different metering options will pop up. Select the one on the far right with a dot in the center. Then, point your camera at your subject and tap the brightest part of your image. This will make everything darker, ensuring that objects in front of a light source will appear silhouetted.^{[4]
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- Pixel Phones have great cameras, but they don’t come with the same features as iPhones and Androids. Instead, download a third-party app or adjust your photos in post-processing to get perfect silhouettes.^{[5]
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5

Try both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Try shooting in parks, deserts, sidewalks, garages, basements, and so on. When it comes to a light source, a fireworks display can work just as well as a candle in a dark room. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different settings and scenery.
- For dark spaces, like a room lit with a single candle, you’ll probably need to set your smartphone’s camera exposure settings to “max.” If you have a DSLR, you can also adjust your camera’s lens and shutter speed for the low-light environment.
- For sunset and sunrise photos, make sure to pick a spot where you can see the horizon—like a beach.

6

Try photographing your subject from different angles.

Position your camera below, above, or even to the side of your subject. Photographing objects from unique angles can give your photos a more artistic look. It also lets you experiment with different subjects, since certain things, like valleys or flocks of birds, are more easily photographed from above or below.^{[6]
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- Photographing objects from below can also make them appear “towering” and powerful. For instance, a child flying a kite looks rather innocent when shot from an adult’s perspective, but photographing the scene from ankle-level could make the child and kite seem larger-than-life.
- On the flipside, photographing objects from above can make them look unusually small.

7

Experiment with still vs. moving subjects.

Try shooting still vs. moving objects against the same backdrop. For instance, if you’re photographing a sunrise over mountains, you can shoot trees, wildlife, hikers, and rock formations, all from the same angle. You can even sit on a park bench and photograph power lines, planes flying, dogs running, and so on.
- Movement will make an image feel “alive” and dynamic, while stillness can convey serenity and simplicity. Play with both and see what happens.
- Experiment with distance as well. A closeup of a hand has a totally different energy than a photo of person, taken from far way.

8

Make sure your silhouettes are sharp.

Adjust your camera’s focus so the edges of your silhouettes aren’t blurry. Likewise, the bright background should be clear and in-focus to give the photo context.^{[7]
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- Always make sure your camera is in-focus before taking photos. Take a few test shots to check the focus, and adjust as needed.
- You can also take the same photo multiple times before moving on to the next shot. Keep checking the photos and adjusting your camera as you go.

9

Experiment with scenery and background objects.

Clouds, water, and other objects can give your photos context. A musician silhouetted by stage lighting could make for a beautiful photo. Likewise, if you photograph your cat in front of a spotlight, you could add cat toys or other items to give the scene a feeling of realism.^{[8]
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- A partially empty background can work too—for example, a boat floating in front of the setting sun on a cloudless day.

10

Use post-processing to make your photos look great.

Play with contrast, color temperature, exposure levels, and more. Adjusting contrast, for instance, will help different colors stand out from each other.^{[9]
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- Many smartphone cameras and DSLRs come with built-in post-processing features.
- Download third-party photo editing apps for your smartphone. These usually have more options and versatility than whatever software came with your device.
- Use high-end image editing software like Adobe Photoshop to give your photos a professional look.