Silhouette and Texture – Creating an artistic image…

Silhouettes create a dramatic presentation of a subject, adding a little more mystery and intrigue!  Photographing near sunrise or sunset provides a good opportunity for creating a silhouette as shown in the photo above, darkening the the trumpet player, while casting a warm glow around him. I positioned my camera so that the sun was hidden behind the musician, and used a white balance of cloudy to accentuate the warm tones throughout the image. I slightly tilted the camera to create a more dynamic pose. To create the interesting texture that surrounds the subject, I used a new texture from Flypaper Textures Spring Painterly Collection called Pantheon Stone. The addition of the texture layer worked nicely to add more depth and drama throughout the image.

Texturing is super easy. You can copy/paste, or drag the texture layer over the original image. The key is to select a blend mode that will enhance the image. I used a blend mode of Multiply in the photo above and followed up with adjustments in contrast. To experiment with Blend Modes, make sure the Move tool is active, hold down the Shift key and press the plus or minus key to scroll through the various blend mode to find one that best accentuates your image.

This photo was taken just after sunrise along the Malecon, Cuba’s beautiful waterfront. Getting up early is key to take advantage of finding great subjects in the best light. An alternative would be to photograph the musician with warm light falling on him, which also makes a nice photograph, two ways to tell different stories about the subject. Have fun shooting! ~ Deb