When filmmakers talk about cinematography they often described as "painting with light." However, great DPs don't just know how to wield light like Picasso, they also know how to wield darkness, and one lighting technique that utilizes the dark stuff to make shots more dynamic and visually interesting is the silhouette. If you're interested in learning more about the different ways in which you can use silhouettes effectively in your work, check out this video in which Aputure's Ted Sim and DP David C. Weldon Jr. share four examples of silhouette lighting, how to light them, and how use them cinematically.

There are not only many other ways to utilize silhouettes but also achieve them with different lighting setups. Sim and Weldon provide step-by-step instructions on how each of their four setups were done. These are the four they demonstrate in the video:

  • Sunset/Daytime
  • Cooler/Nighttime
  • Tungsten
  • Music Video

Silhouettes are highly effective in visual storytelling for a number of reasons. For one, they provide perhaps the most obvious and eye-catching contrast—they're literally large areas of darkness over large areas of light. So, if you're looking to catch your viewer's attention, throwing in a silhouette might be an effective method. They're also great at communicating with audiences and establishing a mood. Silhouettes were very popular in the film noirs of the 40s and 50s and became one of the major hallmarks of the film movement due to its success at creating a sense of mystery and intrigue. Horror films also relied on this technique heavily to build anticipation in its audiences, keeping the monster, killer, or bloodthirsty ghoul safely in the shadows of a silhouette until the time was right.

So, go out and experiment with this highly stylish and effective lighting technique and see how they change not only the look of your films but also the way they affect your story.

Source: Aputure

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