crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada

Critique requested here...
Looking to get a silhouette that keeps the sun star but crispens the outline of the couple...could have used fill flash but defeats the purpose of the silhouette....
Would you fill flash to get crispy outline and then outline the couple and blacken it?
100ss, 1250iso, F20 24-70f4is, 5DmkIV (lots of pp for color, dodging and burning and general over colorisation:-)


What would you do to improve it?

(Download)

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Hi CD!

Nice to see you posting here!

If you want a totally "black" silhouette, simply expose for the background and keep the subjects in as much shade as you can. The use of flash fill would only open up the shadows. When you edit or print, just "print down" for detail in the background (sky etc.) and the subjects should darken sufficiently.

In your shot, you are shooting directly into the setting sun- this caused a bit of flare which reduces the contrast thereby making it a bit more difficult to get a solid black silhouette. The star-like rays are caused by the internal reflection within the lens as the light passes through the aperture blades.

Sometimes it is easier to get a darker silhouette by not showing the sun in the image and using the skylight and/or water as the background. Less flare will yield more contrast. Another approach is to use the sun as a rim light or kicker at about 135 degrees to the subject's profile. You will get more of a Rembrandt lighting effect.

Personally, I like the shot as it is- kind of a semi-silhouette.

As for the pose, I would have liked see a little more body mass in both subjects. By having them turn their bodies more toward the camera (about 40-45 degrees) and then turning there heads back (in profile) toward each other, you will get better postures and more compositional support for their heads. You can do the same kind of thing in a "back to the camera" pose for one or both of them. Sometimes at "toasting" shot is nice too- with the sun trans-illuminating the glasses.

A kiss is nice but and "almost kiss" is better because it delineates the profiles more definitely.

I am away from my studio today- so I am responding on my i-phone. I did a different crop on one of my apps. The building on the left side of the composition kept pulling my eye away from the couple. I sharpened it up a bit. Quick and dirty edit so I apologize for the quality but you will get the idea.

I hope this helps- let me know what you think!

Ed

crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada

Thanks. Love the toasting idea!....will add it to my list.
Body rotation ---hmm ...will have to try that to see if I like it...back to camera I think I will like for sure and I think I have some of those...facing the camera, not sure...but will try it...
..and attached is the almost kiss.. the groom is slightly rotated away and I agree, it gives more support vs the "awkward bend" of the face on approach :-)

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

The crop above is exactly what i would have done

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

I think you did great. It's a very tough shot when you have the sun in there. I often see this done and it's awesome, until you look closely and see that the sun glare misshapes their face. Most often, the chins will disappear into the glare of the sun.

For what it's worth, if it were my shot, I'd be proud of it as it stands. Unless it's almost all black to begin with, I think that "filling it in" rarely looks right. (at least to me)

Keep it, and show it off to potential future B&G's
bk

crazydaddio Loc: Toronto Ontario Canada

Thanks for the encouragement !

bkyser Loc: Fly over country in Indiana

I just "calls it like I sees it"

bdk Loc: Sanibel Fl.

as others have done, it just needed to be cropped. nice shot.