Silhouette photo-taking tips

The key to a great silhouette is a great photo. Take your time! So, what makes a great photo? Here are some tips:

Whenever possible, have your subject in front of a solid color background. If your subject has light skin, use a dark background. If your subject has dark skin, use a light colored background. Contrast helps.
Spaces are good. Use spaces between body limbs whenever possible. Spaces between limbs help give the silhouette definition. Limbs flat against the body with be part of the body mass. To create good definition, just an inch of space helps a great deal.
For hair, when possible have space between a pony tail and the back of the neck. Keep hair simple and crisp. Curly hair does not look as curly in a silhouette. It only has wavy edges. Keep hair styles to a minimum.
Be parallel to your subject. If you are higher looking down or at an angle, chins merge into shoulders. If the photo is taken looking up, facial features aren't clear. If you are to the right or left you will not have a true profile. A good way to tell if you have a true profile is if your subjects eyelashes extent near to the bridge of the nose.
Capture your entire subject in your photo. We can't add feet to an image that does not have them. There is no problem with extra space around your subject.
Take lots of pictures. The more shots you take, the more likely you captured a winner. Remember, you are free to send us several pictures and let us decide which one our design team thinks will make the best silhouette. Pictures with more pixels create better silhouettes. Adjust your digital camera to the maximum picture resolution, thus creating a more detailed photo.
Make sure the subject is in the position you want them to be. We cannot change the position of the subject. Try to eliminate shadows by changing lighting direction and turning the flash off. Be you! The more natural you are the more natural your silhouette will look.

This is a great photo. Notice how it is a true profile and her hair has clear lines. There is also some space between her hair and neck to give the silhouette more definition. Her shoulder was also included. This photo will make a great silhouette.

This is a good photo with a true profile and clean lines. Notice how they put a light in front of her to eliminate shadows. The only problem with this photo is her shoulder is missing.

This is a great head shot but unfortunately his body is twisted and his right shoulder partly overlaps under his chin. Notice how it looks as a silhouette.

This is a great group photo. Notice how their faces are true profiles and there are spaces between their chins and shoulders. Most of their limbs also have some space separating them from their bodies. This photo will make a great silhouette.

This is a good example of having body limbs overlapping. Although a darling photo, as a silhouette, it is harder to see where the limbs are.

This is a great photo. Notice how both the baby and the father have true profiles. There is also a tiny space between the baby's legs that adds dimension. The only way to improve this photo would be to have a solid colored background. This photo makes a great silhouette.