Fun With Silhouettes

23Feb22

I’ve been keeping my eye out for silhouettes while out and about with my camera. It’s been fun shooting them and seeing the images come alive in my digital darkroom. Sometimes I like to leave just a hint of detail in the blacks and other times solid black seems best. I’m going to continue to search out silhouette opportunities but here’s what I have so far. Thanks for visiting … let me know what you think!

Mount Wilson, near Telluride is seen as a silhouette, through a curtain of bare aspen trees at sunset.

‘Peaks Through The Trees’ © Denise Bush
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A small mountain makes a silhouette at sunset as seen through a curtain of bare aspen trees.

‘A Little Mountain Through The Trees’ © Denise Bush

A sunset over a small mountain (by Colorado standards) makes a peaceful end-of-day scene.

‘Little Mountain Silhouette’ © Denise Bush

Dramatic sunset clouds form above a little mountain to the west.

‘Drama Over Little Mountain’ © Denise Bush

The clouds on this particular evening had several layers to make an interesting image.

‘Cloud Layers At Sunset’ © Denise Bush

A fence and tree with character offer a fun silhouette at day's end.

‘Day’s End Silhouette’ © Denise Bush

A hawk perched on the highest branch adds to this sunset silhouette.

‘Hawk Silhouette At Sunset’ © Denise Bush

A vibrant sky takes center stage against a silhouette of trees.

The sun sets beyond a line of winter trees making a fun silhouette with the trees.

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Filed under: Colorado, Landscape Photography | 38 Comments
Tags: landscapes, metal prints, mountains, photography, prints, silhouettes, sunset, trees

38 Responses to “Fun With Silhouettes”

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1 Jane Lurie on February 23, 2022 said:

Oh yes, Denise. Excellent silhouette seeking. The details of the winter trees are beautiful against the colorful skies. The mountains work so well, too. Excellent set.

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- 2 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks Jane! Driving home one night I saw the silhouettes of the mountains through the trees and went back the next evening to find a place to stop and shoot them.
  
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3 Judith B Hazen on February 23, 2022 said:

Love these as most are “nocturnes”…one of my favorite times of day.

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- 4 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks Judy. It’s nice to hear from you. I’m glad you like them!
  
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5 Hans Wikström on February 23, 2022 said:

Grats, it shows the structure and full force of the trees.

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- 6 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks Hans … black is bold!
  
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7 Steve Schwartzman on February 23, 2022 said:

All are silhouettes, yet they vary in degree of background color and, as you said, in the amount of detail remaining in the predominant black.

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- 8 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks for stopping by.
  
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9 kenkemptv on February 23, 2022 said:

I’m about where you are on the details in the silhouetted object. Sometime a little detail is good, sometimes it is not. I think the silhouetted object is the primary determining factor in whether to include some detail or not and maybe it just comes down to preference, even then.

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- 10 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  OK … don’t know if I have seen any of your silhouettes yet.
  
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11 YellowCable on February 23, 2022 said:

Great set of silhouette pictures! I love the ‘Hawk Silhouette At Sunset’. The bird there on the tree top is a wonderful touch!

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- 12 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks very much YellowCable. I used my very long lens for that one!
  
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13 Eliza Waters on February 23, 2022 said:

Nice series, Denise! My favs are ‘Drama Over Little Mountain’, ‘Day’s End Silhouette’ and ‘Hawk Silhouette At Sunset’, which is esp. evocative.
How’s your weather these days? We were treated to a high of 57º this morning, but we’re back to winter at sunset. It was nice while it lasted. 🙂

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- 14 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks for letting me know your favorites Eliza! We got some snow Monday night through this morning off and on … about a foot and a half. I went out today and it was difficult. Our many dirt roads are very soupy and there are few places to pull over because the snow is piled so high on the side of the road. Not a successful day!
  
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  - 15 Eliza Waters on February 24, 2022 said:
    
    Hang in there, Denise!
16 Aimee Phillippi on February 23, 2022 said:

Wow! Really love these!! Now I’m going to have to go seeking silhouettes. Never thought of doing that! Great challenge!

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- 17 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  I’m glad you like these! I hope you can find some unique silhouettes.
  
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18 bcplimpton on February 23, 2022 said:

‘Silhouette Hill’ is my favorite but just by a little. They’re just gorgeous.

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- 19 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks Barry! The sunset color that night was extraordinary!
  
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20 Ken Curtis on February 23, 2022 said:

Nice work, Denise. I prefer the images with the trees where the light is seen through the branches vs the minimalist images with the mountains at the bottom. Personal preference for sure.To me the branches break up the sky with interesting patterns and shapes to look at. The trees seem to beckon you to come closer.

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- 21 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks Ken! I was especially pleased with the images where you could see the mountain silhouettes through the trees.
  
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22 Barbara Thompson on February 23, 2022 said:

Hawk silhouette is my favorite

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- 23 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks for stopping by and letting me know your favorite.
  
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24 bayphotosbydonna on February 23, 2022 said:

These are wonderful, Denise! I have to pick two favorites, ‘Day’s End Silhouette’ and ‘Hawk Silhouette At Sunset’.

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- 25 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks very much Donna!!!
  
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26 Chaymaa on February 23, 2022 said:

Clouds layers at sunsetis my favorite! Amazing silhouette photos 💚

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- 27 denisebushphoto on February 24, 2022 said:
  
  Oh good … I’m glad someone picked that one too! Thanks so much for stopping by.
  
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  - 28 Chaymaa on February 24, 2022 said:
    
    It’s a good one! You’re welcome 😊
29 eajackson on February 27, 2022 said:

Morning I have looked at these several times. I find something different each time. Little Mountain I think is my 1st pick. Silhouette Hill and the Hawk Silhouette both are wonderful.

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- 30 denisebushphoto on February 27, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks for looking and letting me know your favorites! Hope you have something fun planned for this Sunday morning! XO
  
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31 bluebrightly on February 28, 2022 said:

This is a great post, Denise. I think of the look in the first two photos as black lace. I see it around here sometimes but I don’t think I’ve managed to make a photo that conveys it well. Yours do, with their beautifully-colored backgrounds. ‘Day’s End’ is my other favorite here, for the beautiful light and the poignant feeling. The tree and fence aren’t immense or grand, – they just point to the pure beauty of everyday reality.

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- 32 denisebushphoto on March 1, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks Lynn! I was thinking stained glass and someone else said it looked like batik and I agreed … yes, black lace too! With the first two an inch to the right or the left made a difference in balancing the branches and allowing enough of the mountains to show through. I hope to find more worthy silhouettes going forward.
  
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  - 33 bluebrightly on March 30, 2022 said:
    
    I can see how just a few inches either way could make a big difference with the first two photos. I’m sure you’ll find more silhouettes, too.
34 Steve Gingold on March 7, 2022 said:

Excellent silhouettes, Denise. They look so good with the colorful skies and that one with the hawk reminds me of my eagle. 🙂

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- 35 denisebushphoto on March 8, 2022 said:
  
  I had to go back to see your foggy pano with the eagle. There’s been a few times when I didn’t know there was a hawk in he picture until I started working with the capture. I had fun shooting and putting together this collection. Thanks Steve! 😊
  
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  - 36 Steve Gingold on March 9, 2022 said:
    
    I’ve had plenty of those discoveries too, Denise. Our tunnel vison often misses the small details until on the computer.
37 rabirius on March 14, 2022 said:

Silhouettes can be an effective element.
And you used it effectively for some excellent images.

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- 38 denisebushphoto on March 15, 2022 said:
  
  Thanks rabirius! I loved creating this set.
  
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