If you’ve been wanting to add more creative imagery to your home, you’ve probably come across silhouette family portraits. These shots prove that you don’t need a lot of detail for a family photo to look good.

How do you achieve this though?

Here is what you need if you plan to take this type of photo yourself.

-        Bright Light in the Right Place.

The first thing you need to create a family silhouette portrait is a bright light source placed behind your subjects. It’s next to impossible to take this type of photo on a cloudy day or a general low light setting. To create this kind of drama, a bright light source is a must. If you are shooting outside, the sun needs to be relatively bright to make this work, but not midday bright.

-        An Elevated Position.

The next thing you need is a good, elevated position. The trick to getting a silhouette portrait is to position your family members against the sky. This shot won’t work if you are using a building or trees as a background. This means you are going to need to take the shot from a slightly lower position. You can’t just crouch down though; your family needs to be higher than you.  

-        Space Between Family Members.

A good silhouette shot will show the silhouettes of each family member. When positioning your subjects, make sure there is some space between their bodies so that everyone’s shape is captured, and you don’t end up with a dark mass.

This is mainly what you need to achieve this shot. However, you’re also going to need to adjust your camera settings. For one, your aperture should be at a minimum of f10 but not higher than f16. You may also need to edit the image slightly afterward, which can be difficult if you haven’t done this before.

If you would prefer to be in this photo, it makes more sense to get a professional photographer to assist you. Then they can also take care of the editing. A mini session offers more than enough time to achieve this shot with all your family members in it.