What Constitutes a Silhouette...

[almo]

This was originaly posted by Ken in the February Photo Project:

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I like what's been posted here, and it's giving me some ideas
I quoted SW because I'd like to get a discussion going on this subject. Being new to photography I am wanting to better understand things. I agree with SW in that I don't consider shadows as silhouettes and I'm confused about how dark does the silhouette have to be???
To use a couple of examples: My pic of the flag in this thread. I have a fairly dark background with a bright sun and the tree and flag pole silhouetted, and the flag partially silhouetted and partially lit.
A short time ago, Adina posted a pic of someone standing in a doorway and some of the comments were that people wanted the silhoutte darker.
So I ask...What is a silhouette? Is it strictly...black and white? How much color/brightness, etc determines whether it is or isn't a "good" silhouette?
Any comments???

I look at this thread as a way to get us thinking about different projects and in so doing learning better photography. I hope this discussion is not out of line...for this project.

Ken

[payn817]

I believe it is a dark object against a light BG, with no detail in the object. However, that may be a school taught belief. If there is detail in the "silhouette", wouldn't it just be underexposed?

IMO, shadows do not fit the definition of silhouette.

Again, this is an academic POV. Would love to know other's thoughts.

definition

[ken1953]

Hi Payn...I think we all just got shot down by your definitions. While reading them, I found this meaning. I highlighted it for emphasis. I guess we are wrong!!! hehe

"The noun silhouette has 2 meanings:
Meaning #1: an outline of a solid object (as cast by its shadow)
Meaning #2: a drawing of the outline of an object; filled in with some uniform color."

Ken

[payn817]

Awww... I didn't mean it like that.

That was simply an academic POV. However, academic does not always make art. The photo project is a chance for us all to show our interpretation of a subject/object/theme, etc. Noone is really wrong in that case. For example, who is to say that Baptists are right, and Mormons wrong. Same story, different interpretations. The best art, IMO is made when rules are broken. You probably get tired of me talking of VanGogh, but the gallery his brother worked in only allowed his work to be shown in the backroom because it was absurd. Recently, some of that absurd work sold for 20-something million dollars....