Question about how to take silhouettes.

[caceyg88]

I'm still trying to learn the ropes of silhouettes and the subject being backlit. Can anyone help me try to take silhouettes similar to those by Allan Teger (look closely at them, they are on a woman's stomach)? I assume that I need a strong backlight and I need to set the exposure to the light first but I have no idea about apperture and shutter speed. I am not a professional photog so I don't have any of the fancy equipment, only my Rebel xti. Thanks in advance for your help.

[Dodgeinart]

Hey Cacey,
Silouhettes can be achieved fairly easily once you know how. First you need a very large woman with a sunken belly button. Ok seriously though a silouhette is simply exposing for the backlight and leaving the subject dark. The only thing you need to be sure is you shut off flash, see what the exposure is for both light levels. If the subject and the backlight don't have enough difference you won't be able to achieve the desired effect. This is really all there is to it.
I have some silouhettes on my photoshare site (link below), and you can click the info button to get the exif from the shot if that will help you. I just moved them to the "playing around" gallery. The tree you can still see some of the textures on. Hopefully this will give you some help. Have fun, CJ