Photographing Silhouettes (Canon)

[starsmending]

Hi, everyone! I apologise in advance if this question seems stupid, but I am quite the beginner, so I hope you don't mind.

I have a Canon Rebel XTI, and I am in want of trying out silhouette photography (as is described here). What settings do I need to set me on my way?

Thank you to anyone who can help me. I am still exploring settings on my Canon Rebel, but I just need a bit of direction for this specific task.

[i speak in math]

You need to meter the light from the background and usually underexpose that by a stop or 2. In other words, point at the sky (and only the sky) and lock in that setting. Increase the shutter speed by a stop (2 or 3 clicks on the wheel). Now take a picture of something between you and the sky you just metered from.

[GMAN]

I'm a beginner so I want to verify this answer...You mentioned metering the background?...Lets say I'm standing 10 ft from the person or whatever it is that I plan to photograph...Do I walk over to the area of the light source, meter it from that point? Or simply meter the ambient light from my location ( camera position )?.....

[i speak in math]

No need to move, just point the lens next to the person and meter the background there. If you are in Matrix metering mode, you are metering the entire scene and averaging it to one exposure. So, make sure you have nearly all sky (or background) in the frame when you meter. If you are in center weighted, make sure you have the background you are metering from in the center and nothing else close to the middle when you meter. For spot metering, just make sure that spot is pointed at the background you want to meter off of.

For future reference, this isn't the appropriate forum for your problem. You aren't using strobe or continuous lighting in your shot and your question relates to basic camera operations / exposure / metering.