"Chasing Light And Shadows": The Art Of Creating Striking Silhouettes With Sun And Moon
The Indian photographer reveals that the process of creating his signature sunset silhouettes evolved over time.
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In the vast world of photography, some artists strive to push the boundaries of their craft, constantly seeking new challenges and ways to improve their work. One such photographer is Krutik Thakur, whose mesmerizing sunset silhouettes have captivated audiences worldwide.
The Indian photographer reveals that the process of creating his signature sunset silhouettes evolved over time. Initially, he heavily relied on photo manipulation and extensive editing in software like Photoshop to correct any perceived flaws in his images. This approach, although garnering sales and growing his Instagram page, left him feeling unfulfilled and unsatisfied with his own work. He realized that his true artistic potential lay beyond the confines of post-processing techniques.
In the pursuit of redefining his photography style and finding genuine satisfaction in his creations, Thakur decided to undertake a significant change. In January 2021, he challenged himself to minimize the use of editing software, reserving it solely for color grading. This challenge marked a turning point in his career, as he embarked on a journey to capture the raw beauty of nature through his lens, without relying on artificial enhancements.
Check out some of his stunning shots in the gallery below.
More info: Instagram | krutikkkkkkk.com | Twitter
Image source: Krutik Thakur
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"Saw a thick layer of clouds and a huge gap in between so without wasting time I took the roller out as I was waiting for such a scenario then the sun came out from the clouds and we captured this image."
Image source: Krutik Thakur
Captured this for the Indian festival "Diwali".
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"So following the dare of not using the editing softwares, I decided to get through this tough sunset silhouette challenge. The first one was football-themed so we required an open space and a clear sky. I have one place in my town but it's only possible to shoot there during low tides. So after all the planning, I started the shoot in March of 2021. I failed for 7-8 days in total because of the clouds that stopped us and then monsoon and strong waves made it hard to make photos in that place.
We had to postpone the shoot and wait for that place to reform after it got flooded. This year in March 2022 we tried and failed for another 4-5 days, and then finally in April 2022 we got the desired image. The feeling after accomplishing this work was something special and full of joy after so much frustration. All three images are from the same day because clouds and the sun are not the same every day. So if one image goes wrong had to start from 0 the next day."
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"Capturing Moon silhouette in single exposure is possible when the Moon rises few minutes after sunset and It happens once a month."
Image source: Krutik Thakur
Image source: Krutik Thakur
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"I have one place in my town which is open from both east and west sides. So a day before the full moon is the only day when I can capture the moon silhouette there.
We went there with a box. First I made the sunset images and when the moon came in a good position I captured the moon frames."
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"I decided to count this into my challenging work list because normally one has to move sideways to take the image but for this one, I had to move the model backward to get bigger the impression of a bigger sun and make it look like it's growing.
I captured the first image and moved a little bit backward before making the second one. The image of the first frame was made to make me remember the distance between the model and the sun before I made the second image... It was the same process for the third one as well."
Image source: Krutik Thakur
'Took a construction cart at the beach and shot these images."
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"All the images were captured at different time intervals.
This looks simple but actually, lots of planning was involved. From how many frames will be needed to where the sun will be.
Every day I made a new mistake or the sunset was simply not good enough to shoot so in total I spent almost two weeks making these images. However, it was totally worth it doing each frame differently, especially when it came to colors because it was shot on different days."
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"Went to the beach with a bucket and saw a beautiful sunset waiting for us to execute the plan."
Image source: Krutik Thakur
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"After spending a few evenings trying to find the right location we failed twice... One day we didn't get him completely inside the sun and the next day clouds appeared at the last moment and for the next few days there was too much water there...so after a few weeks gap, we went to that spot again, this time carrying a guitar on a bright sunny day.
This time the luck was in our favor, and I got him completely inside the sun. The sunset was also half orange and half yellow.. wouldn't have asked for anything more than this... This is the story of how I got my first silhouette inside the sun."
Image source: Krutik Thakur
Image source: Krutik Thakur
Image source: Krutik Thakur
Image source: Krutik Thakur
Image source: Krutik Thakur
Image source: Krutik Thakur
#1 Light.... Shadow... And... Action
Image source: Krutik Thakur
#2 Wiped
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"Saw a thick layer of clouds and a huge gap in between so without wasting time I took the roller out as I was waiting for such a scenario then the sun came out from the clouds and we captured this image."
#3 Conquer Darkness... Lighten Up Life... Illuminate Happiness!
Image source: Krutik Thakur
Captured this for the Indian festival "Diwali".
#4 The Football Overhead Kick
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"So following the dare of not using the editing softwares, I decided to get through this tough sunset silhouette challenge. The first one was football-themed so we required an open space and a clear sky. I have one place in my town but it's only possible to shoot there during low tides. So after all the planning, I started the shoot in March of 2021. I failed for 7-8 days in total because of the clouds that stopped us and then monsoon and strong waves made it hard to make photos in that place.
We had to postpone the shoot and wait for that place to reform after it got flooded. This year in March 2022 we tried and failed for another 4-5 days, and then finally in April 2022 we got the desired image. The feeling after accomplishing this work was something special and full of joy after so much frustration. All three images are from the same day because clouds and the sun are not the same every day. So if one image goes wrong had to start from 0 the next day."
#5 Hold On The Light
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"Capturing Moon silhouette in single exposure is possible when the Moon rises few minutes after sunset and It happens once a month."
#6 Letting Out The Happiness Curve
Image source: Krutik Thakur
#7
Image source: Krutik Thakur
#8 Can We Skip To The Moon Part
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"I have one place in my town which is open from both east and west sides. So a day before the full moon is the only day when I can capture the moon silhouette there.
We went there with a box. First I made the sunset images and when the moon came in a good position I captured the moon frames."
#9 Helping The Sun To Grow
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"I decided to count this into my challenging work list because normally one has to move sideways to take the image but for this one, I had to move the model backward to get bigger the impression of a bigger sun and make it look like it's growing.
I captured the first image and moved a little bit backward before making the second one. The image of the first frame was made to make me remember the distance between the model and the sun before I made the second image... It was the same process for the third one as well."
#10 Done With The Enlightment Of This Site, Moving Onto The Next
Image source: Krutik Thakur
'Took a construction cart at the beach and shot these images."
#11 Cricket With A Sunset
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"All the images were captured at different time intervals.
This looks simple but actually, lots of planning was involved. From how many frames will be needed to where the sun will be.
Every day I made a new mistake or the sunset was simply not good enough to shoot so in total I spent almost two weeks making these images. However, it was totally worth it doing each frame differently, especially when it came to colors because it was shot on different days."
#12 Won't Let The Beautiful Sunset Go
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"Went to the beach with a bucket and saw a beautiful sunset waiting for us to execute the plan."
#13 Let Light Shine Out Of The Darkness
Image source: Krutik Thakur
#14 Passion Surrounds You With Light
Image source: Krutik Thakur
"After spending a few evenings trying to find the right location we failed twice... One day we didn't get him completely inside the sun and the next day clouds appeared at the last moment and for the next few days there was too much water there...so after a few weeks gap, we went to that spot again, this time carrying a guitar on a bright sunny day.
This time the luck was in our favor, and I got him completely inside the sun. The sunset was also half orange and half yellow.. wouldn't have asked for anything more than this... This is the story of how I got my first silhouette inside the sun."
#15 Hammered Into The Clouds
Image source: Krutik Thakur
#16
Image source: Krutik Thakur
#17
Image source: Krutik Thakur
#18 Gave Support To The Falling Sun
Image source: Krutik Thakur
#19 Dig Up The Happiness
Image source: Krutik Thakur
#20 Unboxing Happy Moments
Image source: Krutik ThakurDE
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