Portrait photography can run the gamut in type and style—everything from the traditional “head and shoulders” shot to lifestyle and environmental, candid and street, glamour, boudoir, maternity sessions and much more. Discover some of the eye-catching portraits and photos that stopped us in our tracks. This week, the highlighted photo silhouettes were selected as winners in World’s Best Wedding Photos’ 30 Best Silhouettes contest. Each one was chosen for their unique composition and perfect lighting (View all of the winners here).

Christopher Jason, who is based in Washington, D.C., says this couple asked if he could take a few photos of them sitting at a bar they were in and he wanted to create something a little more artistic and out of the box.

“The warm yellow light and the closeness of their lips worked well for a silhouette of this couple and added intimacy to the photo,” says the photographer. “Only they know how that moment felt, I was just there to document it. I placed the couple in front of a small area between the bar we were in and the backlit shelves. I saw the backlighting was bright enough to create a silhouette and I went for it.”

Photo duo and husband-and-wife Jos & Tree, who are based in Portland, Oregon, say they work as a team to capture creative portraits, especially when they use off-camera flash. “We are always looking for a moody creative night portrait to finish a story, especially when we make time for our couples to have a meaningful experience reflected in the photo,” they say. “A silhouette was perfect here because the red light we cast behind the couple and made their unique profiles pop. The color contrasts between the red, orange and blue also added extra atmosphere to their silhouette.”

The photographers placed three different flashes all around them, pointing at various parts of the frame using a MagMod grid, a MagBeam, and a MagSphere. “We invited the couple into answering why they fell in love with each other using SuperFeel prompts. The tricky part was shooting enough shots to find the right separation between their necks, chins and fingers that expresses their authentic feeling. We love the dreamy foreground, depth and rich color. We also love that this photo carries meaning beyond posing because they were having a real conversation and moment together.”

Malta wedding photographer Shane P. Watts says the bride and groom were walking next to the church right after the ceremony, and the groom was helping with the veil. “It was peak afternoon with August sun here in Malta so the light was pretty harsh and bright,” says Watts. “The bride walked towards the shade in an alcove and the groom was still behind her in the sun. Once I saw the contrast between the shade and the light, I realized it was a good opportunity for a silhouette.”

Watts says he told the bride to stop in the shade for two seconds and to lean her arm back with the bouquet, and then told the groom to wait in the sun while still holding her veil. 

“I love this particular image for its high contrast and color,” he sums up. “It incorporates so many subtle details found in weddings—the bouquet, the veil and the groom helping his bride.”

Lanny Mann of Two Mann Studios in Canada, says that he exposed for the sky here, while layering each subject’s shapes. The image was taken on Bainbridge Island in Washington State.

“We exposed for the sky, with the subjects in shade. Plus it required tenacity and patience. I love The multi-layered storytelling, the beers, the cigarettes…and the chest hair!”

Lanny Mann also took this shot as a silhouette because, he says, “I really wanted to feature the leaves and couple against the blue sky.”

He exposed the photos for the sky, and kept the couple in the deep shade.

Dig into our Photo of the Day archives for even more compelling and eye-catching portraits and creative imagery.