To create a beautiful wedding silhouette, photographers shoot their subjects against brightly lit backgrounds, or during the “golden hour” right before sunset when the light is soft and warm. Taking advantage of the extreme contrast between the radiant background and the unlit subject, the best photographers out there find endless brilliant ways to play with shapes and shadows.

For the winners of our Editor’s Picks in the wedding silhouette category, we choose 20 sensational shots to share that you’re bound to fall in love with. In each one, composition plays a pivotal role and the lighting is exceptional. Showing off a wide range of distinctive techniques and artistic voices, we think you’ll find them as wonderful as we do. Scroll down and see for yourself.

Whether it’s showing off your shape, highlighting your guests or bringing a scene into sharp relief, wedding silhouettes make a strong statement and bring artistry to your wedding photography collection. Ask your photographer to show you some examples of their silhouette photography and have fun brainstorming all the possibilities. Every photographer we recommend is highly experienced and capable of creating stunning wedding silhouettes along with a host of other extraordinary photos. Find your location, dive into our directory and take a look at our Brilliant Concepts Photo Gallery where you’ll find thousands of gorgeous photos that will make you fall in love with wedding photography.

Interested in trying to make your own silhouettes? Take your family members or friends to see the sunset on a bright day. Think about the shape/s you want to create and help them get in place to create your vision. Point your camera or phone straight into the sun and see your results. Then, just for fun, try flipping the scene with the sun shining on their faces to see how radically different the photos look. Photography is all about light and can be a fun hobby once you learn some tips and tricks.