Photography Tip: How to Shoot Silhouettes

To photograph a silhouette, the light source must first be behind the subject. To actually achieve the effect:

1. Press the shutter button halfway down to meter/expose/take a reading on the area behind the subject (here: the sky). 
2. Recompose to place the subject properly within the frame.
3. Press the shutter button all the way down to snap the picture.