Guest curator says: The composition in this is just lovely. I like the use of empty space in the right side of the frame.
Guest curator says: I like the movement in this image, and the kicked-up-sand on the bottom adds a lot to it, too.
Guest curator says: The color in this photo is what drew me in, as well as the one dead light-bulb right in the middle. Very well done!
Guest curator says: I love the water in this scene, and having it as a foreground element makes it very appealing.
Guest curator says: Great use of reflection and wonderful framing.
Guest curator says: This image made me laugh; it reminds me of playing fighting games with my old Nintendo when I was a kid. Sonic BOOM!
Guest curator says: I like the colors in this image, and that it tells a story, or the beginnings of a story, with just this one frame.
Guest curator says: Excellent and playful composition; the birds act as if they are having a discussion!
Guest curator says: A very nice and well-executed classic shot of a carnival ride. The grungy treatment adds a nice touch!
Guest curator says: This is just an overall beautiful scene; it makes me wish I were there with my camera! I love the blue tones, too.
Guest curator says: Beautiful use of composition and framing of the sun. Reminds me of an album cover!
Guest curator says: Great use of sun placement with the subject.
For this week's Mashable Photo Challenge Guest Series, we asked you to outline stunning silhouettes against bold backgrounds.
We received about 400 submissions, all of which were truly amazing. We saw colorful skies at sunset, jumping photos and birds in flight, desert scenes, concert stage shots against bright lights and more. Professional photographer and author Nicole S. Young selected her favorite 12 photos.
See also: 8 Photos That Capture a Fraction of a Second
"Overall, I think the photos are very beautiful," said Young. "It's really something to see that many silhouette images grouped together. Colorful skies always make me happy, so I really enjoyed looking at each photograph from this challenge."
Take a look at the rest of the submissions here.
Check out Young's picks and let us know your favorites in the comments. We will announce our next challenge on Thursday. We look forward to seeing your photos.
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BONUS: Photo Tips for the Digital Age
When photographing silhouettes, it can be easy to accidentally overexpose your scene. Guest curator Nicole S. Young uses specific techniques to make sure this doesn't happen. "If your metering mode is set to something such as 'spot metering,' then you'll end up exposing for the subject and overexposing your sky," she said. "So you will need to do one of two things: underexpose your photograph (this will make your subject black and your sky properly exposed), or pre-focus the camera and point it at the sky so it meters for the light in the sky, and not the light from your subject."
Guest curator Alex Koloskov specializes in splash photography. "To get a decent splash shot with only one light source, use clear water (or any other clear liquid) and highlight the background, not the splash itself," he says.
Guest curator Rose Sauquillo takes a lot of shots of walls head-on, but still manages to give them a sense of depth. "Depth can be achieved by adding a vignette, making a colorful subject the focal point, how you compose the shot, or through lighting," she says.
Our guest curator Zak Shelhamer says timing and composition are key elements in good photography. You can use wearable cameras such as the GoPro, the JVC ADIXXION, or the Sony Action Cam to take perfectly timed shots of yourself in action. "Your photos should be able to show viewers what you're seeing and what it feels like to be where you are," Shelhamer says.
Our guest curator Timmy McGurr takes hundreds of photos at a time, but is very selective when choosing his final few to publish. "Just because you shoot a bunch of images from a bunch of different angles doesn't mean you need to post it all," he says. "Learning how to edit and how to decipher what to publish and what not publish is just as important."
Dave Fung and Yena Kim, co-founders of Menswear Dog, use programs and apps like Photoshop, Camera+, Instagram and Hipstamatic regularly. "Effects can make a quirky photo even more whimsical by giving it a vintage feel," they say. "Any number of filters and effects in Camera+ and Photoshop can achieve this."
Guest curator Finn Beales does freelance photography often using just his iPhone. He uses Average Camera Pro and Slow Shutter Cam to take long exposure shots, and then VSCO Cam and AfterLight to add finishing touches to his photos. "Because of the long exposure time, you shouldn't hold your phone in your hands," he says. "Either use a tripod or lean it against something to get sharp results."
Guest curater Dylan Isbell makes sure to steer away from the obvious and capture the things that might be a bit hidden. "Look up, down… all around," he says. "Also look beyond the reflection of yourself to see what play in front and behind you."
Our guest curator Matt Lutton values consistency when he photographs. He uses the same programs each time he edits his photos in order to maintain similar colors and movement. "I try to be as consistent with editing and toning as possible," he says. "These two photos were taken months and hundreds of miles apart, but when next to each other they evoke the same feelings and emotions."
Our Mashable Photo Challenge guest curator Kevin Truong believes light is everything in photography. "Whether it's soft or harsh, from a window or a flash, when used effectively it can beautifully set the mood for the photograph," he says.
Our guest curator Liz Eswein uses two apps to apply filters and text to some of her Instagram photos. Liz says, "One of my favorite editing apps is AfterLight -- it provides such a great array of filters! Also, Over is one of my favorites -- great fonts and steedicons to use on your photos."
Guest curator Brian Difeo uses Snapseed to adjust contrast, sharpness and saturation on his photos before posting them to Instagram. Brian says, "I take photos in the iPhone native app, and I take a LOT of photos so I have many options. In the native app I'll tap the screen to adjust the focus and exposure, and take some photos in HDR too. This way I have variety of photos to choose from before I edit and share on Instagram."
Our Mashable Photo Challenge guest curator Murad Ossmann uses these smartphone photo editing apps to touch up his photos before posting them to Instagram.
Photo courtesy of Murad Ossmann
Murad Ossmann has an Instagram following of almost 270,000, and his feed is full of stunning pictures based on the theme "Follow Me." These photos put a new spin on the traditional travel photo: instead of only photographing landmarks, he features his girlfriend leading him around the world by the hand.
Photo courtesy of Murad Ossmann
One of our guest curators, Santiago PerezGrovas uses natural light to shoot his photos. What began as a limitation (he didn't know how to uses professional flashes) became his signature style.
"In a world of perfection, the production of the photos we see everyday is overwhelming, to the point that everything has to be flawless," says Santiago. "I limit myself to use a simple camera, a model and the available light at the moment."
Image courtesy of Santiago PerezGrovas
Santiago has more than 80,000 followers on Instagram. He posts regular updates around a central theme (shots of models and his friends). His signature style is instantly recognizable.
Image courtesy of Santiago PerezGrovas
The winner of the Photo Challenge Series Dan Evans, Jr., says to use Elements for basic adjustments like cropping, color, contrast and brightness. It is also sophisticated enough to creatively alter a photo without being too complicated.
Image courtesy of Jeremy Cabalona
Homepage image: Instagram, Gitte Stark