Easy Basic Photography
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Taking Pictures of Sunsets and Sunrises
The vivid colors in pictures of sunsets and sunrises can produce some of the most spectacular images that you may
photograph. As beautiful as they are, they are not too difficult to capture.
Caution: Remember that you should never stare directly at a bright sun, even through the camera viewfinder. This can
cause permanent eye damage.
The following tips can help make your good sunset and sunrise shots better.
Make a Plan. You will rarely find yourself in the ideal location at the right time to photograph a beautiful sunset or
sunrise just by chance. There will usually be something blocking the best view or the sun will be setting "over there"
when you are "over here". Take note of the approximate time the sun sets or rises in your area and then choose a
location where you can get an unobstructed view of the sky and the horizon. Arrive early on the day you plan to take
the pictures. Remember that the most spectacular colors and tones last for only about a half hour during the sunset or
sunrise. Arriving early will give you a chance to take some practice shots and take note of things that you want to
include or exclude from your images.
Composition. Beaches, plains and wide open areas are the best places to take sunset and sunrises pictures. Beach
sunset pictures might be some of the most popular however, distant mountains or even buildings with the sun setting
behind them can also help produce great shots.
Clouds in the sunrise or sunset pictures will usually make the image more interesting. Clouds can be wispy, thick, or
scattered. No matter which type are there when you are taking the pictures, the rising or setting sun and/or cloud
movement will produce different tones or colors in a short time period.
Try to resist the urge to place the horizon directly in the center of the frame when you are taking pictures of sunsets or
sunrises.If you want to emphasize the sky, place the horizon somewhere around the lower third of the frame. If you
want to emphasize something like reflections of the sun on water, try placing the horizon closer to the upper third of
the frame. However, there are times when the horizon line can be placed very high or very low in the image .The
picture will be ok if the rest of the image has strong subject matter and is well composed. No matter where you place
the horizon, try to keep it as level as possible. A slanted horizon might not look
too natural. Also try placing the sun in various positions that are not in the
dead center of the frame. By using these tips you will be applying some of the
principles of the Rule of Thirds when composing your sunrise and sunset
pictures. However, just like any other rule, it can be broken and you might still
come up with a great picture.
The brightness of the sun will cause foreground objects to be silhouettes. Try
objects like trees, birds, or even people in the foreground as silhouettes. This
can add a little more interest to the overall picture.All sunrise and sunset
pictures don't have to be taken in the direct path of the sun. Look behind you or to your left and right. During this time
period the sun emits a warm glow that can make even ordinary scenes or objects more interesting.
Focusing. Usually focusing shouldn't be too much of a problem. Just let your camera use its automatic focusing
mode. However, sometimes the auto focus will not work when you point at the sky. In that case, focus on a distant
object somewhere else, hold or lock the focus and then re-compose your picture and take the shot. If you are using a
Digital SLR camera, you may choose to use your manual focus mode and place your
focus on infinity. That is, unless you are placing an object in the scene that is closer than infinity. Then you will have to
focus on the object and use the smallest aperture opening to obtain wide depth of field to keep the rest
of the scene in focus. Unfortunately, if you are using a Compact Digital Point and
Shoot camera, you wont have that option.
Exposure. A good thing about photographing sunsets and sunrises is that you don't
really need to have an exact "proper exposure". The colors are so great that it wont
make much difference if they are a little lighter or darker than the actual scene. Using
the camera in the "automatic" metering mode can produce some pretty good images.
Pointing the camera at the sun will almost always underexpose the rest of the scene.
Sometimes that might produce a nice image, but you don't want all your pictures to
come out like that. Instead, if you are shooting in the automatic mode, point the
camera to other areas in the scene around the sun and leave the sun out of your
frame to obtain an exposure setting. Hold or lock that exposure setting and then
recompose and take the picture with the sun in the frame. This will give you a more
accurate exposure of the overall scene. Just keep in mind that you will get different
exposure readings depending on how close or far from the sun the reading is taken. (if you take the reading from a
much darker area in the frame without the sun, and then include the sun in the frame, the sun might appear washed
out)
If you are using a Digital SLR camera and want to use manual settings, use the same procedure and set the set the
aperture and shutter to the desired F stop and shutter speed then take the picture with the sun included in the frame.
Check the Camera Exposure Basics tutorial if you need a little more info about how shutter speeds, aperture setting
and ISO work together.
If you are using a Compact Point and Shoot camera and want the image to be lighter or darker, use your camera
Exposure Value (EV+1 or EV-1) compensation feature.
In any case, taking several shots at different exposures will give you a variety of different shades and tones in the
images and you can then choose which are the most appealing to you.
White Balance. Try starting out taking the pictures using your camera's Automatic White Balance (AWB) mode. If the
colors don't seem to be accurate enough for you, set the white balance to cloudy, shade, or daytime. That will usually
give the images a warm tone when shooting sunsets and sunrises. If you like doing post processing work and are able
to shoot in the RAW mode, then use the RAW mode and adjust the colors later.
Bring a Tripod. Remember that you will be taking pictures when the light is
weak and slower shutter speeds might be required. Using a tripod at those
slower shutter speeds can eliminate blur caused by camera shake. However,
if you don't have a tripod, there will usually be enough light to hand hold the
camera once the sun has risen to the horizon or before it has sunk below the
horizon.
Make sure you take plenty of shots, and hopefully you will be pleased with
the end results. If not, then remember, "Practice makes Perfect".
The vivid colors in pictures of sunsets and sunrises can produce some of the most spectacular images that you may
photograph. As beautiful as they are, they are not too difficult to capture.
Caution: Remember that you should never stare directly at a bright sun, even through the camera viewfinder. This can
cause permanent eye damage.
The following tips can help make your good sunset and sunrise shots better.
Make a Plan. You will rarely find yourself in the ideal location at the right time to photograph a beautiful sunset or
sunrise just by chance. There will usually be something blocking the best view or the sun will be setting "over there"
when you are "over here". Take note of the approximate time the sun sets or rises in your area and then choose a
location where you can get an unobstructed view of the sky and the horizon. Arrive early on the day you plan to take
the pictures. Remember that the most spectacular colors and tones last for only about a half hour during the sunset or
sunrise. Arriving early will give you a chance to take some practice shots and take note of things that you want to
include or exclude from your images.
Composition. Beaches, plains and wide open areas are the best places to take sunset and sunrises pictures. Beach
sunset pictures might be some of the most popular however, distant mountains or even buildings with the sun setting
behind them can also help produce great shots.
Clouds in the sunrise or sunset pictures will usually make the image more interesting. Clouds can be wispy, thick, or
scattered. No matter which type are there when you are taking the pictures, the rising or setting sun and/or cloud
movement will produce different tones or colors in a short time period.
Try to resist the urge to place the horizon directly in the center of the frame when you are taking pictures of sunsets or
sunrises.If you want to emphasize the sky, place the horizon somewhere around the lower third of the frame. If you
want to emphasize something like reflections of the sun on water, try placing the horizon closer to the upper third of
the frame. However, there are times when the horizon line can be placed very high or very low in the image .The
picture will be ok if the rest of the image has strong subject matter and is well composed. No matter where you place
the horizon, try to keep it as level as possible. A slanted horizon might not look
too natural. Also try placing the sun in various positions that are not in the
dead center of the frame. By using these tips you will be applying some of the
principles of the Rule of Thirds when composing your sunrise and sunset
pictures. However, just like any other rule, it can be broken and you might still
come up with a great picture.
The brightness of the sun will cause foreground objects to be silhouettes. Try
objects like trees, birds, or even people in the foreground as silhouettes. This
can add a little more interest to the overall picture.All sunrise and sunset
pictures don't have to be taken in the direct path of the sun. Look behind you or to your left and right. During this time
period the sun emits a warm glow that can make even ordinary scenes or objects more interesting.
Focusing. Usually focusing shouldn't be too much of a problem. Just let your camera use its automatic focusing
mode. However, sometimes the auto focus will not work when you point at the sky. In that case, focus on a distant
object somewhere else, hold or lock the focus and then re-compose your picture and take the shot. If you are using a
Digital SLR camera, you may choose to use your manual focus mode and place your
focus on infinity. That is, unless you are placing an object in the scene that is closer than infinity. Then you will have to
focus on the object and use the smallest aperture opening to obtain wide depth of field to keep the rest
of the scene in focus. Unfortunately, if you are using a Compact Digital Point and
Shoot camera, you wont have that option.
Exposure. A good thing about photographing sunsets and sunrises is that you don't
really need to have an exact "proper exposure". The colors are so great that it wont
make much difference if they are a little lighter or darker than the actual scene. Using
the camera in the "automatic" metering mode can produce some pretty good images.
Pointing the camera at the sun will almost always underexpose the rest of the scene.
Sometimes that might produce a nice image, but you don't want all your pictures to
come out like that. Instead, if you are shooting in the automatic mode, point the
camera to other areas in the scene around the sun and leave the sun out of your
frame to obtain an exposure setting. Hold or lock that exposure setting and then
recompose and take the picture with the sun in the frame. This will give you a more
accurate exposure of the overall scene. Just keep in mind that you will get different
exposure readings depending on how close or far from the sun the reading is taken. (if you take the reading from a
much darker area in the frame without the sun, and then include the sun in the frame, the sun might appear washed
out)
If you are using a Digital SLR camera and want to use manual settings, use the same procedure and set the set the
aperture and shutter to the desired F stop and shutter speed then take the picture with the sun included in the frame.
Check the Camera Exposure Basics tutorial if you need a little more info about how shutter speeds, aperture setting
and ISO work together.
If you are using a Compact Point and Shoot camera and want the image to be lighter or darker, use your camera
Exposure Value (EV+1 or EV-1) compensation feature.
In any case, taking several shots at different exposures will give you a variety of different shades and tones in the
images and you can then choose which are the most appealing to you.
White Balance. Try starting out taking the pictures using your camera's Automatic White Balance (AWB) mode. If the
colors don't seem to be accurate enough for you, set the white balance to cloudy, shade, or daytime. That will usually
give the images a warm tone when shooting sunsets and sunrises. If you like doing post processing work and are able
to shoot in the RAW mode, then use the RAW mode and adjust the colors later.
Bring a Tripod. Remember that you will be taking pictures when the light is
weak and slower shutter speeds might be required. Using a tripod at those
slower shutter speeds can eliminate blur caused by camera shake. However,
if you don't have a tripod, there will usually be enough light to hand hold the
camera once the sun has risen to the horizon or before it has sunk below the
horizon.
Make sure you take plenty of shots, and hopefully you will be pleased with
the end results. If not, then remember, "Practice makes Perfect".
