Sunsets Tips

[andy_h2]

Hi,

 

I'm going to the beach in 30 minutes. Any tips for taking great sunsets pictures? I read about using exposure

compensation to create better colors. Anyone know how I can use that?

 

Equipment:

D80

18-55mm

55-200mm VR

Tripod

[mohammed_abidally]

Try metering just a little bit away from the sun itself.

[vivid_earth_photographics]

You'll need a graduated split neutral density filter to balance the brighter sky and darker land area.

[garydem]

other than whatever composition you want, try the following-

meter away from the sun, or wait till the sun is below the horizon and you get the color and effect that you want. any basic metering should be done as the starting point for exposure you should be bracketing from that metering, if you bracket do it towards the dark side about a 1/2 stop at a time. you may find that you have the shot but that it is too bright. think about getting a cable release, if not use the selftimer on the short delay.

 

the DR with sun still over the horizon is BIG. too big for the sensor. which is why you should wait till the sun is below the horizon and you start to get some colors if the sky conditions cooperate.<div></div>

[JDMvW]

One of the main advantages is that with digital you can "chimp" the images. Albeit, the images on the little lcd will be complete with whatever jpg settings you have got, and don't give an image that will be identical to what you'll get off the card. Even so you can get in the ball park for the specific conditions by trying out different settings. Graduated ND filters may be handy, but all that can be done in post-processing if you know what you're doing.Try Mohammed's suggestion for starters. Letting the sun set can also be a good idea.<div></div>

[kerry_grim]

A good sunset does not have to have a sun it it like many people think. Two good examples are posted above.

 

If you go to the beach on a very clear evening, find the sun a brilliant yellow and not a good subject, perhaps it might be better to turn around 180 degrees and watch for an Earth's Shadow just after sunset. Conversly, you may be able to do this before sunrise and get a fine Earth's Shadow over the ocean.

[bob_bill]

For color, shoot raw, enabling white balance to be fine tuned post capture. Shoot with daylight or cloudy w/b not auto which will correct out the color you are seeking. Cloudy w/b setting will add warmth to correct for blue cloudy light.

For the broad exposure range, use that tripod and bracket exposure in burst mode including properly exposed sky, water and land shots. Check histogram to be sure getting both ends. Composite in photoshop using HDR or manually if waves are being blurred. Even with the relatively flat ocean horizon, more accurate than a graduated neutral density filter and faster in quickly changing light conditions of sunrise/sunset. Can use a sky gradient in post process or double process one raw image, one for sky, other for land/water and composite.

If using off camera flash, gel flash with 1/2 to full CTO (correct to orange)- to warm foreground subject, ie, person, short of turning them into McNally's Great Pumpkin, to match the warm, ambient light. Restrict light using snoot, grid, flag or back of shoot through umbrella on lower 1/3 depending on hardness of light desired and wind vs umbrella considerations and feather bottom of light off sand especially if a lot of footprints. Sounds like you are close to the water, so may be easy to get there before sunrise on falling low tide that will get you fewer, if any, foot prints. Check on-line tide tables for low tide shortly after sunrise. Here in Northern CA, we have to be sure a high tide doesnt trap us on the beach unable to reach the trail up the cliffs. Also, it is advisable to keep an eye on the surf for sneaker waves that come in further than the others damaging gear or carrying off the careless as seen in the plaque with the names of those swept off the rocks at McClures Beach. Different colors in sunrise than sunset. Shoot both. If live close, get compass reading of setting sun the day before and then on arrival can visualize sun, rocks, cliffs, back/rim lit ops etc relationships to determine where placing camera/ great foregnd objects before sun sets.

Finally, stay well after the sun has set ( or arrive before rises) til the light is nearly gone and capture the color change. Most people leave too early and miss some incredible light. Consider long exposures. Bring a small flashlight to find your way out after dark and gather gear or make camera adjustments. Watch for clouds on the horizon picking up the color from the sun below horizon. Dont forget to turn around with the sun behind you to see what is happening to the landscape color and lengthening shadows/textures. I hope these suggestions help.<div></div>

[andy_h2]

Thanks everyone! It was a bad weekend for pictures. The clouds blocked the sun every sunset and sunrise.

[nodpete]

I try to shoot sunsets when the sun is hiding behind a cloud or just going down behind the horizon. Take a look at some of my shot from my yard. Some were shot on Auto, others at various settings. My Sony A100 has a "sunset" setting in Auto and it works prettygood.Take a look at:

www.photo.net/photos/nodpete.

[dapixara]

Try fast shuter speed.

[joseph_smith3]

On your next trip, remember to take off any protective filter on the lens. This will prevent nasty reflections caused when the sun strikes the filter. This does not mean that you should not use a graduated neutral density filter which I recommend if conditions warrant its use. Joe smith

[alex_lofquist]

Spot meter at four solar diameters from the sun.

[daniella]

Obviously if you do this and that with shutter speed, filter, and camera settings you are going to get a better picture. But also trust your natural eye for beauty.

The picture I took in this link was taken with a simple digital camera.

http://www.photo.net/photo/7660833

[daniella]

Obviously if you do this and that with shutter speed, filter, and camera settings you are going to get a better picture. But also trust your natural eye for beauty.

The picture I took was taken with a simple digital camera.<div></div>