Sunsets are beautiful, and many people will sit on a hillside, by a lake, or at a beach waiting for the sun to set. One important thing to remember when taking sunset photographs is the whole process moves very quickly. You must be prepared ahead of time or risk missing out on some beautiful images. There are a few tricks that will help you in your quest to capture perfect sunset images.
Tip One – Underexposure
Your colours will be vivid and defined by underexposing the sunset. You will add drama to your image using this technique. There are two ways to accomplish under exposure. The first way to shoot is in aperture priority using exposure compensation for as long as the sun remains in the sky. When the sun goes down switch to the second method by using manual mode to get a better exposure because the less light you have, the more inaccurate your exposure meter will be. Using these two methods makes a significant difference in the depth of your colours, and that is why “they” are the first tip.
Tip Two – The Foreground
Your sunset will be more interesting if there is subject matter in the foreground. A tree, bird, rock, bench, person, or animal can make your sunset pop as it encloses the object in the foreground. Mount your camera on a tripod and use off-camera flash to add a touch of light to faces. Using a fast shutter speed with off-camera flash will create richer and deeper.
Tip Three – The Horizon
Under no circumstances should the horizon cut your picture in half. It should preferably be located in the lower third of the image, especially when the sunset is beautiful. Another option is to place the horizon in the top third of the image when the sunset is less vibrant.
Tip Four – Silhouettes
You need a fast shutter speed to capture a silhouette and place your subject above the horizon, and that’s almost all there is to it. Have your object in front of your sunset light source, and be sure it is recognizable in silhouette form. An ideal subject can be almost anything including a bird in flight, bridge, pier, drifting boat, animals, people in action, buildings, and steeples. You will think of many more, including the romantic couple kiss.
Tip Five – Shoot in Raw
A sunset image contains a wealth of light information that is simply tossed out if you shoot JPEG, and so much of the color’s vibrancy will be lost. Use a remote shutter to ensure there is no blur.
Tip Six – Have Some Fun
You have seen photos of people holding up the sun, catching it in a net, and similar fun shots using sunsets. Use your imagination, children, spouse, and friends to create some unusual and fun images that will be the envy of all your friends.
Sunset photography is beautiful and challenging, but the results are worth the effort. Imagine your photograph framed and hanging on your office wall or a group of sunset images printed in your own coffee table book. Stop by Henry’s to pick up the accessories you need to capture stunning sunset images and start shooting!
