HOW TO

TAKE BETTER
SUNSET
PHOTOGRAPHS
By Kent DuFault
 CONTENTS
»»Sunset Photography >> P.03
»» Cloud Cover >> P.10

»» Sunsets and Gorgeous Clouds >> P.15

»» Cloud Cover and a Structure >> P.17

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 SUNSET
PHOTOGRAPHY
 SUNSET PHOTOGRAPHY

A beautiful sunset (or sunrise) is an intriguing subject for

photographers. After all, we are all about capturing the beauty
of our environment and nothing is more beautiful than the
We are all about golden glow of a setting sun.
capturing the beauty of our
environment and nothing But, getting a great photograph of a sunset is very tricky
is more beautiful than the because of two concerns - proper exposure and exposure range.
golden glow of a setting Part of the dilemma lies in the fact that often the exposure
sun. range is too large for our cameras to capture it. This means
something has to give. Either the highlights are blown out or
the shadows are too dense.

However, before we all start crying over future images lost, we

can take hope in the fact that there are techniques available to
help us capture that beautiful golden globe.

The other problem is figuring out the correct exposure.

The sun is very bright so a pinpoint light source and the area
surrounding it will be dark by comparison. There are exceptions
such as if water is reflecting the sun. Clouds will also add
luminance. But even with those elements helping you, the
exposure range will often be out of reach.

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 SUNSET PHOTOGRAPHY

Your first lesson in taking a better sunset photograph is- Ask

yourself some questions.

What do you want to say with your photograph?

The sun is very
bright so a pinpoint light Are you willing to sacrifice the foreground details to enhance
source and the area the sun?
surrounding it will be dark
by comparison. Are you willing to let the sun blow out a bit so that you have
detail in the foreground?

Can you choose an angle that squeezes the exposure range?

Are there tools available to you that can help you squeeze the
exposure range?

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 SUNSET PHOTOGRAPHY

The pinpoint brightness of a setting sun will often fool your

camera meter into underexposure.

If you’ve been savvy enough to override your camera meter

and increase the exposure for your foreground, the sun and
surrounding areas will blow out and lose detail. This may, or
may not, be satisfactory depending on what your goals are.

Important Tip- If you’re unsure about the exposure, do what

is called an exposure bracket:

1. Put your camera in manual mode.

2. Take a meter reading by pointing your camera to an area

of the sky that is adjacent to the sun; don’t include the sun
in the frame.

3. Recompose your image and take the photograph.

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 SUNSET PHOTOGRAPHY

4. Take the same photograph increasing and decreasing the

exposure in 1/2 stop increments. Do this for at least 2
stops over and 3 stops under your initial exposure.

As the sun 5. When you have a chance - evaluate all 11 exposures to

approaches the horizon, determine which one came closest to your vision of the
the intensity of light is photograph.
diminished by atmospheric
haze. At this point we’ve established a simple technique that can help
you get the best exposure. The problem here is that the contrast
range may still be too much.

What can we do about that?

One thing is timing.

Exactly what time of day are you going to attempt your

photograph? As the sun approaches the horizon, the intensity
of light is diminished by atmospheric haze.

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 SUNSET PHOTOGRAPHY

This photograph was taken within minutes of the sun breaking

the horizon line. Even at that time, the exposure level would
have been too much for the camera. In order to “even out the
exposure level” the photographer employed a flash unit for fill
light.

This time of day is often referred to as “The Golden Hour”. The

Golden Hour occurs one hour before sunset and one hour after
sunrise.

There are caveats to this principle, though.

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 SUNSET PHOTOGRAPHY

If you’re shooting directly into the sun, it’s not really a Golden
Hour - it’s more like a Golden Ten Minutes.

What exactly do we mean by that?

The Golden Ten Minutes is that brief couple of minutes

where atmospheric haze has reduced the sun’s intensity to an
exposure level that matches the foreground. During the Golden
Ten Minutes you’ll be able to shoot directly into the sun, take a
single exposure, and accurately record everything in the shot. It
occurs ten minutes before the sun drops below the horizon line.

In the ten minute window before the sun slips below the
horizon, atmospheric haze will reduce its intensity of light and
allow you to capture a full range of tone in a single exposure.

There are many factors that could affect the exposure range
and thus allow you a longer window of opportunity.

Let’s discuss them now.

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CLOUD COVER
 CLOUD COVER

Clouds are God’s gift to the sunset photographer. Not only

do they add color and drama to a sunset, they also reduce the
intensity of the sun.

Cloud cover can extend your ten minute window back to the
Golden Hour.

When clouds are present, your window of opportunity is opened

up. But, keep this in mind- watch the sun as it moves through
the clouds. Your exposure could change radically as it breaks
into an open spot or becomes completely covered in another.
Try to time your shot where the sun is partially revealed. This
will give you the most dramatic image.

If you have important details in the foreground, a fill flash will

often “brighten” them up just enough to become more pleasing.

This is also a good opportunity to use HDR. But beware of

movement throughout your scene. If the clouds are moving, or
any other object is blowing in the wind, you’ll have issues with
ghosting.

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 CLOUD COVER

You might also wish to try a gradient filter.

This photographer attempted to pull his exposure within range

by using a gradient filter. However, the scene was still beyond
the recording capabilities of his camera.

Gradient filters can be helpful. The downside is that they

sometimes give a manipulated look. Here are some tips on the
use of these filters:

1. Avoid the use of unnatural colors.

2. They work best on a medium focal length lens to telephoto

lens. They become much more visible when employed on a
wide angle lens.

3. Use them in combination with The Golden Hour. They can

add some color when color isn’t present, but they’re not
very effective at squeezing exposure.

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 CLOUD COVER

Another way to offset the significant exposure range is to place

an object in silhouette directly in front of the sunset. This
allows you to dial down the exposure, showcase the sunset, and
still provide foreground interest.

A silhouette in front of your sunset will help you keep your

exposure balanced and add foreground interest.

This photographer took that previous tip one step further. He

completely blocked the setting sun with a foreground object.
This worked because it reduced the overall exposure which
kept his foreground from going to a complete silhouette, and it
added a warm tone to accentuate the setting sun effect.

So far, we’ve talked about exposure, exposure range, and some

simple techniques on how to capture an image while looking
directly into the sun.

Consider this- sometimes the beauty of a sunset isn’t the sun

itself. It’s what the sunlight is doing to everything else around
you.

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 CLOUD COVER

This is an important point for two reasons:

1. What’s attracting you to the idea of taking a photograph

may not be the sun itself. It may be the “effect” the light is
A silhouette in having on other objects.
front of your sunset
will help you keep your 2. If indeed it’s the lighting provided by the sunset and not
exposure balanced and add the glowing orb itself that’s of interest, your job has just
foreground interest. gotten a lot easier.

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 SUNSETS AND
GORGEOUS CLOUDS
 SUNSETS AND GORGEOUS CLOUDS

Sunsets are often related to the cloud cover they illuminate. If

this is your subject, you simply need to know a couple of tips.

1. Take your meter reading from a mid-tone section of the

sky. Do not take your reading where the sun is located.

2. If the situation lends itself to it- include something in the

foreground to add scale.

3. Exposure bracketing is a good technique for this situation

as well.

Dramatic cloud cover will generally be within the contrast tol-

erance of your camera.

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 CLOUD COVER
AND A STRUCTURE
 CLOUD COVER AND A STRUCTURE

This combination can provide a pretty sweet opportunity. Keep

your eyes open for objects that will add interest to your sunset
while at the same time smoothing out that exposure range. An
added benefit to this technique is the cross-starthat sometimes
The last possibility forms when when the pinpoint of the sun is placed near an
for sunset photography opaque solid line.
isn’t about the sun or the
clouds; it’s about the light The last possibility for sunset photography isn’t about the sun
produced. or the clouds; it’s about the light produced. Depending on your
situation, you can choose to include, or not include, any of these
elements.

If you’re havingtrouble capturing a proper image,go to the

contrast range- turn your eyes to other ideas around you.
You may find an equally interesting photograph that still has
“sunset” qualities.

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 CLOUD COVER AND A STRUCTURE

This photograph doesn’t show the sun, but it screams sunset.

When faced with a beautiful sunset situation look to your left,
right, and behind you. The golden rays may guide you to an
even better photograph.

Post-sunset also offers excellent opportunities for images.

Colors often become vibrant and change in color temperature.
This can lead to some pretty outstanding work. Keep in mind
that exposure levels will drop off precipitously. You will most
likely need to brace your camera to avoid camera shake. The
best way to do this is to use a tripod. Alternatively, you could
place the camera against a steady object such as a fence-post.

Post-sunset is a great opportunity for dramatic shots. Just make

sure your camera is rock steady so that you don’t induce camera
shake into your photograph.

One last comment regarding sunset photography; our minds

are trained to “fill-in-the-blanks”. We know through education
that the sun is large; we see it as large in our minds. But a
camera sees the sun as it really is, which is why we’re often
disappointed when it appears so tiny in our images.

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 CLOUD COVER AND A STRUCTURE

A telephoto lens adds a lot to your capabilities when shooting a

sunset. It doesn’t have to be an extravagant telephoto lens, even
something in the 135mm range (or longer) works nicely.

Another way to help give that size a boost is to include an

A telephoto lens object of a known size in the foreground.This helps establish
adds a lot to your scale.
capabilities when shooting
a sunset. Let’s sum up our sunset photography tips

1. Shoot in the Ten Minute window - especially if there is no

cloud cover.
2. Shoot in The Golden Hour if you have cloud cover.
3. Take your meter reading from an area of sky adjacent to
the sun; don’t include the sun in the frame.
4. Bracket your exposures.
5. Utilize HDR if you have that capability and there is no
movement within the scene.
6. Break up the intensity of the light by waiting for cloud
cover or introducing an object in front of the sun.
7. Use gradient filters sparingly and never on a wide angle
lens.

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 CLOUD COVER AND A STRUCTURE

8. Consider alternatives to shooting directly into the sun.

9. Look to the sides and behind you for other images being lit
by the golden light of the setting sun.
10. Use a medium to long telephoto if you want that orb to be
Look to the large.
sides and behind you for
other images being lit Good luck! Shooting sunsets is fun and rewarding. Remember
by the golden light of the to keep a creative eye open and look behind you.
setting sun.

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 ABOUT THE AUTHOR: IMAGE CREDITS: FONTS:
Kent DuFault is a professional Cover : familymwr Ovo
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