Nothing causes us to take a break from our busy lives more than the beautiful sight of a colourful sunrise or sunset. Almost every artist has attempted to capture this beauty in their work, but as photographers we have a great advantage — with a simple click of a shutter, we can go home with a close representation of these wonders.
While we have probably all taken countless sunrise and sunset photos we were proud enough to share with our followers, there are steps that can be taken to improve your results and strike gold more consistently. We are here to share those steps with you today.
Allow yourself plenty of time
While both sunrises and sunsets last longer than the press of a shutter, if you want to give yourself the best chance of capturing beautiful photographs, plan your shoot so you have plenty of time. For sunrises, this means heading out the door while it is still dark; for sunsets, set up your camera before the sun starts going down. This gives you time to enjoy the occasion as it advances and the colours change dramatically before your eyes.
Don't forget — the periods just after sunrise and just before sunset produce a beautiful quality of light known as the golden hour. If you time things just right, you can capture some stunning shots as this wonderful warm light paints the land. It's an old landscape photography tip that never gets old.
Look for the best seats in the house
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Keep this in mind as you go about your day, looking for places with a clear view of the horizon and an interesting landscape. While the wonderful colours of the sky are the main stars, a distracting or unattractive foreground can spoil your shot. On the contrary, an interesting foreground — such as a well-composed landscape element — can take your sunrise and sunset photographs to the next level.
Use the right camera gear
The best camera is the one you have on you, so if you spot a beautiful sunset while travelling with only your smartphone, by all means take a shot. If you have time to plan however, a dedicated camera will reward you with consistently great results. The best camera for sunrise and sunset photography is either a DSLR or mirrorless camera, as they are compatible with a wide range of lenses and accessories, have manual functions, and provide better image quality in darker conditions — when smaller cameras like your phone can prove limiting.
Here are some other essential items for producing the best sunrise and sunset photography:
- Tripod — if you want to experiment with slow shutter speeds, a tripod is essential for reducing camera shake. Tripods also come in handy for perfecting your composition.
- Remote release — for firing the shutter without shifting or bumping your camera. Some cameras require a dedicated accessory, while others can be triggered via your smartphone.
- Digital camera lens — lens choice will vary depending on your goals and should be considered before you head out. A wide-angle lens is great for capturing as much sky as possible. Smartphone users, you're in luck — there are a number of budget-friendly smartphone lenses available to experiment with.
- Lens filters — as well as being useful for lens care, filters are a great way to alter the appearance of your photo without editing. Options include polarisers to increase colour saturation, or ND filters to enable longer exposures when the sun is producing plenty of light.
Use the right camera settings
As always with photography, your camera settings will need to be tweaked to suit the current conditions. We recommend setting your camera to manual mode and getting comfortable with the exposure triangle — this arms you with the tools needed to capture the best photo every time.
While we can't give you precise settings, the following is a good starting point:
- ISO — keep your ISO as low as possible to minimise image noise. If you have moving elements in your image or don't have a tripod, you'll need a higher ISO to use faster shutter speeds.
- Aperture — use a smaller aperture to keep more of your image in focus and capture as much detail as possible. We recommend setting the aperture between f/8 and f/16.
- Shutter speed — set this in accordance with your other settings to achieve a pleasing exposure.
- RAW — we recommend shooting in RAW to maximise image quality and allow more latitude during editing.
Add the finishing touches
In the modern age, digital editing can be used to produce mind-bending effects — but it can also be used to turn a very good image into something spectacular. The best part is, this often doesn't require too much intervention.
Some simple adjustments to consider include: cropping for a more pleasing composition, a white balance adjustment for an improved colour palette, exposure corrections, and a curves adjustment to fine-tune contrast.
Unleash your photography potential with Ted's
If you're keen to get outdoors with a new digital camera to capture stunning sunrise and sunset photography, Ted's Cameras is here to help with the latest product roundups and lens recommendations. If you have the gear but want to hone your skills, keep stopping by our photography blog — you might just learn something new!