Sunrise and Sunset photos can be taken spontaneously without any prior predictions, but most of the best photos are taken with planning. Identify places that may be good for sunset a day or two before photography. Sunrise and Sunset photography is a fascinating subject for many dream art enthusiasts.
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How to Take Good Sunrise and Sunset Photos ?
Capturing rich colors, vibrant lights, and beautiful shapes that can be made with Sunrise or sunset light is not something that can be ignored. There is no better time to photograph than the golden hour of Sunrise and Sunset. As the day begins, it may be difficult to record proper exposure. The biggest problem is that the golden hour is not nearly as bright as the other days of the day. Therefore, you have to deal with less light than usual. In this article, we describe how to take a good Sunset or Sunrise photos.
10 steps to take good Sunrise and Sunset photos
Step I. Clean your camera’s lens
The problem with all landscape photographers is the presence of dust, sand, water droplets and so on. Even the smallest particles of dirtiness will appear on the image captured by the camera. So it is necessary to have cleaning supplies in the camera bag.
Step II. Use a tripod to Take Good Sunrise and Sunset Photos
Most of the time, it is possible to photograph the Sunset or Sunrise photos without a tripod, but using a tripod can bring many benefits. When a tripod is used, the subconscious pays more attention to the composition of the image. Once the proper composition is achieved, the concentration can be focused on the exposure. Paying attention to exposure is a challenging case in the Sunset and Sunrise photography and helps a lot to capture a beautiful photo. Of course, it should be noted that the tripod is placed on the ground in such a way that you can change your angle and move after taking the desired photos.
Step III. Take a wide photo and then zoom in
In Sunset and Sunrise photography or landscape photography, we usually look for a wide view. A focal length of 14 to 24 mm is a good starting point to fit everything you want into the composition. If you shoot from a wider angle, you can capture a nicer sunset. To have dramatic or nicer photos, you can change your lens after taking a photo with a wide-angle lens also use different focal lengths and try to capture different parts of the scene with the sun in them. Try to expose different objects to sunlight. Only your creativity can limit you therefore do what you think is right.
Step IV. Take photos in RAW format
With a few exceptions where JPG photography is recommended, RAW photography is more logical, especially in landscape photography or Sunset or Sunrise photos as well. The GPX format is recommended only in exceptional cases, such as when you can not or do not want to process your photo on a computer. RAW format photography prunes all photo information and leaves us very free to edit photos.
Step V. Set your camera settings to aperture priority mode
This step may be controversial in some ways, but you should know that you do not have to shoot in manual mode to be considered a photographer. Of course, this does not mean that you should not shoot in manual mode, but the aperture priority mode is a good starting point and is suitable for photography of Sunset or Sunrise photos.
The performance of this mode is the same in all cameras. Aperture priority means you can adjust the aperture where you want and the camera automatically adjusts the shutter speed to get the desired brightness. In this case, the aperture will change only if you want to, and this can be very important because the aperture determines how clear the scene is.
Step VI. Adjust the aperture to a large number or use narrower apertures
The higher your f-number, the smaller the number you get. Aperture settings determine the resolution of the scene. In the case of landscape photography or taking Sunset or Sunrise photos, the whole scene usually needs to be sharp or focused. This means that the aperture number must be a large number, for example, f / 11, f / 13, f / 16.
Step VII. Keep the ISO low
When the ISO is low, less noise appears in the image, which makes the image look more clear. Reduce the noise level as low as possible in your camera settings, which is usually 100 or 200.
Step VIII. Be aware of the shutter speed
After adjusting the aperture and ISO you should also adjust the shutter speed as well to have better Sunset or Sunrise photos. These are the three main pillars of your photo. ISO shutter and aperture make up the light in your image. If you shoot in aperture priority mode, your camera will adjust the shutter automatically. Of course, you still have to pay attention to the shutter speed, which is the right speed, and the shutter speed may not be too low for the conditions in which you are shooting. You may need to increase the shutter speed to prevent blurring due to moving objects or the lack of a tripod.
Step IX. Use the camera LCD for composition and photography
In photography of Sunset and Sunrise photos, we usually have to point the camera directly at the light source. So it is better to look at the sun directly through Visor so that your eyes are not hurt. If your camera has a rotating LCD, you can easily take pictures from a lower angle without having to lie on the ground.
Step X. Be patient to Take Good Sunrise and Sunset Photos
This step is not part of the camera settings, but it is just as important as other steps for taking Sunset and Sunrise photos. Look at the light and colors seen in the sky and pay attention to them and take pictures again. The best light usually comes when the sun is shining with the horizon. Especially if your chances are high and a few pieces of the cloud are close to the horizon line and the reflection of light and color is well observed in them.