Sensational Sunset Photographs

Long summer nights…they allow us to slow down, stay up late and appreciate life more fully. Sitting on the deck, we can watch as the sun goes down and ponder the events of the day. Maybe we get up early, coffee in hand and enjoy the sun reappearing, thinking of the day that stretches ahead. Whether you’re a night owl or an early bird, you can enjoy the move from day into night that we call “sunset.” Maybe you’ve been inspired to save these moments forever in pictures. Read on for some tips to try and capture as much of the moment as you can.

Painting with Light
My son did his high school exit project on photographing skies. His thesis statement read, “To make good photos of the sky, one needs to approach the task as the impressionist artists approached theirs.”

The impressionists were onto something here. How often have you admired a spectacular sunset, only to be gravely disappointed with resulting photos? The impressionists went back many times to the same location, painting over and over again, because the quality of the light changes each time. The word “photography” actually means “painting with light.” If we hope to paint the pictures of our skies with light, approaching the subject in the manner of the impressionist painters can help.

Sunset Shooting Basics
When it comes to making great sunset or sunrise shots, time is your main ally—and enemy. Spend some time enjoying a sunset and you’ll see what I mean. It happens quickly. You need to be in the place you want for your sunset well before the sun goes down. Once you get there, be ready to shoot, shoot and shoot again. Here are a few key technical points to remember.

• Take a series of shots as the sun sets or rises. It changes every minute, and the more you shoot, the better your chances that that one perfect shot you seek will occur.
  
  


• If you can, bracket your shots as well. By this I mean taking some shots at the auto setting, and some that are a half stop and full stop below. The colors will become more saturated when slightly underexposed, but with sunset photos, it is always a gamble. Increase your odds by bracketing. If you don’t know what bracketing means, read your manual to find out how to do this.
  
  


• If you’re shooting with film, choosing a lower ISO such as 100 will increase the color saturation.


• Once the sun sinks below the horizon, keep shooting. I find that often, the brilliant display of colors actually peaks after the sunset, spreading higher above the horizon.


• If you’re an equipment junkie, consider adding a warming filter to your kit. Professional photographers use them to boost the red tones that make many sunset photos so appealing.


• When metering your shot, point your camera at a darker part of the scene, set the meter, then move your viewfinder to capture the image you seek. Aiming at the point of the sun will guarantee a washed-out image, even wiping out any existence of the sun at all.


• Often, such scenes will suggest the use of your widest angle setting, near 28mm if that’s an option for you. Don’t discount the use of the telephoto lens, however. Using the telephoto is a very effective way to compress the depth of field, and magnify the impact of the sun.

Composing the Scene
Just as important as the technical aspects are the compositional ones. Most often, we have no idea what kind of sky we’ll be viewing until just before shooting. Shooting the skies is the ultimate “go with the flow” photography. You need to be alert to possibilities, understand your technical challenges and then work with what opportunities present themselves. Consider these ideas as you face the setting or rising sun.

Foreground and Framing
Finding elements to frame your shot will add interest as well as context. Camping trip? See if you can include the corner of a tent in the foreground of your photo. Traveling across the prairies? Try to include the fields of flowers or wheat in your horizon. If you’re near water, the possibilities for incredible photos are legion. You can even shoot into the water and capture the sunset reflected there for a unique perspective.

An especially effective approach is to create a silhouette. One of my favorite photos was such a shot in the evening, showing my husband and the now college-aged son sitting on the dock fishing. Capturing an effective silhouette requires careful exposure. You don’t want to meter the subject, or that would bring out more detail. Try to find a midtone area, such as the moderate shadows, or use a gray card, which is a simple piece of cardstock that has average “reflectivity.”

Since there are times when the subject, such as your child, is more important than the sky, try placing yourself so that the subject is bathed in that beautiful glow from the side. Using the “night” setting, if your camera has one, will allow the exposure to capture more detail in the face and still achieve that glow.

Big Skies, Big Impact
Sometimes, you just want the sky. That’s okay. It’s endlessly fascinating, and makes for equally fascinating pictures. Use your viewfinder to frame your shots, trying out different angles until you find the one that works, much in the way of the film director framing his star between his hands.

The classic sunset is full of clouds and rays of brilliant light, one that makes you look and say “ah.” The skies have many moods, however. Rather than describe them, take a look at the samples here and keep them in mind as you compose your own. Subtlety has its rewards, too.

Enjoy the Magical Mystery
Enjoy experimenting with the tips suggested here and adding memories of lovely sunsets to your scrapbooks. Remember that photographing such scenes will result in sometimes unpredictable shots. Enjoy the mystery, and allow yourself to sometimes put the camera aside, drinking in the moment.

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