Illustrious Sunset and Sunrise Photos

The Hang'n Tree by Dick Bloom

To capture award winning sunset or sunrise images remember these safety tips. First, never peer directly into the sun through the lens of your camera.

Two main reasons for this rule are it can damage your eyes. Secondly, it can damage the delicate light sensitive CCD in your digital camera. If you a using a film camera the same rules apply about peering into the direct sun no sensor to damage just your eye.

A stunning blazing sunset with its vivid colors ranging from deep blues to blazing orange and all of the rainbow mixed in can be a thrilling sight to behold.

To capture the true essences of a sunset or sunrise follow the rule of thirds.

A sunset should be part of the image not the image.

A huge expanse of ocean and sky needs to have an anchor, a foreground of some sort. It could be a tree, a structure, a person, a memorial; the object will add depth to the image.

Clouds add personality to the majestic vision of the mundane daily occurrence of the sun setting in the west or rising in the east.

To technically snap that memorable sunset the gear you need is a tripod, a long fast lens such as an 80mm to 200mm 2.8 unit, and a selection of filters to enhance the colors of the image, and a camera you can set manually.

Automatic meters will underexpose sunsets because it reads that the scene is too bright.

Get your gear set up just before sunset and begin to shoot as the sun has set and continue shooting until darkness takes over the scene.

Bracketing is recommended for the shots to assure getting the proper exposure.

Shoot lots of images and experiment with exposure and you will get an illustrious sunset image most of the time.

Remember that a photograph of a sunset or sunrise can be spectacular for sure but don’t get hung up shooting inanimate objects.

Go for the gusto and capture live bodies and the essence of the soul contained therein!! The eyes are the window to a person’s inner depths, look at the eyes!

Grab that camera and go for it.

Good Shooting!

Happy trails
Dick Bloom
Til' next time