# How to shoot sunrise/sunset?



## Marc-Etienne (Oct 30, 2010)

Simple straight forward question, the title says it all. I want to shoot sunrise and sunset without saturating the picture and losing the rest of the shot. Is the only way a ND filter? I'm using a Nikon D90 and a Nikkor VRII 18-200mm.

Thanks for your help


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## sean7488 (Oct 30, 2010)

Best thing to do is to just go out and try it. I myself have just began shooting sunsets and between my first time and 2nd time doing it, I definitely noticed that I got better from the first batch to the 2nd batch.


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## Marc-Etienne (Oct 30, 2010)

I've been trying several times, but I always get a similar result of a excessively overexposed sun and excessively underexposed surrounding. I was just wondering if there was a way to minimize this effect? I know that I'm shooting straight at an intense source of light and it's hard to avoid this, but there most be a way to get better result!!


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## sobolik (Oct 30, 2010)

Marc-Etienne said:


> I've been trying several times, but I always get a similar result of a excessively overexposed sun and excessively underexposed surrounding. I was just wondering if there was a way to minimize this effect? I know that I'm shooting straight at an intense source of light and it's hard to avoid this, but there most be a way to get better result!!




Yes ND filters

 I just hand hold straight ND filters to line up with the horizon where the "official" technique is to use graduated. And no the camera can't focus on the edge.

The goal is to tone down the bright area so it is more equal to the dark are. Then both areas can get a proper exposure showing great detail in both.
See the 2 comparison photos of the sea shore and rocks here
Luminous landscape

I have used everything in my bag even adding the 2 stops gain of the polarizer when shooting into a setting sun. I held 10 or 12 stops up lining up the filter edges to the horizon snug against the polarizer. I have a filter holder but find hand holding by the corners is less fuss.

Another thing is if you just have a person standing in front of the sunset is to use rear curtain flash. The camera will make a longer exposure for the sunset and then at the end flash to expose the person.


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## Marc-Etienne (Oct 30, 2010)

Thanks Sobolik, that is exactly what I was looking for! With your guidances I'll get better result for sure!


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## skieur (Oct 30, 2010)

The first aspect is the difference between a sunset/sunrise background which requires and is often missing: a centre of interest in the foreground.  That could be considered problem number one.

The second is the totally flat shot. Coloured sky, black horizon and black horizontal foreground.  Visually boring for those who have seen spectacular sunset shots.

Even worse is the sunset shot which only makes up a small part of the photo...as in too much dark sky at the top and too much black foreground at the bottom.

What makes a great sunset shot is a sky with clouds and colour which stretch from overhead off to the horizon, perhaps some reflection in the water of a lake or river and a foreground which includes some verticals such as trees, a rock face, a sail boat, fishing boat(s), even a fisherman, etc.

skieur


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## cletusjermal (Oct 30, 2010)

You and always do HDR too. That is what i did for a few of them.


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## Marc-Etienne (Oct 30, 2010)

Thanks for those answers. Skieur (and others), what would you think of this late sunset?







Help me learn and go hard at it!

Thanks


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## skieur (Oct 30, 2010)

Your shot seems to visually flat and needs more clouds, more colour and more visual interest.

The following is not ideal, but notice the different verticals and more visual interest.  Notice also the concept of filling the frame with visual detail.

skieur


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## LightSpeed (Oct 30, 2010)

Here. Oooops. I am new here and did not know/notice about the edit thing. I was just trying to help the guy.


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## Hardrock (Oct 30, 2010)

LightSpeed said:


> Here.


 

His photos are not ok to edit! Hopefully you got permission.  

To the op I think it is an interesting photo but having a hard time figuring out what it is.


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## Marc-Etienne (Oct 31, 2010)

Understood. My foreground is not too bad (personally) with the fishing weir, but the rest of it is a quite empty miss details and colors. Ideally, I would need the sky of the following picture with the foreground of the one previously posted? I'll work on it. I'll try to incorporate more vertical features to my pictures also. Let see what I'll be able to get next time  Thanks for your help Skieur!


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## dylanstraub (Oct 31, 2010)

I didn't see this listed here so I'll give you my 2cents.  For a really bright shot I usually change the ISO to 100 and set my camera to f20 or so. The last part is not a firm rule as it depends on the picture. The other advice was good as well. Good luck.


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## skieur (Oct 31, 2010)

Marc-Etienne said:


> Understood. My foreground is not too bad (personally) with the fishing weir, but the rest of it is a quite empty miss details and colors. Ideally, I would need the sky of the following picture with the foreground of the one previously posted? I'll work on it. I'll try to incorporate more vertical features to my pictures also. Let see what I'll be able to get next time  Thanks for your help Skieur!


 
Here compositionally, you have a series of swells and clouds forming predominantly straight lines parallet to the horizon and straight lines at a 90 degree angle to the camera are NOT visually interesting.  Notice how the lines in my sunset were broken up by areas of the foreground at different depths and distances.

skieur


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## Marc-Etienne (Nov 1, 2010)

I said go hard, not destroy my shots! Just kidding! 

I guess you have to suck in order to get good. I don't have a artistic knowledge of photography yet. I just bought myself a book called "Creative Nature & Outdoor Photography" by Brenda Tharp. This book and your advice (skieur) I should get better shots in. I'll pay more attention to get depth in my pictures and add vertical aspects to my sunset/sunrise shots.

Thanks


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## skieur (Nov 1, 2010)

Take a look by the way at www.photoinf.com for articles on composition in nature photography and some good hints and suggestions.

skieur


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## KendallMartin (Jun 13, 2015)

Little Tutorial to help with the editing.


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