Many people wonder what to get in consideration when photographing a sunset.
Exposure is the most important aspect about sunset photographies. Slightly underexposing the sunset will make the color look more rich and defined. By simply using the manual mode and selecting a fast shutter speed, the entire scene will become more dramatic.
Photographer and zoologist Stefano Unterthiner says:
“As a photographer I always try to have a new view. I’m looking for something which is not just about color. Color can be part of the composition but not the most important part. I’m not taking a picture of the sky just because it’s red.”
The foreground is important, too. There always should be some object of interest in the foreground.
Watch out for birds! Including a few flying birds in the sky can really add interest to a landscape.
Go bright with colors. When shooting a sunset, colors are the most important aspects. You do not want to have a too bright picture but you do not even want a completely black sky. The only thing you can do is to try to expose your camera correctly. If using a more professional camera, try to use the manual mode. Often automatic cameras do not properly shoot and you could end up with super-bright sunsets instead of a colorful picture.
Stefano Unterthiner said: “As the sun approaches the horizon, the light becomes warmer. So at this time, looking around, not directly at the sun, forgetting about the sunset, the light can play a role in making the images more interesting. The light becomes warm and magical. It’s not about a classical sunset, but it’s about how the light can help to create a special mood.”
Try not to put the horizon line in the middle of the photo. A good general rule is to put the horizon on the bottom third of the photo if the sunset is pretty, and on the top third of the photo if the sunset is lackluster.. No mistake you make in shooting a sunset will be as obvious as an uneven horizon line. Use the bubble level on your ballhead or the electronic level on some newer DSLRs to make sure the horizon is straight.
Of course, these resources will be helpful to plan when to go out to take a picture (if you are lazy – like me – and do not want to constantly look outside the window to choose the best time). However, sunset time indicates the specific minute when the sun discovers behind the horizon, darkening the sky and announcing the twilight. Since the sky usually becomes of different colors only when the sun is still up, it is better to start taking picture 15/20 minutes before the time indicated on the website/app, to assist at the full process and take the picture you are looking for. iPhones offer a pre-installed Weather Forecast application with which you can check the times. Also, there is a website called www.suncalc.net that offers the possibility to check and preview other days.
After the sun sets, there is always what is sometimes called the second sunset. Sometimes it is the best moment to photograph patchy and wispy clouds.
There is no better place than one where you can see the horizon. Try with high spots such as hill, a high building or just flat areas such as a beach or a field. But do not try to climb on your roof! Sunsets are cool but health is better!
To prove that these elements really make the difference in a picture, we asked a few people to see two choose which one of the following pictures they liked better and why.
“I like picture #1 better because of the colors. They are brighter than the colors of the other one.” said interviewed Julie Kluse.
“The second does not have a specific subject. I prefer the first one because of the composition. I think that if you crop the second one, trying to create a subject, the picture would look better.” said Sara Nagie.