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How to take great sunset pics
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What is the best setting for a great sunset pics on this camera, since the sun goes down quickly over the water....
Thank you,,,
would like to take in these few days of the great sunsets...with xmas light in front of it, over water...
thanks
Posted at 10:11AM, 26 December 2009 PDT
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I usually only take day pics,,,,i was soooo excited when i saw this beauty,,,rushed and the pics came out bad
Posted 29 months ago.
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over water or mountain ranges?
Posted 29 months ago.
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over water
Posted 29 months ago.
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how do i put a pic in here??
Posted 29 months ago.
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helllloooooooo
Posted 29 months ago.
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manual is the best setting. there are a million different ways to shoot a sunset depending on what you're going for
Posted 29 months ago.
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there are two ways to post photos here...
One way is to use square brackets [ ] ... you put brackets around the web address of the photo...
This photo, for example, has an address of:
www.flickr.com/photos/boldpuppy/4207824672/
when I put it between the square brackets you get a small version of the photo (that's clickable):
The other way to do this is to click on 'all sizes' (above the photo) and select the size that you want to post. Let's say I want something bigger than this small size... medium is the usual size maximum (large and original are bigger than this page)...
Look for this part:
To link to this photo on other websites you can either:
1. Copy and paste this HTML into your webpage:
and do that.. select everything in that box and paste it here:
Posted 29 months ago.
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Scott Kelby's The Digital Photography Book, vol 1 has it all. The book is worth the $, One lesson per page. Fast, good, reasonable.
Listen to ObiWanBoldKapuppy.
Posted 29 months ago.
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I find that the best time to shoot sunsets is after the sun has gone down below the horizon. Good idea to use a tripod or something stable to rest the camera on as exposure could quite long. Just put camera on Aperature priority f8-f11 and shoot.
Originally posted 29 months ago.
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Hbie edited this topic 29 months ago.
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LOL @ Mr5050....
(I have a flaky internet here where I'm staying so I have to reboot the router every few hours.... ugh).
Both of those are great suggestions.
Another is to look at the work that's been done before, and posted here:
www.flickr.com/search/groups/?q=sunset&w=462800@N23&a... and go through some of the beautiful photos... write down the EXIF settings that were used (if available). Unless it's noted, you won't know the rest of the story, like what tripod, what filter (if any), what processing, etc was applied - but you can always ask.
Much of sunset photography is paying attention to the weather - I've found that if there's a storm between the setting sun and where I am, I get lots of great colors in the sky. There are other atmospheric conditions that also cause great sunsets/sunrises... but usually, if you look up around dusk, you'll know if it will be good or not.
Sometimes, getting up at dawn is also a great way to get photos:
Posted 29 months ago.
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How do yall post the photos on this site,,,
i am soooo happy yall answered me....Been looking all over the internet,,but nothing is as great as your answers,,,
keep going,,,want to take pics this week or this afternoon,,,i screwed up when i came across this location with the xmas lights and sunset, didn't have my tripod,,,etc, and got too excited
Posted 29 months ago.
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When i shot, i had aperture on 4, and iso 400,,,
no tripod,,,
i want to show you what i took, but when i hit copy and then go here, it won't work................
Bold pupppppy
Posted 29 months ago.
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And some pics dark and other light?
Posted 29 months ago.
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What filter do think i should use??
Posted 29 months ago.
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thank you boldpuppy,,,ok,,,going to take some pics, will check back later,,,,
I need to pay attention to what you say, lol
Posted 29 months ago.
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you could take a look at this group for sunset photography
Sunrise, Sunset -- Anything Sun!
Posted 29 months ago.
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You will need to use manual mode - any of the auto modes will be fooled by the setting sun, and you'll get either under or overexposed shots.
"How to post" was answered above.
The only filter I'd recommend is a circular polarizer -- though it's not necessary.
Posted 29 months ago.
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Click on your photo. Choose all sizes. Click on medium. Copy the URL that shows below the photo. You can paste that in and your photo will display.
I use manual mode for sunset photos. Set your metering to spot. Meter for a spot on the sky that is not the sun. Take the photo, check the LCD and adjust as necessary. You may want to have the sun peaking out from behind something like a cloud or a sandcastle.
Posted 29 months ago.
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I like the 'golden' half hour, after the sun went down. The sky is blue or purple instead of black. Like this picture, took it a few days ago:
[ ]
Posted 29 months ago.
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Apart from using manual, I would normally spot meter for the foreground. That aside, a nd grad makes a huge difference if you don't want to go down the hdr route.
Posted 29 months ago.
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well the pics the other day didn't come out too good, i left so excited, i forgot my tripod!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and my purse, etc etc,
The sun was going down fast ..
Anyway,,,I'm going back today,,and i'm going to post...
Thank all of you,,and keep posting the tips on sunsets,,,
this time of year is perfect over our water here...
Question if i don't use manual,,,should i use AV of about 8?
I used 4 the other day,
Posted 29 months ago.
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chonker that landscape pic is beautiful!!!
I have some swamp pics,,i will post soon,
Posted 29 months ago.
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Thank all of you,,,keep tipping, lol
Posted 29 months ago.
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Some advice -
SLOW DOWN....
don't get so excited that you forget the basics:
* composition
* exposure
* tripod
* mirror lockup
* 2 or 10 second delayed exposure (to prevent shake from pressing the button) or a remote release
Aperture sets depth of field. For most landscapes, f/8 is fine, unless you have something in the foreground that also needs to be in focus. For more information on depth of field, look at www.dofmaster.com
However, the problem about using Av is that the time value that you get will depend on the metering mode you use - and what the center point is pointing at... in other words, you are not in control - the camera is.
Posted 29 months ago.
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You could always try some HDR sunsets they are a bit easier than posting a photo in here :-D
Posted 29 months ago.
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This one was a result of the horrific fire storms in SoCal this year. Weather is often the real artist of a knockout shot. Sometimes it is an idiot with matches.
BP, What is the advantage of Mirror Lockup; better than a delay or remote switch?
m5l
Posted 29 months ago.
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Mirror lockup eliminates the vibration caused by the mirror slapping up to take a photo.
It's quite convenient if you put your camera on self timer too, because it changes it to a 2 second timer instead of 10.
Posted 29 months ago.
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Timer lets the camera settle from the button push
Mirror lockup holds the mirror up, which is a big deal when your exposures are between 1/2 to 1/40 or so (that's about the vibration from the mirror).
It's different than the delay or remote switch....
Posted 29 months ago.
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Put it on f/8 or above
set ISO to 100 and try to stay below shutter speed of 1 second.
If you want to change WB in post processing, do that, but I usually put it on kelvin light temperature to saturate the colors to my liking.
Posted 29 months ago.
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Apertures are holes. Literally. It's a hole.
Holes are bigger or smaller... not above or below.
When you say f/8 or 'above' ... does that mean a bigger hole (like f/5.6) or a smaller one (like f/11)?
Posted 29 months ago.
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I do sometimes like to break rules... I like to do landscapes with telephotos, for example.
I did this sunset without following any of my own advice.. no tripod, no mirror lockup (and had to fix the horizon in post, as it was tilted some).
Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Exposure: 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture: f/16.0
Focal Length: 100 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off, Did not fire
Very small aperture for large depth of field, but enough exposure to hand hold (1/200 is plenty with an IS lens) and to avoid mirror slap issues. ... that's why I bumped the ISO to 400. Manual exposure, minor tweaks in post.
Posted 29 months ago.
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ok, group..this is pic from last year,,,just trying to learn to upload pics to this site
Posted 29 months ago.
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I don't know why you're confused about posting pictures.. Boldpuppy explained it quite clearly earlier in this thread.
Nice photo
Posted 29 months ago.
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My friend helped post this pic this morning...
I messed up cause i didn't realize that i had to be posted on flickr first.....Dumb i guess...
Just got too excited by the sunsets i saw,,,and a ton of the pics came out bad, and i ran to this site for help...
Question is,,,now can i do it, lol
Posted 29 months ago.
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Boldpuppy is wonderful,,,
thanks for the compliment...
Posted 29 months ago.
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I think Boldpuppy's comment is very accurate.
You need to calm down, and slow down. I know a nice sunset can be very exciting, but you can't let that influence how you take a photo.
Posted 29 months ago.
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Ok,,,I know I over reacted...for true,,,I love love my photography sooo much.
Believe it or not I have not figured out how to load the pics here...my mind is blank to it,,,but,,i know how to load to the top...so tell me what is wrong with the sunsets at the top of the page of this site...on the group page...
Posted 29 months ago.
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I think my biggest problem was the xmas lights, and it getting dark so fast...and no tripod. etc.
Some of my sunsets from the past haven't been so bad,
Posted 29 months ago.
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The no tripod was a big deal in a shot like this...
First, the horizon is tilted (something you can fix when you 'edit' the photo here on flickr). The sun has a lot of flare on it, and that's coming from a filter, if you have one in place, or from the lens you've used. Some lenses have flare, some are less prone to that.
Next, the lights were very dim. The sun was very bright (though it looks dim to your eyes, relative to the lights, it's very bright). To get the lights to expose better, you'll need a longer time value, but that means the sun gets overexposed. The other thing is to wait a few more moments for the sun to get farther down on the horizon, and that longer time value won't overexpose the sun.
This type of shot requires some preparation to pull off properly... get that tripod set up well before sundown, and then wait for the light to get right.
Posted 29 months ago.
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Thanks BoldPuppy,
I didn't have a filter on. My lense was 100-400.. I don't know yet how to fix the horizon..
Your right if i had the tripod and waited for the sun to go down a little, maybe the xmas lights would have been brighter and not fuzzy.
Preparation is what i needed to do...
My aperature was around i think 4 or 5..also
I think if you had been there,,,just think how pretty that shot would have been..the xmas lights were everywhere.
I went back with my tripod but there was no sunset, sky turned gray.
and rained
Posted 29 months ago.
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No my lense was the wide lense...not zoom lense, sorry...
Posted 29 months ago.
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I zoomed in on photo shop..and croped it..
Posted 29 months ago.
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lua777 - I don't see any sunrise/sunset photos that you've posted. Post some WITH the EXIF data intact... but rather than just repeat the very excellent (and patient) information that Bold Puppy has given you, I'll propose yet another way to try your hand at sunset/sunrise...
1. Set your camera to Av mode. f/8.
2. Set metering to "spot" (use the "[*] WB" button on the top and turn the TOP wheel until the graphic just below the 8.0 shows a solid dot in the middle of the square.
3. Put your camera on a tripod and point it in the direction you want for your shot. Set your "AF-Drive" (Drive) to 2-second delay.
4. Turn on LiveView - if your camera is set like mine, you can use the "Set" button in the middle of the back wheel. If not, you need to go to "Menu - Wrench **" (which has LCD brightness at the top and "LiveView" one line above "Flash control"). While you are there, turn Grid Display ON and Disable Silent shoot.
5. Your 40D display will now look like all of the point and shoot cameras in the world (but you can smile because it's better!). You won't be able to look through the eyepiece, but you SHOULD notice a white box - most likely in the middle of the display.
6. Use the directional thumb "button" (above the big wheel at the back) to move the box up or down, right or left and put the box around your BRIGHTEST item (e.g. the sun). You can use the "zoom in" button to digitally zoom in 5x (press it again and you've zoomed 10x once more and you're back to regular view). If you accidentally press the thumb button in, the box returns to the middle. Annoying most of the time, but helpful once in a while.
7. Optionally turn OFF focus and use your zoomed view to focus on what YOU want to focus on.
8. With the white box around the "bright" part of your image partially depress your shutter button. Notice the exposure time in the lower left? That's what the camera thinks is the proper exposure for the bright thing. It's probably close. You may want to adjust your exposure "down" (darker) by dialing the big wheel to the left a click or two. (You did turn the camera ALL the way On, right? The exposure compensation [wheel] doesn't work if you turned it to the first on location.)
9. Take a picture.
10. Press the "Play" button and see what you get. My guess is the sky will look nice and colorful, but everything else will be quite dark. This will be your BEST exposure of the beautiful sky... but probably not your best exposure for the rest of the image. If things are peachy, you can get something like this:
![Sinking Feeling [5_019482] by Steven Christenson](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2596/4199837627_b002ddd4bb_m.jpg)
or this which is a composite of a sky exposure and a a foreground exposure (read on):
NOW COMES THE TRICKY PART.
11. Either
(A) use Graduated Neutral Density filter to knock down the brightness of the sky OR
(B) take a second or third picture to adjust for the foreground. DON'T change the focus, or the f-stop! To get proper exposures for the darker areas move the white box around to those areas and let the camera calculate the exposure time. First try a "medium" darkness area. Then an even darker area. You'll notice the display will change rather dramatically when you move between light and dark areas as the camera in default mode will show a display that compensates by showing you *about* what the exposure will be. There are OTHER ways to do this, but I find this method gets better results than using AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing).
12. If you used option (B) then you'll have to use a program like PhotoShop and/or Photomatix to combine your exposures into a single exposure. This is NOT easy to do well. You're doing an "HDR" in this case.
13. One last option here: wait until the sun has been down for 15 minutes and more (as jamieboston said). Now use a FLASH to illuminate your foreground. You will probably have to shoot this entirely in manual mode, but you could end up with a shot like this (hopefully you'll have a better looking person in your shot, though :-)
![Mountain Man - Steven [5_018682] by Steven Christenson](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2767/4054349329_80a5b423e7_m.jpg)
Once you get the hang of doing this all in Av mode, you will find it more convenient to learn how to do the same things in M (Manual) mode.
Originally posted 29 months ago.
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Steven Christenson edited this topic 28 months ago.
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Learn HDR, resistance is futile.
Posted 29 months ago.
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I absolutely loved the "helllloooooooo " comment...
Best one I have read in 2010 (the year is young)
Posted 29 months ago.
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Wow, All I can say is thank you for the help,,,something to think about for sure...
Lately the sunsets are not good here
...
Wish i could be over there in some of the locations you have shown Steven. I will study and focus..promise. I want to!!!
Thank you...
and Gabe,,,you love that hello comment huh, lol...
and cammy, i will look at the HDR...
Posted 29 months ago.
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It wasn't a knock on you lua777, I just found it funny.
Posted 29 months ago.
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Oh, Gage, I knew that,,you made me laugh, didn't realize it was funny,,...,i was just like,,,"Hey I'm going to take these pics of sunset setting behide beautiful xmas lights over lake", and freaking out,,didn't know how to make it work with the sunset and xmas lights Together ,..lol,,
Like helloooo, "I have to go now, sunsetting.....where's the 40D PRO TEAM"..,,,
flickr is great.
(you made me laugh, sweet)
Posted 29 months ago.
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LOL - I was on vacation... I didn't do too much flickr ...
Posted 29 months ago.
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Well don't miss the sunset like I did...that's a good starting point!!
Use a tri-pod. Put the camera on shutter priority..and let it go for about .5 seconds..depending on how much light there is.
Posted 29 months ago.
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Sometimes, the best shots are just after or right before sunset/rise...
This was just before dawn - the sky was on fire for all of 5 min...
Posted 29 months ago.
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Second BP, don't just leave when the sun goes down. Lots of interesting things happen in the hour after sunset (and before sunrise).
Just after sunset you'll get great colours in the clouds as the sun lights them from underneath as BPs photo shows really nicely (before dawn in his photo, and worth getting up early for!).
Then the colours get more subtle:
Then when the sunset colours go you still have a beautiful dark blue sky:
If you have patchy cloud and it happens to cover the sunset, chances are you'll get a decent shot a little later. You'll need a tripod, patience and depending on where you are a warm jacket.
Posted 29 months ago.
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[http://www.flickr.com/photos/27332372@N08/4234892896/]
Posted 29 months ago.
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Sunset,,,practicing posting...
Posted 29 months ago.
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My top tip about sunset/rise photography is to keep going out and trying. People say to me "hey you were lucky to get that sunset", when the truth is I wasn't lucky, I go out as much as I can. For every great sunset/rise I have taken, I have witnessed ten less than impressive ones. This type of photography relies a great deal on what Mother Nature gives you.
Also keep an eye out on conditions during the day for a sunset, light wispy clouds can make for great colours. I shoot a lot over a lake, so still conditions make for great reflections.
So keep on trying, you are getting some great shots.
Posted 29 months ago.
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