​Skills for shooting sunrise and sunset photo

For novice photographers, shooting sunrise and sunset as a basic compulsory course, canvas prints but also very easy to see the photography skills progress of the subject matter! It's also important to use all kinds of equipment together, so this is a great opportunity to learn how to take pictures of sunrises and sunsets. Remember to go back to practice!

The best time to shoot sunrise and sunset

Many friends who are just learning photography also think that the best time to shoot these subjects is the time of sunrise and sunset, but in fact, online canvas please remember the following formula:

(1) Shoot sunrise, get up early

(2) Shooting the sunset, be patient

When shooting sunrise, you must start shooting at least half an hour before sunrise, one hour is especially good, because before sunrise, large canvas when the sky changes from black to blue and from blue to orange, it will be very beautiful scenery, of course, to the real sunrise can also shoot the moment when the sun appears, very spectacular! And arrive a bit earlier prepare, also can avoid urgent when hurry-up.

When shooting a sunset, shooting too early will only capture the "sun scene" of fierce sunlight, so it is appropriate to shoot when the sky color starts to change, if the combination of clouds, there will be an exciting "fire cloud" effect. Of course, the sun can also be shot like an egg yolk during the sunset.

The required equipment

With the right timing, the equipment is simple:

Recommended use of equipment

The tripod recommends stabilizing the camera before sunrise and after sunset, using a slow shutter speed, small aperture and low ISO to maintain photo quality. The shutter release doesn't matter. It also keeps the camera from vibrating when the shutter is pressed at a slow shutter speed.

Gradient grey filter (GND) suggested that gradient grey is very important, because shooting towards the sky/sun, the light difference must be very big, and gradient grey filter can effectively balance the light difference between the sky and the ground, to take professional photos. If there is no gray gradient, the black card can be used to shoot at a slow shutter speed, but when the sun is strong shutter speed becomes faster, the black card will be useless.

Camera setup and shooting techniques

Sunrise shooting:

Arrive when it is still dark, set up a tripod

Set to manual Mode (m-mode), aperture f/8, automatic ISO off (if on), ISO set to minimum, such as ISO100, shutter speed 30 seconds (if the cloud moves fast, the shutter speed can be accelerated, but the aperture should be increased or the ISO match should be enhanced)

With autofocus, the Focus is set to infinite distance, which can be assisted by distant buildings or luminous objects, and then the Focus is set to manual (Manuel Focus).

Wait for the sky to change color and feel stuffy to take several pictures of stars (aperture shutter setting to see this article)

When the sky starts to change color, use the shutter release (if any) to take the shot and adjust the shutter by looking at the brightness of the actual photograph

Horizontal and straightness can also try shooting, it is best to repeat the focus setting (3) after moving the camera

Different brightness can make good use of different degrees of gradient grey filter, if the Reverse GND (Reverse gradient grey) is better

As the sun gets higher, the light gets more intense. Increase the shutter speed from time to time to keep the exposure right

When the shutter speed exceeds the safe shutter speed, you can take a handheld shot to increase the mobility

Sunset shot

Arrive at the location 30 to 60 minutes before sunset and set up a tripod

Set to manual Mode (m-mode), aperture f/8, automatic ISO off (if on), ISO set to the lowest, such as ISO100, shutter 1/100 second (please try to take a picture, according to the light at that time)

With autofocus, the Focus is set to infinite distance, which can be assisted by distant buildings or luminous objects, and then the Focus is set to manual (Manuel Focus).

Wait for the sky to change color

When the sky starts to change color, use the shutter release (if any) to take the shot and adjust the shutter by looking at the brightness of the actual photograph

Horizontal and straightness can also try shooting, it is best to repeat the focus setting (3) after moving the camera

Different brightness can make good use of different degrees of gradient grey filter, initially with normal GND, prepare Reverse GND (Reverse gradient grey) in the sunset to the horizontal use

As the sun gets lower and lower, the environment gets darker and darker. Slow down the shutter speed from time to time to keep the exposure right

About white balance

White balance can be used to change the color of the photo. The lower the camera setting to K (e.g. 2700K), the colder/blue the photo will be and the warmer/yellow the photo will be (e.g. 7000K). I suggest that the sunrise can make the photo cool, aluminum photo prints while the sunset can make the photo warm to express the atmosphere. More information can be referred to: make photo atmosphere more intense - white balance magic!