10 Tips For Photographing Sunsets With Compact Cameras

I had plenty of time to kill during my recent trip to Brunei. The weather was fine and The Empire Hotel and Country Club where I stayed throughout the trip is fronting the sea and facing west.

For two evenings my photographer friend and I were at the beach taking pictures of the sunset.

So if you are on holiday or even on a business trip, it doesn’t matter if you are the executive of an online business at The Motley Fool (Fool.co.uk) or a smaller business, you may get some free time. If so, is there a nicer thing to do than perfect your photography skills by taking pictures of the beautiful sunset? Here are ten tips on how to photograph a sunset. [Note: all sunset pictures are taken with the Canon PowerShot SX1 IS]

#01. Sunset is not only about the setting sun: It is quite pointless to take pictures of the setting sun without taking into consideration other elements such as the cloud formation, horizon, foreground and the tone of the dying lights.

So, if you must include the sun in the picture, it must be in relation to these elements.

#02. Exclude the sun altogether: This is tip #01 taken a little further. By excluding the sun, you are highlighting the sunset elements without being “distracted” by the sun’s presence.

#03. Take the sunset from ground level: Photos taken from the ground level often produce mind-boggling results. It’s like looking at the world from a totally new perspective. The same applies to taking pictures of sunset.

Some of the most breathtaking pictures of sunset are taken with the camera set low. This trick is especially useful if you don’t have the benefit of a rich surrounding and the only foreground you have in your disposal is the shrubs.

#04. Take the sunset from among the clouds: This is the complete opposite of the above.

Instead of taking pictures of sunset at ground level, you now take them from a high vantage point, the higher the better.

Of course, this can only be done if you are flying in an airplane or on top of a mountain several thousands feet from the sea level.

So the next time you are flying, try to plan your journey so that you will be in mid-air when the sun sets. And don’t forget to choose a window seat.

#05. Try sephia: Sunsets are beautiful because of the colour but you can forget about the colour for a moment and take the pictures in sephia instead. The striking colours may be absent but having the sunset taken in sephia gives it a new ambiance and meaning.

#06: People as foreground: The silhouette of a human being or a group of human beings “staked” against the backdrop of the setting sun often creates a dramatic effect to the picture. When you take pictures of sunset, you may want to have someone pose for you.

#07. Is it time to leave the beach after the sun has set? No. Definitely not. If you think sunset photography is only about capturing pictures of the sun setting, and nothing more after that, then your photo-taking session won’t be complete.

After the sun set, there will be the afterglow and that is when the sky is at its richest in terms of colour tone. And if there are plenty of clouds, you can be assured of breathtaking pictures.

#08. Plan your shots but don’t take too long to look around: When taking pictures of sunset, it is difficult to refrain from “rushing into the scene” because you only have a limited time to take your pictures.

While urgency is needed, equally important is planning and to be acutely aware of your surroundings and to keep on thinking how you can frame the elements around you in relation to the dying lights.

#09. Shoot as many pictures as possible: This is applicable not only when shooting sunsets but also for general picture-taking.

#10. Turn your back on the sun: Structures and buildings “glow” when illuminated by the light emitting from the setting sun.

So, while the sun is still above the horizon, you should turn your back on it and see if there is anything worth taking pictures on the opposite side of the sunset.

That’s it, my 10 tips on how to shoot sunsets. Please feel free to add your own under the comment section.