6 Tips for Capturing Beautiful Sunsets

Sunsets can be spectacular and you don’t have to climb a mountain peak or jump into a helicopter to enjoy them. The roof of your building, the nearest window or simply standing on a beach can be the perfect spot for capturing beautiful sunsets. Here are some tips: 

Location

I try to arrive early to find a good spot with a clear view of the horizon and gving me tiem to set up my equipment and scout out the best composition. This allows me to capture the full expanse of the sunset, including the colours in the sky and interesting foreground elements.

I try to incorporate interesting foreground elements into my compositions, such as trees, buildings or bodies of water. This adds depth and context to the photo and can make the sunset even more striking.

Settings

I always pay attention to the colours in the sky and try to capture them in their full vibrancy. I adjust my camera settings for low light and this is where automatic settings won’t do you any favours. This is an opportunity to play around with your camera’s exposure settings in manual mode.

• ISO: Use a low to mid-range ISO, like 200, 400, or 800. You can increase the ISO as the sun gets closer to the horizon.
• Shutter speed: Use a quick shutter speed to minimize exposure time. For example, you can use 1/100 sec or more for a bright sunset, and 1/60 sec for a balanced sunset. For low-light sunsets, you can use 1/30 sec or less.
• Aperture: Use a small aperture, like f/11 or f/16, to achieve a greater depth of field. This will ensure that both the sky and the landscape are in focus.
• Focus: Focus your shot manually, as some cameras struggle to focus on a sunset automatically.
• White balance: Try out a few different white balance options.
• File format: Shoot in raw to capture more detail in the shadows and highlights. You’ll thank me when it comes to post-processing.
• Filters: Use a polarizing filter to block excess light, or a diffusing filter to scatter it. (This is not necessary if you do not have one).
• Composition: Don’t put the sun in the middle of the frame. You can try to capture both the sun and the landscape illuminated by its dying rays or remember the rule of thirds. 

I try to experiment with different angles and perspectives. This can give my sunset photos a unique and creative edge and can help me capture the beauty of the sunset from a fresh perspective.

I also make sure to keep my camera steady, particularly when using long exposures to capture the movement of the clouds and the colours in the sky. I use a tripod to stabilise the camera ensuring my photos are sharp and clear although we are subjected to some pretty strong winds here in the Western Cape.