Aperture & Sunrise

[Graemey]

Hello All,

I've been trying to study how to take great sunrise shots and I'm a little confused about aperture. I read that it is good practice to use -1 or -2 ex but what would be the best ap. Also do I take a reading from the sun or the sky and lock it in?

Thank you as aalways,

Best wishes
Graeme

[OsmosisStudios]

Use the one that works for the situation and hand and the look youre going for but that will also give you the best image quality. So, not wide open, not fully stopped down.

[i speak in math]

You sound a little confused. Aperture is the size of the opening in the lens and is measured in fractions of focal length. For instance, f/8 means the aperture is 1/8 the focal length. Or f/2 means 1/2 the focal length. This way, it is a standard to express the amount of light entering the camera and doesn't depend on the size of the lens or anything.

Anyway, for a sunset or sunrise, I would set my metering to center-weighted so that the middle has a higher priority but it still uses a large area to meter. I would point just the side of the sun and lock in that exposure.

To make sure I got something I liked, I would probably bracket my shots so that it automatically takes one at a brighter exposure and one at a lower exposure.

[jamesev]

I e same question a while back and got some nice replies in this thread

Morning In the park - help

2.95

Buttery goodness.

2.8 and you're too low, 3.0 and you've lost it.

HAZZAH!! Mind blown!

[RichardTaylor]

It all depends on the lighting.
I usually use manual exposure and meter from the sky as a guide (leaving the sun and ground out of it). Use your histogram to check your exposure.

Here are a coupler of examples. I can't remember what time sunrise was that morning.

(1) @ 5:31 AM

Camera Canon EOS 5D
Exposure 0.25 sec (1/4)
Aperture f/4.0
Focal Length 65 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off
Exposure Program Manual
Date and Time (Original) 2009:01:22 05:37:12+11:00

(2) 06:21AM (notice from the exposure settings there was a lot more light around.)


Camera Canon EOS 5D
Exposure 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture f/9.0
Focal Length 47 mm
ISO Speed 100
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off
Exposure Program Manual
Date and Time (Original) 2009:01:22 06:21:07+11:00

[Biomech]

I'd be inclined to experiment with a graduated ND filter and get the sky and ground exposed