Sunset

[junkin jay]

I used Picasa to edit the picture as best as I could, I love this site and would just like to know if I'm on the right track. Any and all advise is welcomed.

Thanks in advance.




Sony A230
F13
ISO 100
1/160

[navcom]

Hi there and welcome! A couple critiques/tips for you.

Composition: I love sunrises/sunsets! And I know how easy it is when you see a beautiful sky or sunrise to center the sun in the viewfinder and press the shutter. After all, it's so wonderful, how could I go wrong? And I only have a few minutes to capture this fantastic scene! This usually means that the photographer will not think that much about photographic composition. I've grown to call this mindset "compositional shock". We all go through it.

Well, usually a centered sun or a sunrise/pretty sky alone does not make for a very compelling image. To "take it to the next level", you have to concentrate on composing a good scene. This usually means you need an interesting foreground subject that the sun can "shine down on or illuminate/interact with". Consider the sun like frosting on a cake. Most people don't like to eat frosting all by itself but spread it on a cake and you have something special. As for where to place your sun, consider using the rule of thirds (search the forum...tons of info) for starters. It will get you on the right track.

You have a silhouetted foreground. This is not a bad idea but if attempted, it really needs to be something very identifiable as well as limited. I'm going to assume that the reason your foreground is so dark is because you were trying to get a good exposure on the sun and this was the result. Which brings up....

Exposure: Sunrises/sets have a very high dynamic range...that is, a very wide range between the darkest and lightest points in the image...more than your camera is capable of capturing. This is why if you want to get the sun and sky in proper exposure with all their colors your foreground will be black. And if you want the foreground to have detail, you will blow out the sky from overexposure.

There are two alternatives to tame HDR. First is to use a graduated neutral density filter. This is a filter that is half clear and half tinted with a feathered transition zone in-between (my favorite...example here...expensive one, but it's an example). You place the tinted area over the bright sky and "push back" it's intensity, thus bringing the dynamic range into something your camera can capture.

The second is to bracket your shots...one exposed for the sky, another exposed for the foreground, and a third (or more) exposed for the mid range. Then you combine them in Photoshop or Photomatix or any number of other software programs. The result is an image with a higher dynamic range.

You can search the forum or the internet for tons of info on both methods.

Hope that helps a bit!

[junkin jay]

Thanks for the feedback I really appreciate it, my next purchase will be a couple of different filters and a tripod. I really need to just go out and shoot some pictures and try to remember using the "rule of thirds".