Help with the sunsets

[Taallyn]

Where did you take your exposure from? Was the sun in the frame when you did? Generally I will take my exposure from the sky above or to the sides of the sun with the sun just out of the frame. Then I'll lock the exposure and reframe the picture. I also use a Cokin-style graduated, neutral density filter when taking photographs with the sun in them. Plus, having some clouds in front of the sun helps sometimes too.