help with grand canyon sunrise/sunset

[bzolling]

hi. i am headed to the GC next week and rented the 12-24mm just for the occassion and really really don't want to mess up my shots of the sunrise/sunset shots. i am not completely comfortable with full manual mode unless i have a "recipe" for the shot but am really comfortable with aperture priority mode. any advice at all would be appreciated. i'm also equipped with a (cheap) tripod, cable shutter release and polarizer.

as of now, my plan is mather point for sunrise and lipan or hopi point for sunset.

help!

[Taallyn]

You don't want to use the polarizing filter with an ultra-wide angle lens. It tends to cause uneven polarization of the sky where part of it is deep blue, and other parts are normal color.

Set your exposure from the sky, but with the sun outside of the viewfinder. That will give you a good exposure to start with. After that, adjust your shutter speed up and down as you want. Under exposing by up to a full stop can really help to saturate the sky's colors.

You will want the camera on the tripod. Use your cable release, and turn on the Exposure delay feature. This will cause the shutter to open a split second after pressing the shutter release in order to minimize any camera vibrations.

You will need to work fast as the light doesn't last very long. However, make sure you try different compositions. Go both horizontal and vertical. Go both wide and telephoto. Low vantage points and high vantage points. Etc. If you are there for a few days you can spread those out. For example, try wide-angles one day, then telephotos the next. Etc.

Most importantly, don't forget to simply enjoy the experience.

Edit: To get a good depth of field, focus a third of the way into the frame at an aperture such at f/8, f/11, f/16. Also, try some close-ups with the sky as a blurred colored background. Silhouettes are good to try that time of day.

Oh, and stay around for twilight. The sky will take on a beautiful blue tone just after sunset or before sunrise. It is the most fleeting of light, but truly gorgeous.

[t blanchard]

My advice is to get to your locations early so you can get a great vantage point. If possible ty to visit the day before and check out the scenery so you have an idea on how to frame your shots.

Then just take as many photos as possible. Be sure to check your histogram after the first shot or two so you can make any exposure adjustments as those times of day can be tricky.

Good luck! I'm going to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in May and am very excited!!

[navcom]

Plan ahead and show up early so you are set up and ready to go when the light is right. Be there 45 minutes beforehand if at all possible and stay as long as possible afterwards as colors change by the minute...you never know what you are going to see in a couple more minutes.

Sunrises...the best colors are about 15 minutes before sunrise and then just at sunrise.

Sunsets...best colors are just before sunset and about 10 minutes afterwards. Also, as one post said, stick around till twilight...or more accurately, about 20 minutes after sunset. This is when you will get the dark purple/blues.

Settings. Use aperture priority and f/11-f/16. Use the lowest ISO you can. Tripod is a must. Cable/remote is also a must. As was pointed out, set your camera for delay (mirror-up), so there is no motion when the shutter is opened.

Filters. Do not use a polarizer looking directly into the sun. It can cause some pretty funky side effects. Polarizers are most effective when turned 90 degrees to the sun. The only filter I would consider using is a graduated neutral density filter, which is almost made for sunrises/sunsets at the Canyon.

Composition. Do not put all your attention on the horizon, sun, or the sky. You need an interesting foreground subject matter. It's very tempting to use a really wide lens to try and get as much of the canyon rim and sky as you can get to give the viewer the feeling of immensity. Unfortunately, if you do this and give all your attention to the rim and the sky, it will look like a thousand other postcards already produced. You will be left wondering why the photo doesn't capture what you experienced. You need something in the immediate foreground to pull the composition together and make it interesting as well as an interesting angle. Never center the horizon and seriously consider getting your rising or setting sun off to the upper left or upper right (rule of thirds).

The best advice is to resist the urge to walk to the edge, whip out the camera, and shoot away. Don't think like a tourist...think like an artist. Try an angle other than at eye level. Example...get a mini-tripod, get down on the ground, and compose from the ground level at 12mm. It can produce some dramatic effects.

I would definately agree that you should try to scout out locations beforehand if you can. It makes it much easier to concentrate on setting up the shot if you already know the area you are interested in shooting.

Another bit of advice is to bring a compass. Check the internet the night before and find out the official sunrise and sunset time as well as the azimuth (magnetic direction) the sun will be at (http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneDay.php). You can then use your compass to pinpoint exactly where the sun will rise or set when you are scouting locations.

And most importantly, don't forget that it's also fun! Don't get so wrapped up in picture taking that you forget to notice the beauty you are trying to capture! Have fun!

[bzolling]

thanks so much for the advice! this was a really helpful post for me and I really appreciate the input.

[bearly]

you should go out to maricopa point at least once... it has a great view that is farther away from the swarms of people at mather, and also i was on the crew that built the path out there from the road. the big rocks along the sides? yeah. that was me.

[jdrouin]

These are some great tips! I will be traveling to Moab and the North Rim this June. The trip was also the main reason for getting a DSLR, hopefully I can capture some great shots. I expect I will be taking thousands of pictures of the week. Thank goodness for big memory cards.

[sherryva]

Wish I had seen all this advise before my trip to the GC- I did do alot of bracketing shots to be on the safe side (before I learned to shoot in raw). My favorite shots ended up being the ones that had some trees or something that conveyed the scale/grandier of the place, try to take at least one like that, I also used a 12-24 lens, the Tokina, so it was easy to put a tree or something in the foreground. When I went, it was a bit windy for the longer exposures, so remember you can hang your camera bag on your tripod to help steady it. Most of all, take the time to view it also, not thru the lens, just look around and soak it in. Easy to do once your composition is set up and you can keep pressing the remote release.
Enjoy!