How can you tell WHEN a sunset will be good?

[Bikesmith]

Sometimes you don't need a colorful sunset to get an interesting sunset photo.
http://home.earthlink.net/~marks_pix...s-sunset64.jpg

BTW The shot was taken while seated on my recumbent trike, from the bike path around Lake Nokomis here in Mpls. When riding, I always carry a little Canon IS-720, "Just in case".

[navcom]

Originally Posted by Bikesmith

Sometimes you don't need a colorful sunset to get an interesting sunset photo.
http://home.earthlink.net/~marks_pix...s-sunset64.jpg

BTW The shot was taken while seated on my recumbent trike, from the bike path around Lake Nokomis here in Mpls. When riding, I always carry a little Canon IS-720, "Just in case".

When I saw the picture, I knew you were from Minnesota...no need to tell us.

Plus, the fact that you were out on a bike in the middle of winter?? Pure Minnesotan!

Nav...fellow Minnesotan

[4orty7even]

Another good source of information is this site :

Sunrise and Sunset for U.K. – England – London – July 2009

I use this with Google maps to get a rough idea of the direction the sun will be in, especially if you're planning a shot with the sun in a specific position, and I carry a compass when I'm out. If you're going on holiday you can print out the days you need and take it with you.

Gives you the time and azimuth that you need for any date, and for major cities around the world (the link is for London). The software mentioned previously sounds good and I'm going to try it out, but this site combined with Google maps can be used from any PC. I often check before leaving work and also use this site to check the weather forecast :

AccuWeather.com - Kingston Upon Thames, England - Weather Forecast - Local Weather Forecasts

Just change the postcode.

As for identifying good sunsets beforehand, I've often gotten it wrong. The sky can be full of cloud on my way home and I decide to stay in, then 2 hours later the clouds will have broken up and the sky will be a wonderful red !

You've just got to go and keep going, eventually you'll get lucky.

Here's an example of pre-planning a sunrise - I wanted to get the sun coming up behind the London skyline. Had to wait a couple of months before it would be in position, then went about 3 times in 2 weeks. Only one morning had a red sunrise, the others were grey and very cloudy :

[finkployd]

I have to agree with some of the other posters : clouds have a lot to do with it, they give something to illuminate up brightly with color. As some said, you want some clouds but not too many to blot out the sun. Staying after sunset proper is vital as well, some of the best colors some out only after it has already dipped below the horizon.

However it helps even more if you have clouds off in the distance, towards the setting sun. Ones in the sky above you will lose their light quickly and be dim by the time it has set. You can see the idea here (these were from a sunrise but same idea - colors can be more vivid high in the sky when the sun is post-sunset or pre-sunrise):

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_piCyVH6Vf6U/Sg...g_3222_3_4.jpg
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_piCyVH6Vf6U/Sl...3171_69_70.jpg

[Jim Fox]

Sometimes you are just lucky......sitting on the beach waiting for the local fireworks to start, clouds on the horizon and a guy graciously parks his boat in you way.



Or you are lucky enough to live on top of a hill, overlooking farmland and nothing to your west but the trees and sky. Thus you are bound to have a few good ones.

[Anibal Trejo]

Stellarium cant tell exactly when and where you can find anything in the sky.
This is what i use to plan my daily agenda when im travelling.

[EdHamlin]

Originally Posted by jsl

Hiya all,

I have a scenic park nearby but it takes me a while to get to. I'd like to take some good sunset pictures there but in order to save wasted time, I want to plan ahead as much as possible.

From experience, does anyone have any tips on how to tell whether a sunset will be good or not? Say 1-2 hours before sunset? I've figured out that when the clouds are too heavy, you can't see the sun but I haven't been able to figure out much more. Do better sunsets occur in different seasons?

Furthermore, does anyone have any good links/software to find out exactly which direction the sun will set in?

I've tried googling on the web for this stuff but wasn't able to find anything.

Thanks all!

Ok so I have shot a couple thousand frames of sunsets. First off the sun will always set in the west. I have also included a link for you to look up the time based on location, you can also google the weather for the area you are going to and it will give you conditins and the times for sunset and sunrise.

here are a couple of hints, shoot from hills or mountains if the clouds are heavy and may partially obstruct the sunset.
Clear windy days will offer up some unique opportunities. I love shooting a sunset when In travel to one of the deserts when It has been windy since the dust in the air will offer a horizon to horizon color of pinks, raspberry and oranges. Even partially obstructed days at the beach in very low light and water make for some spectacular events to capture.

Look for structure to compliment the sunset. I only have a few sunsets posted at my website, but they might help.

I haven't used any filters in my exposures, I only make adjustments to f stop and exposure time. E.G. Hamlin Photography

Please excuse the mess at my website as I am doing some reorganizing and making some changes to the site.

I have seen some wonderfull sunsets and sunrises from asia to the middle east. Probably the most spectatular was in Tucson Arizona where there had been som strong winds early in the day which had subsided in the afternoon. From Horizon to horizon the sky had turned a tangarine orange. It has been the only I have seen in ten years, albeit I haven't lived there for nine.

Every time I go to shoot a sunset, I am not disappointed.

Sunrise and Sunset for U.K. – England – London – coming days

[AtlantaTerry]

I have just the opposite problem - I need to predict a good sunrise.

The assignment is to photograph a small (boring) shopping center for the general contractor who built it. But it's at least an hour's drive to get there so I need to be able to predict a great sunrise.

What I would really like is the sun to be rising behind tall thunderhead clouds. They would look great behind the 8 store small strip shopping mall.

I've gone out there 3 or 4 times so far but ... nothing great.

What I have learned is to have a weather front in the east about 50 or 60 miles away and clear skies overhead. I watch www.Weather.com to see if a front might set up then get out of bed at 4am to see what is going on.

I know that ONE OF THESE DAYS it will all work out.

Terry Thomas...
the photographer
Atlanta, Georgia USA

[stevoarnold]

I wish I could have predicted todays sunset in Sydney - it was a cracker. My appartment terrace faces east so I was only able to get a good view of the storm clouds as they approached as they became drenched in glorious reds and pinks from behind me.

[mad editor]

Best sunsets here are when it's been a hot day and there are a lot of fluffy clouds in the sky. Just after the sun sets is when we get all those beautiful colors - fiery reds, oranges, purples, pinks....are especially beautiful with clouds - they glow! I personally think sunrise is more beautiful - but I never get up early enough!