How to Photograph a Sunrise
The alarm clock buzzes. You crack an eye open and see the light blinking at you. 4:45am. After a few moments, your groggy mind remembers why you set your alarm in the first place. You groan, and after another minute, roll out of bed.
You take a quick peek out the window. Still dark out. But it won’t be for long. You quickly dress in multiple layers, pulling out a pair of fingerless gloves and beanie cap. You pack a breakfast bar and thermos full of coffee. Then you double-check your equipment list:
- Camera [no brainer]. Check.
- 24-70 lens [favorite for this activity]. Check.
- Tripod and quick release [a necessity]. Check.
- Shutter release [makes for clear pictures]. Check.
- Cleared cards [to take as many as you can]. Check.
By 5:00am, you are on your way out the door and headed out your driveway.
You know exactly where you are headed; peak about 20 minutes from your home. After unpacking your equipment, you face the Eastern horizon. Already the golden glow of the sun is beginning to appear. The fog is swirling around the base of the rolling green hills. You smile. It’s going to be a beautiful sunrise.
You place your camera on the tripod. Pause to confirm your settings:
Shutter Speed (TV) = 20 seconds
The early morning light is soft and diffused, so you need a longer shutter speed to let in more light, otherwise your picture will be underexposed.
ISO = 100
With a long shutter speed, you don’t need your sensor to be more sensitive to the light. And with a low ISO, you have a higher dynamic range for stronger intensity of color.
White balance = Shade
Morning light is cooler in color tones. You know that you can correct this with your white balance, so you shoot on shade so the sunrise feels golden and warm.
File type = RAW
You want to go home and post-process your image to produce something really sweet. Shooting in RAW extends your editing capabilities. And since your file size is larger, you now have the ability to order a 20×24 print for your grandparents’ 50th anniversary present.
You start shooting into the sunrise, pressing the shutter every 30 seconds or so after evaluating your image. The colors begin to intensify. You like what you are getting, but soon, the sun has crested the hill on the horizon, and you stop. There\ has got to be something cooler to shoot.
You turn and look to the left, your breath catching in your throat. The sun is lighting the surrounding hills perfectly, and the fog is illuminated by the intense highlights. Quickly, you adjust your shutter speed and fire off a few shots. In just a few moments, you stare at your LCD screen. A smile spreads across your face. Got it.
Satisfied with the results of your sunrise shoot, you head back home. After a mid morning nap, you take the time to upload your pictures. Just as you hoped, that last shot fulfills all your expectations.
One week later, a package arrives at your door. Carefully, you open the wrapping. In your hands, you hold the product of your previous early morning adventure.
Loss of sleep. An early morning in the cold. A 40-minute drive.
Worth it?
Totally. Your grandparents are gonna love it.
Further Reading: How to Photograph Sunrises and Sunsets
Tags: Landscape, Sunrise
45 Responses to “How to Photograph a Sunrise” - Add Yours
February 6th, 2009 at 12:47 am
Nicely written!
While it may be hard to get out of bed early in the morning to catch the sunrise, it’s one of my favourite times of the day for photography, due to the lighting and colours.
Getting together with some fellow photographers for an early morning sunrise can be a lot of fun too.
Every now and then, I’ll go shooting early in the morning with some colleagues who are also into photography. After the sunrise, we’ll normally find a hot breakfast at a nearby deli / cornerstore, and then head off to work.
February 6th, 2009 at 12:56 am
Very nicely done. You’ve captured the joy and magic of a sunrise shoot.
I would suggest to your readers that they can experience the same joy in urban areas as well. In fact, I have meet many interesting people shooting at 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning!
February 6th, 2009 at 12:58 am
i guess the hardest part of sunrise photography is waking up early. especially for people like me who sleep really late (1-2 am). the next problem is getting good sun and cloud formation, because we cannot predict the nature at all. Most of landscape shot are trial and error anyway.
nice article. definitely should try the tips :)
February 6th, 2009 at 1:10 am
Nice narrative! When I’m driving out here in the wide open spaces along the Columbia River, I’m often subconsciously looking for places that would make a great sunrise/sunset shot. Now, I just need to get out and do it.
February 6th, 2009 at 1:54 am
I suppose what is missing here is setting a very small aperture to get as much dof as possible, hence the long shutter speed.
February 6th, 2009 at 2:00 am
Nice story :P
Nice photo, also
February 6th, 2009 at 2:04 am
Wonderful and well written :)
But why only 24-70mm? Why not something wider?
Plus, it’s always good to be inspired by photos of the masters before going out to shot. Why not get some ideas from those who left a mark?
February 6th, 2009 at 2:27 am
Photographing a sunrise is definitely on my to-do photo list. I have to get all the stuff required (tripod mostly), but then I’m ready. Living so close to the beach, I should be able to get some great shots.
Thanks for the step by step instructions.
February 6th, 2009 at 2:34 am
Saturday comes and narration is very close to convincing me that I should really wake up that early in the morning. It’s really worth it. Thanks :)
February 6th, 2009 at 2:53 am
Thanks for the tip! Fantastic article – I like the tip on the white balance. Thanks!
February 6th, 2009 at 2:55 am
Sunsets are also fun and interesting but you just cannot get the same effect as a good sunrise. Plus, you get a feeling of accomplishment when you get up early that lasts throughout the day.
February 6th, 2009 at 4:01 am
Great article, and the timing for me was perfect. We’re leaving for Maui in 2 weeks and the first thing we’re doing is driving up to the Haleakala volcano, 10,000 ft above sea level, to see the sunrise. Luckily, I have all the gear you mentioned, but wasn’t sure about the exposure settings. Thanks for sharing that!!!!
Oh, and the drive up the volcano from where we’re staying is about 3 hours, so that means getting up waaaay early. Good thing the jet lag will help with that.
Thanks again.
February 6th, 2009 at 4:02 am
I’m a newbie here guys but why is the 20 second exposure required? I don’t understand why the light meter wouldn’t work with a lower f/stop. Of course you want to high f/stop for depth of field but say a f/22 isn’t going to take 20 seconds (i wouldn’t think). Why couldn’t you just put your camera in aperature priority and then set your apperature for something like f/22? The light meter working with the camera should be able to set the shuttery appropriately i would think without any exposure compensation adjustments. Am i wrong?
February 6th, 2009 at 4:19 am
Interesting article although a few things I would add as tips to this article which may be obvious but sometimes often overlooked.
1. Do some homework & take notes. Always wise to check out well renowned photographers who have mastered some awesome images and study them and get to know their styles. Learn from the best and you too will become one. Although some may not give you the time of day some offer awesome advise you could never read in any book. I often visit galleries talking with people & photographers learning valuable information. I don’t think you could ever know too much especially when it comes to photography.
2.) This sounds silly but always makes sure your battery is fully charged & lens/sensor are clean. Don’t know how many shots I’ve missed because of camera issues so I usually carry a spare.
3. I often tend to scout out places & different points of views prior as I like to get different POV when shooting anything. You would be amazed some of the shots I took with a backup camera tromping through the woods and lakes at different POV which makes it more interesting. I found stepping & tripping over rocks/branches & muck pothole at 5 am is no fun.
4. If your camera has a Landscape mode why not try using it? The trick is to experiment & know your camera limitations. I use several lens and cameras but my Focal length varies from 7.4 mm up to 200. mm depending on what I am trying to capture. Most people use a quality L lens between (24-105. mm)
5. Be flexible & think outside the box. I don’t like my shots to be like everyone else’s (unless you are trying to recreate something) so I often try framing my shots creatively through leafs, tree branches or other objects some act as a silhouette. Try to be creative.
6. Because I like details & warm lighting I normally shoot in the lowest ISO my cameras can allow me to shoot (mine is usually 50 or 80). Also depending on the light as it does varies so does your time & shutter speeds. Try to stay within f/4.0.
7. Depending on my location and conditions I sometimes use density filters for some interesting effects. Most important have fun and don’t be afraid to experiment & learn from your mistakes.
February 6th, 2009 at 4:57 am
It’s a long time I’m on this site and this is the first time i wish to add my comments.
I love your wording, it’s really wonderful article :-).
February 6th, 2009 at 6:20 am
Christina, this is a fabulous little article. Clearly written, easy to understand and with a lovely familiar tone. I have taken a note of your name and will definitely read any more of your articles I come across in the future! Thanks, Vic
February 6th, 2009 at 7:50 am
Great article,
May I suggest one other important item to the list?
6. Make sure battery is charged – and so is the spare battery…
I only mention this as it happened to a friend of mine once (cough cough), when he went on morning shooting session with his camera club!
R
February 6th, 2009 at 8:51 am
You mention the use of shutter priority. However, I disagree, and I prefer to use aperture priority.
I normally want to control the aperture, to ensure it’s not too large (resulting in a very small depth of field), or too small, but I prefer to ensure it’s near the lens’ optimum range typically f/8-f/11 for most lenses.
February 6th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Very well written.. Love the narration and representation of fact….A unique style of writing.. wished if all the basic photography books be written like this
LIu
February 6th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Sounds great and I like the little ’story’.
February 6th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
How much depth of field did this particular photo yield? (in terms of f-stop)
February 6th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Nothing like planning a shoot like that and getting there with perfect conditions. Nice image, the fog swirl really sets it apart. Nice that your grandparents are enthusiastic about it too.
February 6th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Christina,
Great photo – but where is the credit to the photographer? If it’s your own, I apologise, but seeing as you’re in Portland, Oregon, USA, and this is a photo of Te Mata Peak, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand (10 minutes drive from where I live), my initial assumption is that it’s not yours. Given that this is a photography blog, giving kudos to the photographer seems only right.
Apologies again if it’s your own, and if it is I’m in awe – it’s a fantastic photo, and many of us locals have been trying to get such a good one for ages :)
February 6th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Thanks for sharing this experience. This article is beautifully written and it read like poetry. I didn’t think of spending early morning for picture (cos I am too lazy) but you have changed my mind!
And the picture is lovely too.
February 6th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
The file size of a RAW photo has nothing to do with the size you can print in. The resolution (and sharpness of the photo in general, depending on the effect you want) is the only determining factor. RAW lets you manipulate it much more, but a JPEG will give you the same resolution and printing power of a RAW, but it will start to degrade if you do much editing to it (ie if you have to push the exposure a lot)
February 6th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Nice narrative and nice pic, will follow ur instructions sometime in future and let you know the results.
Check one of sunrise panorama pics i had taken sometime back
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ankipraveen/1385994475/
February 6th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
What a great way to start the day, nicely written, especially the part about “there has got to be something cooler to shoot”, so many times our best work has been sitting right beside us waiting to be noticed. Well done.
February 6th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
Not trying to sound pedantic or sarcastic, but wouldn’t any grandparents prefer a photo of their children and grandchildren as 50th anniversary gift, instead of a RAW-20-seconds-vignette-stricken-sunrise picture? :)
But since this is an article about sunrise, I have some questions:
- why the vignette in the picture?
- why 20 seconds exposure?
February 6th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Wow, what an inspirational story. I got goosebumps, all DPS articles should be like that :)
February 6th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
awesome writeup. really enjoyed reading it.
February 7th, 2009 at 1:22 am
Beautifully written. Simple and inspiring. Thank you!
February 7th, 2009 at 3:56 am
Kris,
A couple of words of advice about the sunrise at Haleakala volcano.
First and most important, lots of of warm clothing. It is freezing up there in the morning. There is a shelter, but it is crowded with people that wore shorts to the top of the mountain.
Second, allow yourself time in your trip for 2 or 3 attempts. It can easily be too cloudy to see the sunrise until the sun is up. But the drive down is still full of fantastic views.
Finally, find a book called Maui Revealed and do everything in it you have time and inclination for. They have some especially nice tips for waterfalls on the drive to Hana.
February 7th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Thanks Kim for the concern! You were absolutely right! I was in New Zealand this last November and had a marvelous time!
February 7th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Thanks for sharing this! I have been wanting to photograph a great sunrise but yet to…..:)
February 7th, 2009 at 7:30 pm
Oh my god! That’s EXACTLY what I did this morning!!!! To the letter!
I had a shot in mind and went to the location before the sun came up. The light was great and I got the sunrise shot I was after, but then I also got a shot of the light from the sun itself on the landscape and I’m really happy with it!! Only trouble was that there was a strong wind and no matter what I did, the camera bore the brunt of it, so the shots aren’t the sharpest they could be :(
Oh well, there’s always next time!
February 8th, 2009 at 4:30 am
+1 to mike vd. RAW is pointless if your intention is to print larger. It has benefits, but not that one, as printing doesn’t depend on file size. In any case, 99% of folks celebrating 50th anniversaries can’t tell a 100 PPI image from a 300 PPI one, so any modern camera can make a wall-size image without much compromise.
Also, why ISO 100? Most DSLRs show no visible noise until ISO 800. Anything up to ISO 400 should be ok.
February 8th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Nice article.. But different sunrises have distinguished shooting solutions…
February 8th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Another note about RAW. Your white balance setting doesn’t really matter in RAW, you can select the temperature (white balance) in your conversion software (I use Lightroom) later. RAW format saves the original camera data before the white balance is factored in.
February 13th, 2009 at 2:21 am
Excellent post.
I want to go shoot one RIGHT now.
Thanks.
February 14th, 2009 at 11:38 am
TE MATA PEAK? I’m pretty sure thats a photo of Te Mata Peak in Havelock North, Hawkes Bay?
Who’s photo is this?
February 17th, 2009 at 12:16 am
I loved how you presented this neat little lesson in story form. I can relate to all of it. Well done!
February 17th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Well, here I was, minding my own business and reading the digital-photography-school website, but your article on photographing sunrises has motivated me to drive 45-60 minutes to Crown Point (near Troutdale, Oregon on the Columbia river.) I’ve packed my camera and accessories, (along with some snacks and my mp3 player of course) and I am up far too early. According to Yahoo the sun’s coming up at 7:09, so I am headed out the door. Thanks for the loss of sleep, but also for the photos which are sure to result from this venture. I appreciate the article. :)
Sincerely, Thom Graff
August 18th, 2009 at 1:44 am
I thought the white balance didn’t matter in RAW? :S
September 20th, 2009 at 10:33 am
I,m getting the reflection of the sun in my early morning sunrise shots ,how do i stop this?
December 31st, 2009 at 6:58 pm
Nice article. Can I suggest somthing else? I usually use a polarizing filter and it works in this situations.
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