Taking your photos at a slightly different the day – morning or a little later can really help turn your photo into a masterpiece. How can you make the most of a sunset? How do you edit the photos once you’ve returned home?
Plan ahead to chase the sun at the right time
Weather forecast apps will often tell you when the sun sets but photo opportunities won’t always happen in that moment. Get there early if you can. This will also give you the opportunity to scout out the best angles and view!
Expose for the sky
Point your camera in the direction you want to take your photo. Half press on the shutter, this will cause you to focus on the sky. Move your camera down to incorporate the foreground interest.
Create foreground interest
If something isn’t already there, put something there. You could be creative with what you have around you. You could even use an anonymous person to draw the viewers’ eye into the photo.
Approach your edits carefully
There’s so much choice when it comes to editing apps and programs, but they’re all quite similar when you get down to the most basic of their functions. I use Luminar AI, some other great alternatives could be everything from the mobile app Snapseed to Adobe Lightroom.
When editing your sunset photos, it’s crucial to not push the levels too high or you’ll end up making your photos feel unrealistic. The three most important areas you could focus on are:
- Contrast
- Vibrance / saturation
- HDR
Try out some of these tips techniques and see what effects you like the best! Remember that it’s all about trial and error – learning what you like and don’t like before settling on your chosen style of photography. Find out more here.
