Sunset

[Paul82180]

Having not been long into photography I am still learning all the settings, so dont be too harsh, , Any advice on taking sunset photo's would be appreciated.
Thanks

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[PeterBirder]

Re: Sunset

Hi Paul.
I'm no expert on sunset shots but I've picked up a few tips from other members which have proved useful.
Firstly as a starting point take a few shots with the camera in auto sunset scene mode and see what settings the camera uses. This will give you an idea of where to start from although it may distort the colours from what you see as it boosts the reds and blues to give a more "dramatic" look.
I can see from the EXIF that you have used spot metering and varied the EV quite a lot. Might be worth using matrix metering to get a more balanced exposure.
I think you've captured the actual sunset pretty well but because you were shooting a sunset over a town on rising ground its given you a sunset over a dark centre area with a reflection in the foreground which detracts from the scene.
I think you could improve the shots you have with a bit of post processing and cropping. I hope you don't mind but I've done this using the GIMP to show you what I mean. I cropped to balance the shots, adjusted the midtone contrast to bring up a little detail of the town in the first two and applied a little Unsharp Mask to sharpen. The third shot is very dark below the sunset so I cropped more severely to just leave the skyline of the town as a silhouette.








Hope this is useful.

[Paul82180]

Re: Sunset

Thank you for the reply Peter, I didn't even think of going into the auto scene mode. They do look better cropped especially the 3rd one, once I have learnt what I am actually doing with the e520 I will start learning how to use Gimp, Photoshop ect.

[Guest]

Re: Sunset

I agree with Peter's advice entirely, Paul although I didn't see his edits that are now removed.

[Paul82180]

Re: Sunset

Thanks Mark, I am slowly learning just wish I had more time to go out & about with the camera. Just bought a couple of books by a Bryan Peterson so hopefully they will help me understand the settings even more.
Jumping from a camera on a mobile phone to a DSLR wasn't my brightest idea.

[Phill D]

Re: Sunset

Looks like the PP'd shots have gone but good advice here. I wouldn't worry about your big jump from a mobile phone just think of all the fun you are going to have learning your dslr. If you got the book Understanding Exposure then you have a good learing resource and I'm sure you'll get there. What you were trying to take is quite a difficult shot with a wide range of light levels. For me I'd tend to use spot or centre weighted metering for this type of shot and take several by metering at differing points in turn from the sky to the darker background areas to see which gives the best exposure compromise. This would also give you the option of combining exposures shots in post processing to get a high dynamic range exposure although I've not got that adventurous yet. The other way would be to use a graduated neutral density filter (there are a range of densities and graduations) to reduce the light levels in the sunset so that a more balanced exposure between the sky and foreground can be taken straight from the scene. For your scene I think I'd prefer the last option as that would bring out the nice reflected light on the water without having to do work in post processing.

[OlyPaul]

Re: Sunset

Hi Paul,

I think you pretty much nailed the exposure on the second one, by the way Bryan Peterson's book on exposure is a good buy if you have not already got it.

As I said the second one is a good balance between exposure for the sky and a little detail in the town.

Now here comes the but's ...

1- I would have used a wider focal length settiing on the zoom to include a little more water to balance the sky ( I see you use 73mm) and lessen the amount of silhouette in the image,but this may have included foreground that was not needed.

2- Digital does not have enough dynamic range to do this justice so a little PP would help it a lot.

Here a few adjustments to your first image in Photoshop Elements helps make a difference by adding a little detail to the town while still keeping the exposure correct on the sky and water.



3- And a personal opinion, where a solid silhouette is included in a sunset it needs to have a defining and interesting shape. There is nothing worse and more boring in my opinion then the typical black mass of hedgerow and trees with a sunset above it.

A unusal example perhaps of what I mean but a statue, sculpture or even a solitary lamp post against the evening sky would suffice.



I think you are doing well with your exposure for sunsets, you now need to think about composition and subject more, I hope this helps.

[Paul82180]

Re: Sunset

Thanks Phill, yes it was the understanding exposure book I have bought also the shutter speed one.
Thanks for your comment also Paul, I Tried to get more of the sea in but there was a freight unit waiting to board the ferry in the way or a park & ride bus cant quite remember. My photos were taken from the office so hopefully I can have many more go's at getting sunsets & better ones with the help I have had on here.
I see what you mean as that Giraffe looks great. Thanks

[Phill D]

Re: Sunset

Paul that's a lovely view from your office. If I worked there I'd never get any work done. Any vacancies?

[Chevvyf1]

Re: Sunset

2 is utterly awesome sunset ! maybe perfect with a little more light ! Keep at it all the aforementioned advice is very good !

[Paul82180]

Re: Sunset

Since Rio Tinto left there is not many places to get a job where I live and I not giving my job up anytime soon . Tho it is a great place to live my office is one of only 4 buildings on Salt island. Its a old customs building built in the 1700's and many people who travel to Ireland via Holyhead stop to take a photo of it. Just outside my office is the admiralty arch which is the end of the A5 from London to Holyhead and admiralty pier which is where queen victoria sailed from for her last voyage to Ireland. Unfortunately in the days of terrorsim these are all in a restricted area so the only way they get seen by the public is when there going to Ireland.
I live in Holyhead which is another Island (Holy Island) which is off Anglesey which is another Island so there is plenty of places for me to go with the camera with out having to travel too far

Thanks Chevvyf1