Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Before (and after) sunset

I have become real good at capturing sunset shots it seems. Repeated experimentation and trial & error, and here is the result of some of that (I am sure gazillion people used done the same techniques before, but even Christopher Columbus must have been mighty thrilled discovering America when the Vikings had already done so).

1. 1/100s, f8.0, ISO 200, Cloudy White balance


This one is my favorite. Zoom right into the sun in aperture priority with a high aperture and meter for exposure. Cloudy white balance works best just before and after sunset (Sunshine is preferable before that). If the camera has AF lock, keep the focus locked, zoom out and click. Or what I did was switch to manual, increased f but used the camera recommended exposure time. Thats why the photo looks darker than it really was.

2. 0.3s, f6.3, ISO 200, Cloudy White balance


All exactly the same as the previous photo, but metered by zooming into the point where the sun had just set. Of course, reduced light means longer exposure time. (2) was taken 25 minutes after (1) from exactly the same point.


3. 0.4s, f6.3, ISO 200, Tungsten White balance


Taken more than half an hour after sunset. I figured the colour temperature of the late twilight light was similar to tungsten light (I later learned it is not actually) so tried taking this one with tungsten white balance but surprisingly the sea is in a very genuine shade of deep blue, which is what I wanted to capture in the first place.


4. 1/125s, f8.0, ISO 100, Daylight White balance


Nothing special, except that I used high DOF so that the waves, sun and sky were all in focus. I guess this photo should have been taken in ISO 200, lots of time to try that.

PS: All photos were taken in the same place, but at various times of day (and tide)
PPS: As always, no digital modification whatsoever.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

whoa! very cool is the word! And then you crib about your stay there! I say I would trade places any day! And btw hats off to Monkee the cameraperson!

Anonymous said...

Cheap guy, quit encroaching on my domain of sky snaps and go back to photographing long winding roads...

Atulya said...

@ soulitary reaper: Don't go by "Notes from a small town". I ain't cribbing about life here by any stretch!
PS: Who in Legoland may you be?
@ cuplord: I believe you once also claimed that photographing birds was your domain. -> The "bird of prey" series. I rest my case.

Anonymous said...

Basically, all photography that you have learnt has come from humble moi ... thats what i claim

Atulya said...

Make that "very humble". Yes thats what only you "claim".
Anyone who learned photography from you would shoot all subjects ranging from turnips to "The last judgment" in foliage mode!

Anonymous said...

Old Jungle saying :"Once the Global Maxima is found, only fools go looking for the local optima"

Atulya said...

Old jungle sayings apply only to the jungle and the BSE, not to the sophisticated arts.

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