How to Capture a Sunrise Photo

Many photographers enjoy a good sunrise photo. Sunrise shots are the most captured photo in the world. There is something surreal and peaceful about the image that intrigues photographers and viewers. Amateur photographers may have tried and failed to capture a truly great shot, creating the impression that a sunrise is a "hit-and-miss" image to capture, but this is completely false. As a matter of fact, if you use the right form and technique, you can capture a great sunrise shot every time.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Digital camera
• Tripod (optional)

1. Scout for the right location. This step is actually more technical and complicated than it may seem. The trick is to plan ahead for the perfect shot. Look for a rural or urban area that is void of tall buildings and other objects that can block the shot. Travel to the area a couple of times before setting up the shoot to make sure that it is the right fit for what you want. Also, check sunrise times online or from a weather forecast (see Resources below).

2. Set the white balance (WB). Not just any WB setting will work, and this is the biggest mistake some photographers make. When the sun rises, it changes the temperature of the outside light. The additional warmth from the sun causes the WB to change too. Some cameras have a "sunset" preset already built in. If your camera has this preset, use it. If not, choose the "daylight" setting. For RAW image format, you can set the white balance in the photo editing software instead.

3. Set the composition. Landscape format is the popular choice, and it works. It is also a little predictable. The portrait format offers the same great shot, plus adds a little spontaneity and versatility. As far as centering the shot, try it with the sun off-centering. You can also have the sun in the center of the shot, as this is the popular position, but off-centering is more contemporary and it may enhance the photo.

4. Adjust the exposure. Try underexposing the shot for a photo with more richly vibrant colors. Set the exposure setting between -1 and -2 stops.

5. Focus the frame so that it is not pointing directly at the sun. Try to concentrate on another object in the foreground or other areas of the frame. Keep the sun as the background. This will give the appearance that the sunrise enhances your photo and is not just the main subject in it. Plus, it is unnatural for people to look directly into the sun.

6. Start capturing the photos just before the sun rises. Some of the most beautiful photos come just before the sun has risen, when Mother Nature has supplied some of the richest colors. Take a few shots before and after so you can see the difference in colors on different frames.

7. Take the shot as the sun breaks the horizon. This is your perfect sunrise shot.

Resources

• Find the sunset time for your area.

[bookmarkm]

on 5/12/2009 To quote my Friend:"I tried shooting a time-lapse video of the sunset yesterday with my dinky little Nikon Coolpix digital camera and it actually came out pretty good, except the sun itself was a blown out white mass. I had wanted to see the disk of the sun but maybe the camera isn't sensitive enough. I thought you might have an idea of what I might try using as a filter, or if I just need a more sensitive camera (e.g., a real video camera) with a higher dynamic range."Thanks for any help.