Photographing Sunrises and Sunsets

Sunrises and sunsets may be the easiest photographic subject there is. That’s because they’re everywhere. No matter where you are in the world, there’s going to be a sunrise and a sunset, and pretty much all you have to do is look out a window or step outside at the right time to have a view of it. They usually don’t disappoint. And because they’re always different (just like snowflakes!), it doesn’t get boring to shoot them every day, either for the photographer or the viewer.

I believe it’s hard to take a really bad photo of something so beautiful, so colorful, so photogenic. Any view of the sun coming up or going down is going to be pretty darn good. Of course, some people may say that photos that have an unobstructed view of the sun and the clouds are the “best” or most stunning, but I don’t think the presence of things like street lights, or cars, or the roofs of houses necessarily mean a photo is going to be bad and in fact, having something like that in the photo, whether in silhouette or to add contrast, dimension, or scale, can often add a little extra zing.

This photo using my lens ball is an example of that. I got up early in the morning, and could tell it was going to be a dramatic sunrise, so I hurriedly got my ladder from the garage and set up the shot. So, the street light pole is there, and yes, not having it there would be nice, but this is still a beautiful photo of Mother Nature at her best.

Photos of sunrises and sunsets, remember, don’t even have to have the sun in them to be great photos. The colors that precede and follow the actual sun’s appearance or disappearance can be as photogenic as the sun itself.

My photos of sunrises and sunsets number almost as many as those of my favorite subject, my dog Witherwings. Part of the reason, I’m sure, is accessibility. Just like he’s always around ready to be photographed, each day I have two chances to catch the sun being especially beautiful.

Having so many chances also gives photographers an opportunity to try new and different photographic techniques or styles, because the fear of missing out doesn’t really apply. If you miss it (or mess it up) today, you have another chance tomorrow. You’ll have more opportunities to work on your settings, work on composition, work on your editing skills. As we all know, practice is one of the best things to do to improve in every field.

Granted, if you’re on vacation, or somewhere where you aren’t normally, then there’s a little more pressure to get a good shot of the sunrise or sunset the first time because you don’t have unlimited opportunities, but even that shouldn’t hold you back.

This photo of the sun in the tree was taken at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado. I got up early, snuck out of our cabin so I didn’t wake up my friends, and wandered around in the dark trying to find something that would epitomize this leg of my vacation. I walked around looking for the perfect spot and before I knew it, there was the sun in the tree and the beautiful colors behind it calling me to capture it. I snapped it and am very pleased with the results.

This sunrise (below) caught me by surprise one morning when I was taking my dog to the dog park. It was a weekend (fortunately) and I noticed how gorgeous it was. I was approaching a local high school, and pulled into the parking lot, got out of the car and started snapping photos. (Had it been a school day, I wouldn’t have been allowed in the parking lot.)

What’s harder: getting photos of the sunrise or sunset? For me, it’s sunset. Not because it’s actually harder to take photos of the sunset, but because I’m so “busy” doing things at the end of the day I lose track of time, and don’t realize the sun’s about to set, and by the time I realize it’s getting dark out, it’s too late to do anything about it.

But sometimes, the sunset won’t be ignored, announcing itself so loudly I have to pay attention. This orange sunset was taken from my backyard, no more than 10 steps from my back door. I could see the colors through the window in the living room and couldn’t resist going outside to catch it forever.

What’s the hardest thing about taking photos of the sunrise? Getting up in time to be ready to shoot once the light show begins.

A while ago, an online photographer “friend” commented that one of his tricks when photographing was to turn his back on the actual sunrise or sunset and shoot that scene. I was fascinated by this idea and have used it many times with great results. In that spirit, I took the photo below.

Technically, this (photo below) is neither a sunrise nor a sunset, but a moon set (if that’s the word for it). But I’m including it here because I was outside looking for a good angle on the sunrise that particular morning. If it hadn’t been sunrise the colors and the scene wouldn’t have been so dramatic (and I wouldn’t have been outside with my camera!). This is one time when the sunrise was outdone.

Thanks to endless opportunities to take photos of the sunrise or the sunset, I will continue to take endless photos of the sun rising and setting.