Sunrises and sunsets are among the most popular scenes when shooing in the field, but many photographers are disappointed with their results. These misfires often occur because some shooters don’t understand how to take advantage of this soft, warm, and beautiful light. We’re going to fix that today with a five-step guide from the Yorkshire Photo Walks YouTube channel.
Instructor Tom Marsh is a successful British landscape pro whose tutorials all have a common theme; namely, to “help you become a more thoughtful and confident photographer. So if you struggle to capture captivating images when the sun is near the horizon, Marsh’s five simple tips will change all that in a hurry.
In his behind-the scenes episode at the stunning Yorkshire Dales you’ll watch Marsh photograph the iconic Norton Tower—a ruin dating back to 1540 that is thought to have been a hunting lodge. The good news about this form of photography is that the sun rises and sets every day— so there’s plenty of opportunities to practice todays great advice.
The first tip is one you’ve likely heard before, but it definitely bears repeating: “Location. Location. Location.” Marsh explains what to look for at a destination while waiting for Golden Hour and he puts it like this: “I like to think of my sunrises and sunsets as the background in my scene. Therefore it’s my job (and yours) to find something interesting to place between the background and the camera.”
This is a much different and me affective approach that just photographing the landscape as the sun peaks above or drops below the horizon. Compelling elements can be natural, like an interesting tree or impressive pile of boulders, or man-made objects like buildings (or in this case the Norton Tower.
You’ll also learn the benefit of shooting from an elevated vantage point, as well as several ways to frame a scene to accentuate both the midrange element and the warm, glowing background to perfection. Marsh also reveals two popular apps that enable you to quickly determine the precise position and trajectory of the sun at any point in time
We’ve barely scratched the surface to far and there is plenty more great advice, including how to deal with different types of weather and skies, the best way to position a key element with regard to the horizon, and the key camera settings and gear that Marsh recommends
Bottom line: Don’t be satisfied with the same-old-same-old sunrise/sunset photos when you are capable of so much more. The Yorkshire Photo Walks channel is full of helpful lessons like this one, so be sure to pay a visit when you have time to explore.
And on a related note, don’t miss a recent tutorial we featured with a straightforward Lightroom technique that will transform dull daylight landscape photos into attention-grabbing images with a realistic sunset appearance,
Professional landscape photographers are known for carrying a wide array of filters in sizes to fit the lenses they use most. These range from those designed to enhance color, remove reflections, and add a soft glow and other special effects. Then there’s a collection of ND filters in various strengths, and a few graduated and split-tone filters to round out the expensive assortment.
But what if you’re new to shooting landscapes and don’t want to deal with the complexity and cost of some of the more exotic filters, but still would like to give your images a boost? This quick tutorial narrows down the choice to the powerful and easy-to-use polarizer that photographer Jalen Oban says is the “the most important lens filter you should have in your camera bag right now.”
In barely seven minutes you’ll learn how polarizers work, when and why you should use one, and how they can transform good photographs into great ones with a simple twist of their rotating front ring. You’ll also learn why the old school “linear polarizer” is not want you want and why a modern “circular polarizer is the one to get
Polarizers work their magic by reducing glare and reflections from surfaces like water, glass and other shiny non-metallic subjects. They’re also very useful for darkening pale blue skies and increasing saturation of foliage that exhibits glare from the sun.
So how do these affordable filters accomplish these enhancements? Oban puts it like this: “A polarizer works by allowing light waves vibrating in a certain directions to pass through the lens, while blocking light waves vibrating in other directions.” In addition to the benefits mentioned above, the polarizer can greatly improve image contrast.
You’ll see the result through the viewfinder in real time as you rotate the filter’s front ring before pressing the shutter button, which raises an important point: its rarely effective to take things to the max by eliminating all reflections. That’s because doing so often makes images appear flat and lifeless.
Much the same occurs if you go overboard darkening a sky. In other words, your goal should be a realistic look. Oban walks you through the proper technique for getting the job done, and he provides before/after examples that illustrate everything you’ll learn.
Oban’s instructional YouTube channel is a great source of other landscape photography tips, techniques, and post-processing methods, so be sure to pay a visit.
And don’t miss the tutorial we posted last week in which another accomplished landscape photographer explains how to choose the optimum ISO setting for various conditions while reducing noise and maximizing sharpness when shooting in low light.
