Shooting the sunset

Shooting at Sunset

We're back at the first location, and it's time to create the image we pre-visualised and set up earlier on in the day.

In My Kit

• Camera
• 24-70mm lens
• Tripod
• Neutral density graduated filter
• Cable release

In This Lesson You'll Learn To:

• bracket your exposure
• identify shots that may work well when combined together in post-production, a process called 'comping'
• use a higher F stop to get front to back sharpness

Recommended Previous Lessons:

• the exposure triangle
• understanding cameras and lenses
• using exposure creatively

Using Your Settings

Ensuring your neutral density filter is clean and in the correct position is key, especially when shooting a sunset. To achieve front-to-back sharpness, I'm shooting at F/16 with an ISO 64 and shutter speed of 1/15. A longer exposure will help to smooth out the appearance of the water. My focus point is the Rotunda.

Bracketing

Bracketing involves taking the same image at a range of exposures from dark to light. Start with the darker end, and go for two stops under your correct exposure, then one stop; take a shot at your correct exposure and then one stop past this for the lighter end.

This is useful when it comes to processing, as you may need to blend a few different exposures together. However, the neutral density graduated filter should hopefully negate the need for this.

Don't forget to review your images as you go, and to check the histograms. In reviewing your images, you might find a few frames you particularly like, but may discover a need to take a different exposure to blend them with. For example, there might be a shot with beautifully dramatic shadows but too much flare. In this instance, you can take a softer exposure, and blend the two in processing.