Summer sunset photography tips

We’ve got some great sunset photography tips that are going to help you snap some high quality images that will look gorgeous printed onto canvas.

Before you even think about taking your lens cap off, take a look through these pointers and make sure you’ve got your planning and preparation sorted.

Find the sunset data

You can use an app or look online to find out the exact time the sun will set at any given location. Do this during your planning so you know when you need to get on site.

Scout out your location beforehand

Take a visit to your shoot location a few days beforehand; be sure to take your time to find a suitable spot to take some well-composed photos.

Finding the perfect spot

The best location for sunset photography is somewhere you can capture the sun as it travels down the horizon. If you’ve found a location which offers this and there’s interest in the foreground as well, jackpot!

Choose your equipment wisely

Here’s a simple kit list of essentials; of course you can add more to this, but this is your bare bones kit:

●    Camera
●    Batteries and spares
●    Memory card and spares
●    Lenses (wide angle as basic, other focal ranges optional)
●    Tripod
●    Lens cleaning cloths

Make time

Be sure to arrive at the shoot with plenty of time to set everything up that you’ll need, plus a little extra, just to be sure. The best shots are often taken before sunset, so arriving an hour to half an hour beforehand is a great rule.

If you can, shoot in RAW format

RAW files are much bigger than the standard JPEG because they capture much more data. This is really useful when taking photographs where there is a lot of extreme light and darkness.

Composition

Having an understanding of the basics of composition is really useful when planning what to include in your frame.

The rule of thirds

In standard photography composition, we use the rule of thirds. Imagine your photograph is split into a nine piece grid of equal rectangles. Important elements of your photograph should sit on the lines of this grid. It’s pleasing to the eye to use this compositional method and we recommend you try it, especially as a beginner.

Leading lines

Another compositional tool we love is called leading lines. This is where an element of the shot leads the viewers’ attention through it somehow. Here are some common subjects which create leading lines:

●    Rivers
●    Pathways
●    Tree trunks
●    Hedgerows

Sunset photography is a gorgeous art form and it’s so much fun getting out there in the summer sun, capturing the natural world – so get out there and get shooting!