On the first day of my photo workshops, I often joke: “You can sleep when you’re dead.” And yes, I say it with a smile. 🌞 My idea is to encourage the workshop students to participate in all the activities, from sunrise to sunset – including the mid-day photo processing sessions.
With sunrises and sunsets in mind this summer season, here are five quick tips to help your golden hour photos shine — literally and creatively. To illustrate my tips, I’ll use some favorite photographs that I have taken on my worldwide travels – always trusting my memories/photographs to Delkin Devices memory cards.
- Sunrise: Get to your spot 30–45 minutes before sunrise. That magical blue hour light can be better than the sunrise itself, as illustrated in this photograph.
- Sunset: Don’t pack up too soon! Stay at least 30 minutes after the sun dips. That’s when the sky may wild with color.
- Add depth and drama with something in the foreground — a rock, tree, silhouette, person, or a flock of snow geese.
- A foreground element puts the viewer in the scene.
- Expose for the brightest part of the sky (the sun here) so your highlights aren’t washed out.
- Want that cool sunburst effect? Set your lens to f/22 and let the sun peek from behind something — the motel’s sign here.
- Clean your lens first. A speck of dust at f/22 becomes a big blob in your photo.
- Never look directly into the sun — not through sunglasses, not through your camera’s optical viewfinder. Trust me, your retinas will thank you when you are my age!
- Download apps like PhotoPills or The Photographer’s Ephemeris to scout the best sunrise/sunset times and sun positions. These apps can are essential accessories when I travel.
Award-winning photographer and Delkin ImageMaker Rick Sammon has authored 43 books and recorded more than 50 online classes on KelbyOne.
His motto: Make photography fun, creative, exciting, and rewarding.
Rick considers himself an “evolving” photographer who embraces the A-to-Z approach — doing it all without being boxed in.
With 50+ years behind the lens, Rick’s still chasing the light and loving every minute. As he puts it: “When you are through changing, you are through.”
Visit: www.ricksammon.com
Contact: ricksammon@me.com
