Eden Photographers Club Meeting - Tuesday, July19th @ 7pm EDT

Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Unless you know the secret, there’s a good chance your photos probably didn’t turn out the way you wanted. I certainly have scads of sunset photos that didn’t turn out the way I wanted.

The issue for most people when they photograph a sunrise or sunset is that they focus on the sun and the camera meters the light levels based on the brightness of the sun or the sky immediately around it. Even adhering to the Rule of Thirds won’t help much, because the sky will still be too bright and the rest of the image, even the sky at the edges of the photo, will be unnaturally dark.



I took this photo 13 years ago, and even though I have a hard time remembering a lot of what happened that long ago, I do know that this sunset looked nothing like how it is portrayed in this photo.

Any of you taken a sunrise or sunset photo that looks like this?
07/19/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Not unless an asteroid hits Lake Michigan.
Even then, I'm a good 30 or 40 miles from the lake. But that's a scary thought all the same.
07/19/2011
Contributor: sexyintexas sexyintexas
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Precisely. That's extremely common.
It always bothers me because I see it so pretty and it never comes out.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
I've never gone down while doing more than a few miles an hour, but it took me a few years to heal some of the scars I got while learning, and those weren't even bad in comparison. I know how screwed I am if anything happens while I'm ... more
My husband jousts in full plate armor in Texas heat. I know all about heat stroke. Even just wearing the riding helmet is hot for me. But I always wear one.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Unless you know the secret, there’s a good chance your photos probably didn’t turn out the way you wanted. I certainly have scads of sunset photos that didn’t turn out the way I wanted.

The issue for most people when they photograph a sunrise ... more
A lot of mine either come out completely white or with the sun as a black dot.
07/19/2011
Contributor: sexyintexas sexyintexas
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
I've never gone down while doing more than a few miles an hour, but it took me a few years to heal some of the scars I got while learning, and those weren't even bad in comparison. I know how screwed I am if anything happens while I'm ... more
I've never gone done but I know plenty of people that have.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Part of the reason could be what I'm about to talk about, but the saturation settings on your camera could be set low as well.
I suppose I really should read the manual.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
My husband jousts in full plate armor in Texas heat. I know all about heat stroke. Even just wearing the riding helmet is hot for me. But I always wear one.
I started using the first helmet I bought because while I like the protection of a full face helmet, I like having the open jaw for the breeze. And my head sweats less with that one.

Full plate armor in Texas heat sounds worse than putting on all the motorcycle gear. A lot of riding gear has been designed to breathe or is mesh with armor plates in certain spots you're most likely to fall on. I can't imagine the full plate armor.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
Even then, I'm a good 30 or 40 miles from the lake. But that's a scary thought all the same.
If a big (say, house-size) hits Lake Michigan, the resulting tsunami would be hundreds of feet high. Chicago and its suburbs would essentially cease to exist.

And, yes, Petite Valentine, I'm again being cheery.
07/19/2011
Contributor: sexyintexas sexyintexas
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Unless you know the secret, there’s a good chance your photos probably didn’t turn out the way you wanted. I certainly have scads of sunset photos that didn’t turn out the way I wanted.

The issue for most people when they photograph a sunrise ... more
Yep
07/19/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by sexyintexas
I've never gone done but I know plenty of people that have.
I think the scariest part is that there's almost no walking away from a motorcycle accident. You might not die, but you usually don't get to get up and walk away.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
A lot of mine either come out completely white or with the sun as a black dot.
That's really odd. I can't begin to fathom why the sun would be a black dot.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
If a big (say, house-size) hits Lake Michigan, the resulting tsunami would be hundreds of feet high. Chicago and its suburbs would essentially cease to exist.

And, yes, Petite Valentine, I'm again being cheery.
Thank you for trying to hypothetically destroy me with a tsunami
07/19/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
That's really odd. I can't begin to fathom why the sun would be a black dot.
Those might have been the ones I took on my phone. I'm not sure why either, but it happened.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Unless you know the secret, there’s a good chance your photos probably didn’t turn out the way you wanted. I certainly have scads of sunset photos that didn’t turn out the way I wanted.

The issue for most people when they photograph a sunrise ... more
It's been so long since I even tried to take a picture of a sunrise or sunset that I don't really remember.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
Thank you for trying to hypothetically destroy me with a tsunami
Sure thing! Anyway, tornadoes are clearly a more imminent danger.
07/19/2011
Contributor: sexyintexas sexyintexas
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
I started using the first helmet I bought because while I like the protection of a full face helmet, I like having the open jaw for the breeze. And my head sweats less with that one.

Full plate armor in Texas heat sounds worse than putting ... more
I'm sweating just thinking about it. I know people that wear jackets and chaps in the 100 degree heat ugh...
07/19/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
So, to get a more realistic looking photo, aim your camera 90º from where the sun is and focus on the sky to get the proper exposure. Next, press down your shutter release button halfway (you should hear a beep when you do so) and hold it like that. Now, with your finger continuing to hold the shutter release button down partway, recompose your sunset photo. When the photo is composed the way you want it (don’t forget the Rule of Thirds!), press the shutter release button the rest of the way to take the photo. What you should then have is a perfectly exposed sunrise or sunset photo. Granted, the sun will be blown out, but the photo will look far more natural.



One thing to keep in mind is that although having the sun in a sunrise or sunset photo is something a lot of people like to see, the absolute best colors in the sky come just before sunrise and just after sunset. This period of time has an added advantage of the sun not messing with the exposure of your image, and more of your foreground will be visible.

Did all this make sense?
07/19/2011
Contributor: Wondermom Wondermom
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Unless you know the secret, there’s a good chance your photos probably didn’t turn out the way you wanted. I certainly have scads of sunset photos that didn’t turn out the way I wanted.

The issue for most people when they photograph a sunrise ... more
yup, or the sun shows up with a black dot
07/19/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
Sure thing! Anyway, tornadoes are clearly a more imminent danger.
Funny you mention that because there have been a few tornadoes in my area recently. Fortunately they were only EF1's or EF0's and didn't last long, but still. Closest was about a mile from my house.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
I started using the first helmet I bought because while I like the protection of a full face helmet, I like having the open jaw for the breeze. And my head sweats less with that one.

Full plate armor in Texas heat sounds worse than putting ... more
Everyone has to be really careful about getting overheated. Ground crew is very attentive and quick to rip anyone out of armor who starts showing signs of heat stroke.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
So, to get a more realistic looking photo, aim your camera 90º from where the sun is and focus on the sky to get the proper exposure. Next, press down your shutter release button halfway (you should hear a beep when you do so) and hold it like ... more
By the way, there are other ways to do this, but for beginner photographers, this is probably the easiest, most straightforward way.
07/19/2011
Contributor: sexyintexas sexyintexas
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
So, to get a more realistic looking photo, aim your camera 90º from where the sun is and focus on the sky to get the proper exposure. Next, press down your shutter release button halfway (you should hear a beep when you do so) and hold it like ... more
Oooh thats a lot better!
07/19/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Wondermom
yup, or the sun shows up with a black dot
I think maybe because it's too bright?
07/19/2011
Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
So, to get a more realistic looking photo, aim your camera 90º from where the sun is and focus on the sky to get the proper exposure. Next, press down your shutter release button halfway (you should hear a beep when you do so) and hold it like ... more
Yes, and LOVELY picture.

This question may sound strange, but any suggestions for trying to take a sunrise/sunset photo in less than ideal weather conditions? (Other than don't. )
07/19/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Ivy Wilde
Everyone has to be really careful about getting overheated. Ground crew is very attentive and quick to rip anyone out of armor who starts showing signs of heat stroke.
That's a very good thing that they're around.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Wondermom Wondermom
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
I think the scariest part is that there's almost no walking away from a motorcycle accident. You might not die, but you usually don't get to get up and walk away.
my neighbours daughter crawled away, over a gravel road through a parking lot to a thankfully open bar and her face was badly fractured, needed a trach tube and lots of surgery. Her boyfriend wasn't as lucky, he lost all the skin and muscle on his ankle and got a massive infection from it.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Ivy Wilde Ivy Wilde
Quote:
Originally posted by Vaccinium
So, to get a more realistic looking photo, aim your camera 90º from where the sun is and focus on the sky to get the proper exposure. Next, press down your shutter release button halfway (you should hear a beep when you do so) and hold it like ... more
Yes!
07/19/2011
Contributor: Vaccinium Vaccinium
Quote:
Originally posted by Jul!a
I think maybe because it's too bright?
In that case, I'd think it would be almost white rather than black. But then, different camera technologies might handle extreme brightness differently.

Come to think of it, it's possible that the extreme brightness may have overloaded the camera's sensor, and that could have caused it to be a black dot.
07/19/2011
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
Quote:
Originally posted by Wondermom
my neighbours daughter crawled away, over a gravel road through a parking lot to a thankfully open bar and her face was badly fractured, needed a trach tube and lots of surgery. Her boyfriend wasn't as lucky, he lost all the skin and muscle on ... more
Makes me shudder just thinking about it. That's so sad
07/19/2011