Do you love photographing sunsets, or perhaps just enjoying their vibrant colors before nightfall? Sunsets are some of the most beautiful events on our planet, don’t you agree? The colors can be so vivid, and each evening in a different unique pattern. Sometimes various colors can seem like brush strokes painted there deliberately for effect. Sunsets give you reason for pause. In fact, the saying “Stop and smell the roses” can be replaced with “Stop and enjoy the sunset!” However, what can be frustrating is trying to capture them in a photograph, especially if you are using your smartphone! Today we talk a little about the science behind sunsets, and how to catch their striking beauty in a photograph.

Does Dust in the Atmosphere Cause Sunsets?

Although you may have learned that the more dust in the atmosphere the more beautiful the sunset, that is not actually true. If the beauty of a sunset was due to the dust and pollution in the air, then big, polluted cities would be known for their sunsets. The fact is that brilliant sunsets can be found everywhere, but are most notable in the tropics and in the deserts. Why? Because clean air is actually better for producing vivid sunsets.

The Science

If you are not “science-minded,” then this may mean nothing to you, but it is interesting none the less. Sunlight consists of a spectrum of colors: blue and violet on one end, red and orange on the other, and other colors in between. These colors become more noticeable to the human eye the longer the path of the sun. So, when the sun is overhead, nada, but when the sun sets, color! That is why both sunsets and sunrises are colorful.

Tips for Photographing Sunsets

• Shoot at a variety of focal lengths.
• Shoot at a variety of exposures.
• Avoid white balance mode: When your camera is set to ‘auto’ it is in white balance mode which can cause you to lose the warm golden tones of a sunrise or sunset. Shooting in ‘cloudy’ or ‘shade’ can produce much better results.
• Get there early, stay there late: The sunset changes constantly so snapping several pictures before, during, and after can produce some interesting results.

ABOUT YOUR DALLAS, TX, PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER:

Doug Davis has been producing professional, engaging videos and product, food, and lifestyle photography from his Dallas, TX, studio for more than 20 years. D-Squared Studios is located at 4312 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas, 75226. Contact our office at (214) 746-6336 or email Doug at doug.davis@d2studios.net.