A Quick Guide to Sunrise & Sunset
Each day on this earth brings about a cycle that we must either take advantage of or ignore. For landscape photographers, the simple truth is that there are only a few times a day, which will always produce dramatic results. The bookends of the daylight cycle are sunrise and sunset. In each case they bring about significant advantages that are as typical as they are dependable. The sunrise and sunset offer even light, unconventional themes, and dramatic color.
The even light of sunrise and sunset comes during two distinct periods before the sun ever appears and after the sun has left our sight. The two periods of “magic light” are nautical twilight and civil twilight. During sunrise, nautical twilight is the period of the day when the environment first becomes visible. The sun is at a position of 12 degrees below the horizon. Although the light appears weak, it is the first visible light from the sun and provides an even light to photograph without harsh shadows and specular highlights. The intensity of the light will continue to grow as the sun reaches 6 degrees below the horizon. At this point civil twilight begins. This is the best time of the day to shoot. Everything around you can be distinguished and with longer exposures, captured dramatically. When the sun does become visible, the sunrise is often over. It can still provide warm directional light for a while; however the color and even light will vanish. During sunsets, the cycle is reversed. Civil twilight begins immediately after the sun drops below the horizon. Often you can still see the color and light play on the clouds. It continues to drop until it is 6 degrees below the horizon. Then, once again, you will find yourself in nautical twilight. The light continues to get weaker and weaker until it is completely dark, except for the light from the stars and moon. The evening’s nautical twilight still provides the same even light to take advantage of as before the sunrise.
During these periods, there is a distinct pattern to the way the light increases/decreases. As you can see in the example from NinePipes, the sun is still above the horizon in the first photograph. There are a couple of minutes before it dropped below the horizon and into the civil twilight period. The second photograph is a great example of the civil twilight period (as well as Serenity). You can see that the sun is below the horizon but the rays are still throwing light onto the clouds. The third
photograph is taken between civil and nautical twilight. The light from the sun is still evident but the intensity is growing weaker. The color from the sunset is still available and with a longer exposure, I was able to capture it. When photographing the sunrise/sunset period you must be careful whether or not to include the sun. If you look through the most dramatic shots during these periods, the majority of the images do not include sun, just the light from it in combination with the color of the period. A viewer’s eyes will automatically go to the point of greatest contrast during a shot. This will often take away from the overall composition of the shot. So if you do include it, make sure to do so in a thoughtful manner. Try a traditional landscape 90-10 composition with a dramatic foreground or another use that uses the element well. Don’t include it because you think you should. Remember, the reason you are there is the even light, the unconventional themes, or the dramatic color.
When I refer to unconventional themes, I am considering some dramatic moments that can happen at the beginning or end of the day. For example, a busy street is often easier to photograph with just a few people walking around at the twilight periods before sunrise. An unconventional view of something like this can provide for an uncommon feel to something many see everyday. An image produced during this period can also mix feelings by photographing something not traditionally thought of as pleasurable, such as a homeless shelter. The use of a soft, warm, colorful light maybe helpful if trying to present the facility during a fundraising function. Instead of a harsh light that could turn people off, the use of an image might draw people in and remind them of the good that is done. However, my favorite use of these twilight periods are the lack of people. I enjoy landscapes without the idea of human contact so these periods are one of the easiest times to avoid them. There are not too many people at the beach getting a tan after the sun is gone. Also, keep in mind, the best way to get great shots that other photographers won’t is to outwork them. The majority of photographers, myself included at times, are just to lazy to get up every morning and arrive on location in time to produce an outstanding image.
The dramatic colors during a sunrise or sunset shot can be produced by several different atmospheric conditions. Luckily as a photographer, I don’t need to know them. The only important thing to know is that the colors will be at there most intense point before the sunrise and after the sunset. In quite a few cases, the color of an image will make the photograph more appealing. Take for example the image “Serenity” taken at Pt. Reyes National Seashore, California. If I set the tripod at the exact same place in the middle of the day, this coastal abstraction wouldn’t be worth the price of the slide it was shot on. However, due to the great color of the day, I think the shot works.
The dramatic color during the twilight periods can be used in several different ways. My favorite ways to use color are either as an element of the composition or to create a mood for the image. To use color as an element of composition, look again at Serenity. Although there are not many objects to view, the photograph feels as if several elements to it. This is created by the layers of color moving into another. Reflections of color on water always help ground the photo or lead a viewer’s eyes into the image. There are numerous ways a color can be used as an elements of composition so study several images that you enjoy the feel and try to decide for yourself how they can be used. Colors are also associated with certain emotions. If you use them wisely, it will strengthen the overall image. A sense of a calm setting can be portrayed with a light or pastel color palette where vibrant colors can express energy. I’ll go into the color/emotion relationship at a different time. You don’t have much time before your next opportunity to capture a great photograph.
