20D Sunrise/Sunset tips needed.

[fooznut]

I'm a newbie getting a bit more adept at using the creative zone settings on my new 20D. Bringing the camera with me for a week long trip to Cape Hatteras next week. So, I'm hoping some of you all could provide me with some tips and techniques on shooting sunrise/sunsets - particular metering modes and techniques to get proper exposure. I've also read a lot about using the histograms to check exposure after taking a shot. I'm very new to those, so if someone could tell me what to look for in a histogram for a properly exposed shot it'd be great...

Thanks!

[Keiffer]

I've been doing this lately and normally shoot it in Aperature priority at F11 nice colors but the contrast is a bit too much for my likings and have been thinking of trying the AE lock to try to balance it. I look forward to seeing others opinions.

[Southswede]

Try setting the white balance to the "cloudy" setting.

[cfcRebel]

Normally I use Av mode and set my aperture to f16 or higher for sunset. I have yet to try any sunrise shot. I need a louder alarm clock first. ;)

[fooznut]

Normally I use Av mode and set my aperture to f16 or higher for sunset. I have yet to try any sunrise shot. I need a louder alarm clock first. ;)

how would you meter for that shot? i think i read someplace that you should meter the area adjacent to the sun without the sun in the viewfinder, lock the exposure, recompose and shoot. perhaps somebody could verify that method for me.

[robertwgross]

Standard histogram rules apply.

Also, I would add to watch out for white balance. If your camera is set for auto white balance, then it may very well try to balance out a lot of that warm color in the sky, and that leaves your beautiful sunset looking kind of flat.

---Bob Gross---

[cfcRebel]

how would you meter for that shot? i think i read someplace that you should meter the area adjacent to the sun without the sun in the viewfinder, lock the exposure, recompose and shoot. perhaps somebody could verify that method for me.

I don't know what i did is right or wrong, but i metered the red cloud near the sun. That means the sun was in my viewfinder when metering.

[BrianEE93]

If you want the foreground exposed better, a graduated ND filter is nice.

[Todd Jacobsen]

I'm a newbie getting a bit more adept at using the creative zone settings on my new 20D. Bringing the camera with me for a week long trip to Cape Hatteras next week. So, I'm hoping some of you all could provide me with some tips and techniques on shooting sunrise/sunsets - particular metering modes and techniques to get proper exposure. I've also read a lot about using the histograms to check exposure after taking a shot. I'm very new to those, so if someone could tell me what to look for in a histogram for a properly exposed shot it'd be great...

Thanks!

Recommend multiple bracketing shots and compositing the photo.

In PS CS2, you have the capability of HDR which increases actual DSLR dynamic range. Unfortunately, Canon bracketting only allows 3 exposures vs Ni$on (5) so multiple AEB's would be required for full use of HDR.

Even without CS2 HDR, compositing will provide the best dynamic range to match the actual "viewed" scene.

The key would be to properly expose background in one shot and properly expose the subject in another. Since these two scenarios can be extremes (depending on contrast), taking just two shots may not provide the the dynamic depth you would want. CS2 HDR really enhances this capability and can extend a pictures dynamic range to 14 stops (vs captured 5-6 DSLR limitation).

[BrianEE93]

Recommend multiple bracketing shots and compositing the photo.

In PS CS2, you have the capability of HDR which increases actual DSLR dynamic range. Unfortunately, Canon bracketting only allows 3 exposures vs Ni$on (5) so multiple AEB's would be required for full use of HDR.

Even without CS2 HDR, compositing will provide the best dynamic range to match the actual "viewed" scene.

The key would be to properly expose background in one shot and properly expose the subject in another. Since these two scenarios can be extremes (depending on contrast), taking just two shots may not provide the the dynamic depth you would want. CS2 HDR really enhances this capability and can extend a pictures dynamic range to 14 stops (vs captured 5-6 DSLR limitation).

Todd-Where is that found in CS2? I would like to try that.

[Todd Jacobsen]

The Luminous Landscape website provides multiple ways of getting "more" dynamic range from your DSLR captured scenes.

"Old School" is to do a Blended Exposure
http://luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/blended_exposures.shtml

"New School" is to utilize CS2 HDR capability
http://luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/hdr.shtml

There are probably more tutorials at other locations but these are pretty good explanations of the techniques available.

[gasrocks]

Standard rule for getting any sunrise/sunset exp correct: Spot meter (ok, no spot meter, use partial or smallest pattern you have) the brightest part of the sky. Not the sun itself, not the clouds...brightest part of the sky. Works!

[tim]

Standard rule for getting any sunrise/sunset exp correct: Spot meter (ok, no spot meter, use partial or smallest pattern you have) the brightest part of the sky. Not the sun itself, not the clouds...brightest part of the sky. Works!

That's just was I was about to say. On the 20D use partial metering and exposure lock, then recompose. Unless there's a nice cloud formation or really interesting sky it often makes the photo more interesting if you put something in the forground, either as sillouete, or using flash fill.

[langer]

I would just braket a few stops as well