6 pro tips to shoot a stunning sunset

Here are some tips to photograph a sunset with a standard DSLR camera:

1. Forget the manual mode. Make it simple: use the "Aperture Priority" mode and adjust the aperture to f/8 which is a safe value to get the whole scene in focus.
2. Select a low ISO value from 100 to 200. Higher ISO values are unnecessary since you face the sun. Select a higher ISO if you need need higher speed values.
3. In "Aperture Priority" mode, the camera will adjust the shutter speed itself. Generally speaking, the shutter speed shall not be less than 1/60 sec to avoid blurry shots. If this is the case, gain speed by increasing ISO.
4. You don't need a tripod. You will have enough light to photograph the sunset handheld but check your shutter speed and keep it above 1/60 sec or higher if you zoom in.
5. The most important point: OVEREXPOSE. Facing the sun, the camera will be fooled by so much light and will automatically underexpose. You must balance by overexposing intentionally. Use the exposure compensation dial to overexpose by 1 or 2 stops (check your manual).
6. Oops! Too late, you took too long to adjust your camera and the sun is down. Persist and practice. Try again tomorrow. :)

Want more? Read an extended version of this article on my blog:

12 STEPS TO SHOOT A STUNNING SUNSET

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