Nature Photography: Five Tips For Great Sunset Photos
Sunsets and sunrises are an inpirational subject for any photographer. In fact, a good sunset photo is often the reason many people become interested in nature photography. You don't need to have a great camera or professional training; almost anyone with a camera can take great sunset photos.
The great news is, good sunset photos are surprisingly easy to take. In my gallery, I don't actually display many sunset photographs. You see, they are hard to sell, because almost everybody has a few great sunsets they have photographed themselves. Rather than buy mine, they are more likely to grab their camera and show me the picture they took the night before!
As a result, I am often asked to evaluate sunset photos by amateur photographers (occupational hazard for a nature photographer!), and I have learned to quickly identify where most people go wrong. It is not hard to expose a sunset photo; in many cases you can leave your camera on auto and it will do the work for you. The trouble people have is in making an interesting composition. It is not good enough just to photograph a good sky. The real challenge lies in turning a spectacular sky into a compelling photograph.
Here are my five tips for taking great sunset (and sunrise) photos.
Sunset Photography Tip #1. Learn to predict a good sunset before it happens. Have you ever seen a perfect sky, only to realise you didn't have your camera handy? In the five minutes it takes to get your camera and set up for the photo, the moment has passed. As brilliant as a sunset can be, the effect may last for only a few minutes, so you need to be able to choose your location, set up your camera, and be waiting for the show to start.
Sunset Photography Tip #2. Be patient to get the best colours. The few minutes as the sun is crossing the horizon can be spectacular, but it is not the whole story of a sunset. As the sinking sun lights the clouds from below, often the richest colours can appear up to half an hour later. By this time it will be getting quite dark, so be prepared with your tripod. You may be shooting exposures of half a second or more to bring out the best in your sunset photograph.
Sunset Photography Tip #3. Find a good foreground subject. This may be the most important tip of all. Time after time people show me their sunset photos, and all I can think is "Great sky...pity you didn't make a better photo out of it." We have all seen and photographed spectacular skies, so that alone is not enough to create your work of art. Try to identify some object that stands well above the horizon (trees, windmills, buildings, power-lines) and has a shape that will create a good silhouette. It doesn't have to fill up your picture. In fact, it may only take up a small area - that will only make the sky seem even more impressive. The important thing is to give your picture a focal point, so that your viewer has something more interesting to look at than just a great sky.
Think back to my tip #1. To get a great photo you need to be prepared in advance, so scout your location for a good foreground well before the razzle-dazzle gets underway.
Sunset Photography Tip #4. Fill your photo with colour. You have probably heard of the 'rule of thirds' in landscape photography. In simple terms this rule suggests your horizon should be a third of the way from the top, or from the bottom, of your photo to create a balanced composition. The trouble is, when you are photographing into the sunset, everything in the foreground will be in silhouette. This means if you follow the rule of thirds, a big part of your composition will be totally black. This is one situation where you can ignore the rule of thirds. By allowing your sky to dominate the composition, you fill your picture with colour and draw even more attention to the richness of the sunset.
Sunset Photography Tip #5. If near water, use it to enhance the effect. People often see a sunset at the beach, or by a river, and stand a long way back to get their shot. This approach fails to take advantage of the reflections on the water, so instead of a rich foreground there will be too much empty black space.
Get right down to the water's edge or to the wet sand on the beach. By capturing the reflections, your foreground will echo the colour of the sky. Not only will your photo be more colourful, but you will start to spot opportunities for much more interesting compositions.
So there you have my simple tips on sunset photography. Notice that I have concentrated on creativity, not technology. As I said at the beginning, exposing a good sunset photo is not difficult; the challenge is to make your photo stand out from the rest. Like all good nature photography, your sensitivity to nature is far more important than technical expertise. Allow nature to inspire you, think creatively, and great results are sure to follow. Good luck!
fantasy world in photography nature landscapes
Selling Your Photography: Choosing A Stock Agency
For photographers wanting to get into the stock photography business, it is important to look closely at any agency that you are thinking of submitting work to. Choosing the agency that is right for you could be the difference between success and failure.
The market
It is important to look at the type of work an agency has in its library. Make sure the subject matter matches the type of work you do. Particularly if it is a specialist library. A little research and you should also be able to find out the type of clients they supply. One way of doing this is to make a list of various publications where you would like to see your photos and check the credits for agency names. Then working backwards, research the agency from there. Many agencies have strong relationships with particular clients and because of this this clients will automatically return to this agency automatically every time they need to license an image. Establishing yourself with the right agency for your marketplace could mean that your work becomes seen regularly where you want it to be seen.
Style
As well as looking closely at the subject matter held by agencies, look at the style of images and the image of the library itself. Is the stock bold and colorful? Modern and experimental? Editorial or commercial? Or do the images have a more classic feel. Stock agencies can be picky about who they work with. If your work differs too much from what an agency has in their library and what they know they can sell, it isn't likely they will want to work with you. This doesn't mean there is anything wrong with your work, you just haven't found the right business partner yet. Fortunately there are hundreds of agencies, and one to suit all styles.
The contract
Once you find an agency you want to work with, make sure you read the contract carefully. Know exactly what you're getting into. Some key points to look at are the commission structure. What percentage of each sale do you get compared with the agency? Also check the submission requirements. Some agencies require a certain number of submissions per year, others have no restrictions. Make sure you can keep up with your end of the bargain before you sign a contract. It is also a good idea to find out if and how you can terminate a contract if things don't work out. Because despite all our best efforts, some things just don't go to plan.
Reputation
If you do enough research on the stock photography industry, you will come to learn which agencies are known for professionalism in customer service and looking after their contributors and which aren't. Choosing an agency is choosing a business partner. To build a successful partnership, both parties need to be looking out for each other. Don't get stuck with an agency that promises and demands much but delivers very little.
The stock photography industry is a difficult and competitive one. Like all careers, your success or failure depends on the decisions you make. Choosing the right agency is a giant step forward in being successful in selling stock photography
For photographers wanting to get into the stock photography business, it is important to look closely at any agency that you are thinking of submitting work to. Choosing the agency that is right for you could be the difference between success and failure.
The market
It is important to look at the type of work an agency has in its library. Make sure the subject matter matches the type of work you do. Particularly if it is a specialist library. A little research and you should also be able to find out the type of clients they supply. One way of doing this is to make a list of various publications where you would like to see your photos and check the credits for agency names. Then working backwards, research the agency from there. Many agencies have strong relationships with particular clients and because of this this clients will automatically return to this agency automatically every time they need to license an image. Establishing yourself with the right agency for your marketplace could mean that your work becomes seen regularly where you want it to be seen.
Style
As well as looking closely at the subject matter held by agencies, look at the style of images and the image of the library itself. Is the stock bold and colorful? Modern and experimental? Editorial or commercial? Or do the images have a more classic feel. Stock agencies can be picky about who they work with. If your work differs too much from what an agency has in their library and what they know they can sell, it isn't likely they will want to work with you. This doesn't mean there is anything wrong with your work, you just haven't found the right business partner yet. Fortunately there are hundreds of agencies, and one to suit all styles.
The contract
Once you find an agency you want to work with, make sure you read the contract carefully. Know exactly what you're getting into. Some key points to look at are the commission structure. What percentage of each sale do you get compared with the agency? Also check the submission requirements. Some agencies require a certain number of submissions per year, others have no restrictions. Make sure you can keep up with your end of the bargain before you sign a contract. It is also a good idea to find out if and how you can terminate a contract if things don't work out. Because despite all our best efforts, some things just don't go to plan.
Reputation
If you do enough research on the stock photography industry, you will come to learn which agencies are known for professionalism in customer service and looking after their contributors and which aren't. Choosing an agency is choosing a business partner. To build a successful partnership, both parties need to be looking out for each other. Don't get stuck with an agency that promises and demands much but delivers very little.
The stock photography industry is a difficult and competitive one. Like all careers, your success or failure depends on the decisions you make. Choosing the right agency is a giant step forward in being successful in selling stock photography
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