Sunsets!

Now that it's daylight savings time, the sun goes down late enough that I can actually photograph it. And I'm trying to get it right, now that I have a tripod I'm happy with. Here are my first few attempts, taken from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade:

The Empire State Building
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2224/...415b91b6_o.jpg

I wanted to get the sun inside the cloud but I was too late :(
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2403/...f9da2944_o.jpg

Neat light...I actually lost my best shots in this series because of a big lens flare
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2125/...cb31ae55_o.jpg

Last light - this required almost no color correction
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2214/...ae9044e3_o.jpg

Anyone got tips on how to do these better? I had a hard time getting the exposure right...on a lot of my shots, I pointed away from the sun, cropped, and adjusted in Photoshop. I'm also not terribly sure about my composition.

Another question: If somebody's eyes can get damaged from looking into a camera pointed at the sun, I would assume that the digital sensor could get damaged from long-exposure shots aimed at the sun as well. How long could one safely leave a shutter open for?

Usually when pointing the camera directly into the sun, you are going to be around max performace of the camera... In my case it was like 1/4000
sec.
http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/..._wgC45-L-2.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by adam613

Anyone got tips on how to do these better?

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I think you did well.

Knowing what you are looking at.....and playing the way you are right now
with composition and exposure will Teach you what you need... When
you are not sure and HAVE to get the shot, turn on exposure bracketing...
(if you do not know what it is...ask and learn it fast...IT WILL SAVE YOU!)
If you are not sure about the picture Exposure Bracket the shot!

I also now do HDR's of almost all of my night photography, After the sun
goes down, every shot would be bracketed. Look at the very last shot
to see what an HDR sunset looks like.

Here are a few of mine...
http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/..._CCVK6-L-2.jpg

http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/..._2FG4y-L-2.jpg

http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/..._3bf5n-L-2.jpg

http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/..._tirAN-L-2.jpg

http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/..._iqMtq-L-2.jpg


Here is a 3 shot hand held HDR with the camera in High speed mode... the shot were put together with a program called photomatix.
http://www.longislandwallpapers.com/..._9WgnX-L-1.jpg

Yeah, I've been messing around with HDR at night quite a bit...I need to figure out custom white balance on my camera though...I took a series at the Promenade on Monday night and the white balance was way off..I got it right on the +1EV shot, and then copied the setting to the rest of the set (yay Bridge!), but the +1EV shot still came out better.

I should try some sunset HDR shots...I thought about that, but figured I should get my composition right first.

I also need to wait until later in the year...at this time of year, the sun is way south of the skyline. Or I need to find a better location. :)

Thanks for the advice...

I did an evening of sunset shots over the winter, and I meant to get out and do it again (with +/- 2 stop bracketing instead of +/- 1) but never did. Here are a couple of the shots:
http://photos.pgengler.net/photos/20..._9665_9666.jpg

http://photos.pgengler.net/photos/20..._9824_9825.jpg

http://photos.pgengler.net/photos/20..._9965_9966.jpg

http://photos.pgengler.net/photos/20..._9977_9978.jpg

Phil, that looks like an awesome spot...where was it? Jersey City?

It's from Hoboken, at the train station, down near the light rail station. I think that technically, that part of it might be part of Jersey City, but that's just splitting hairs.

those are great, i love how still the water is around the pylons. i've tried and failed to get good sunsets on my own, i usually just don't have my camera with me when i can get a good shot. this is one is my favorite though have it framed and hanging in the hallway at home:

http://i120.photobucket.com/albums/o...-03-06copy.jpg

i'm taking my camera with me to cali on wednesday. i know a day trp sounds crazy but that's all i have time for. we'll see what comes out of it...

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2026/...d4365dbc_o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikescu...7605215187996/

http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/sunset547_800.jpg

http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/sky_sun_1_032306.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phil D.

http://www.nycaviation.com/hosting/sunset547_800.jpg

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HOLY CRAP PHIL, that shot is awesome!!! I love how you see the LGA tower. Soon that skyline will change forever....... :borat:

The skyline of Cincinnati @ sunset...as seen from the Kentucky side of the Ohio River.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b2...t_081208cr.jpg

They are great :)

Here is one of mine

http://concorde35mm.110mb.com/Wheel-sunset-1-w.jpg

http://concorde35mm.110mb.com/Wheel-sunset-1-w.jpg

That's great, Jetinder. Which bridge did you shoot that from?

Hi GothamSpotter

Thanks :)

I took the photo from Waterloo bridge in central London, its only 5-10 min walk from Temple, Embankment or Waterloo tube stations.

Mines not a typical shot but anyway...
http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z...gma/mas073.jpg

Here's another one of mine

http://concorde35mm.110mb.com/Thames...ch03-3-A-w.jpg

http://concorde35mm.110mb.com/Thames...ch03-3-A-w.jpg

Just shot on 8/23 from Caldwell airport in NJ (KCDW)....

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/...e007ddae_o.jpg

Also, check out my other photography at www.flickr.com/photos/mikescuderi

Here's another one of Concorde, a few mins after sunset

http://concorde35mm.110mb.com/Scan10105-w.jpg


http://concorde35mm.110mb.com/Scan10105-w.jpg

Port Jefferson Harbor - Tuesday Aug 26, 2008

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3025/...697df471_o.jpg

A new one from work...


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3292/...8c7f1e5428.jpg

threeholer, I love the rivet shot!!

Sunset in November:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...ller/009-8.jpg
NYC sunset:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...roller/297.jpg

Got a few from the past

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/169/4...4c14e228_o.jpg
April 22, 2007 PHL

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/162/4...a6bca56a_o.jpg
March 9, 2007 PHL

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/113/3...b7b373fc_o.jpg
November 24, 2006 - Deleware Rive by PHL

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2168/...a9957224_o.jpg
April 18, 2008 PHL

Paul

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3171/...e15ec843_o.jpg

Seattle

Sunsets approaching Seattle including Mt Ranier

http://www.tavustheman.com/images/MtRanierSunset.jpg
http://www.tavustheman.com/images/SeattleSunset.jpg

All those photos are breath taking :)

Bayswater sunset on July 07:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u...oller/121x.jpg

Morgan Park, Glen Cove

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/3...14_ougEU-L.jpg

http://moose135.smugmug.com/photos/3...55_ZfMpX-L.jpg

Look at my sunset shots I took back in July


http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...r/IMG_0731.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...r/IMG_0727.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...r/IMG_0700.jpg
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...r/IMG_0738.jpg

Plus the DL 141 incident here
http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o...IMG_0946-1.jpg

My first shot on JP, 2 years ago - Oct 2006
http://images2.jetphotos.net/img/1/6...1183325716.jpg

Sept 2007
http://images2.jetphotos.net/img/2/4...1196066744.jpg

April 2008
http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../5/1402565.jpg