My Sunset Photography Failure

Last week I attempted photographing a beautiful sunset from out in Shepherd, MT.  However, none of the pictures turned out very well.  It was a somewhat spontaneous trip, and I think I missed the best moments of the sunset.  When I got home, I got online to find some tips for sunset/sunrise photography.  Many of those tips relate to what we have talked about in class.

The first thing mentioned being prepared, which I had not been.  Understanding your surroundings and what kind of pictures you want to produce is necessary for making great photographs.  Had I planned better, I may have stood a chance at getting a few decent shots.

The article also mentioned the rule of thirds, something we have talked a lot about in class.  When I found a good spot to photograph from, I was mindful of the rule, but the lighting was no longer what I wanted. 

Another tip we talked about in class was shooting at a variety of exposures.  Because I missed most of the sunset while trying to find a good spot, I didn't really have a chance to play with different exposures.  Next time I will be more prepared and have time to try different exposures.

Overall, most of the shooting tips were ones we talked about in class and I recognized.  However, by not prepping beforehand, I lost my first chance to photograph a beautiful sunset using all those great tips and rules we've learned.  This weekend I'm planning for the sunsets and hopefully will get better pictures this time.

Link: https://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-photograph-sunrises-and-sunsets/