Tip of the Day: Sunsets, How to Get the Light to be Just Right!

Sunsets are a magical time when the sky is filled with brilliantly glowing bands of multi-colored light. The light is beautiful, and all subjects below the split of the horizon are enhanced under this glow. However, capturing sunsets with a camera is complicated, due the dynamic changes in the lighting across the scene. To make your shooting easier, learn to use the meter on your camera, and if you are shooting with a more than a basic digital point-and-shoot camera, or an SLR, you will no doubt have an "Exposure Lock" button, which will in many cases have an Asterisk [*] icon representing it. Point the camera away from the sun, as it will cause the camera to under-expose the photo. Press the Exposure Lock button while looking at a fairly neutral part of the scene. Remember, the camera measues light through the lens, so where you look is where the camera is going to look. After you pressed the "Exposure Lock" button, recompose the shot, and take the picture.