How to shot image during sunset?

[topsword]

I am using Nikon F-80 and have try to take pictures during sunsent with a figure. I mean shooting the picture directly to the sun without any filter or flash. it looks OK while taking it. But the outcome showed that the human image is dark. Pls help me!

 

[dlc]

Your meter is reading the sun and causing your subject to be a silhouette(sp). You can use fill flash to light your subject and leave your aperature the same for the metered sun.

 

[metroshane]

you're essentially backlighting the subject...which will always make it appear dark. Try reflecting some of the light back onto the subject.

 

[tr0gd0o0r]

I don't know about you, but personally I don't really have access to fill lights and such, so if you are in the same boat as me here, I have a trick that might work. Try getting really close to your subject to make sure the meter is metering off of your submect. Make sur the subject isn't completely filling the frame though. and then back up and take your picture at those meter settings.

 

[sinha_punit]

The best way to get the background sun and the human figure properly lighted is to do the following
1. Meter the blue sky just above, to the right or to the left of the sun, make sure the sun does not come in the frame while metering,
2. Calculate the aperture by the formula
Aperture = Guide Number of flash / Distance of subject(human)
3. For this aperture set the shutter speed according to the meter reading above. if you find that you need a shutter speed greater than the sync speed, try using a ND filter.
4. Shoot the picture. While the aperture and the shutter combination will expose the background properly, the duration of the flash, which is controlled by the camera body and the in built TTL meter, will expose the foreground too.

Happy photography

 

[e_]

 
...a good 'text book' solution from sinha

To improve on that, set the flash 1 to 2 f-stops *less* than the camera. This will provide a fill flash affect and more natural result (as suggested by dlc)

Should your flash allow it, try using "A" instead of "M" as sinha suggests (an advanced flash will be required, not all models give full control over the aperture setting)

If you don't have an ND filter, simply close down the camera's aperture until the shutter's sync speed (and a 'correct' exposure) is arrived at - remember to adjust your flash accordingly

Personally, i prefer the option suggested by metroshane: reflecting light back onto the subject gives me a pleasant, satisfying result



e_

EDIT: (a clarification) ... my reference to setting the flash 1 to 2 f-stops less than the camera is an area of confusion for many people

To illustrate:

Say, for example, that metering the scene calls for an aperture of f-11 on the camera

To effect 1 to 2 f-stops *less* on the flash means the flash setting will be either f-8 (less 1 stop) or f-5.6 (less 2 stops)

Yes, it's confusing - but that's photography!