Sunset - please c&c

[c_armsworthy]

I've gotten pretty interested in learning to shoot sunrises and sunsets, despite my camera's rather obnoxious insistence that it isn't going to work properly in low or dramatic light. So, I've fiddled with settings and such and hopefully have figured it out.

One of the hardest things, composition wise, is find a shot that is more than just the horizon with a lot of pretty colours. This was my latest attempt. There wasn't as much water laying on the marsh as I would have liked, nor was the sunset that dramatic, but I'd still like your thoughts on the attempt, ad any advice you might have.

 

[ianm]

nice shot mate

 

[nossie]

Well since you just "fiddled" with the settings I think you'll benefit from reading Understanding Exposure for a start. It's heavily endorsed by the people on this site.

 

[c_armsworthy]

Sorry for any confusion, but fiddled with settings didn't mean I randomly started pushing buttons. It meant I played with a few exposure and ISO settings till I foudn one that I felt work.

 

[iflynething]

Overall it's an ok shot but the horizon is a little bit crooked and that's just my OCD kicking in.

~Michael~

 

[GeorgeUK]

Great colours in the sunset.

Was wondering whether there was any way of bringing the marsh out more in the photo?

 

[Rabieshund]

Consider getting a grad ND filter. It darkens the sky so that you can expose long enough to get some nice foreground as well. Check out Cokin's and Singh-ray's filters. I'm pretty sure it was a beautiful sunset though! They can be pretty hard to capture.

 

[photo_guy]

I really like the colors of the sunset. But I do agree the foreground is a little dark.

 

[ernie]

Consider getting a grad ND filter. It darkens the sky so that you can expose long enough to get some nice foreground as well. Check out Cokin's and Singh-ray's filters. I'm pretty sure it was a beautiful sunset though! They can be pretty hard to capture.

or take two pictures - one with foreground bright and one with sky bright - and merge them in photoshop. wouldn't that work just as good?

 

[c_armsworthy]

I did have this photo as well, which has the lighter foreground, but I was so disappointed with losing the drama of the sky that I discarded it. Would you expect the foreground to be lighter still? I thought the darkened foreground might add to the effect of the colours on the water more, but I'm always willing to change my mind

Thanks for the advice about filters. I don't have a DSLR (yet - still saving), but I'll see if my camera might have something comparable I could pick up.