Photography Tutorial: How to Photograph a Sunset

Learn the basics of taking photographs of sunsets with Nico Ferreyra

Sunsets are a popular photo subject, but low lighting, a short time window, and their wide range of colors can make them difficult to capture.

In the video below, photographer Nico Ferreyra (@nicoferreyra6) guides us through how to prepare, plan for, and shoot photographs of sunsets that are unique and visually striking.

6 Key Tips for Photographing Sunsets

1. Research your location ahead of time

Because you only have a short time window to capture the sunset, preparation is important. When picking a location, think about what direction the sun will set in, and what view that will highlight.

2. Arrive early

Arrive at your location with plenty of time to set up. Decide what lens you'll use, if you need to set up a tripod or stabilize your camera on another surface, and figure out how you'd like to frame your shot.

3. Focus on the sky

Set the exposure so that you can capture all of the brilliant hues that appear in the sky during the sunset. In doing this, it's possible that the lower part of your photo, where the landscape is, will appear dark - don't worry since this is an area you can brighten later with a bit of photo editing.

4. Technical considerations

Set your camera to a low ISO, and use the smallest aperture possible (an f/stop of 11 works well). Whenever possible you should also shoot in RAW, which will give you more freedom and flexibility when editing the image later.

5. Be creative with lighting

Try to see if you can capture an interesting silhouette or play with backlighting to create an image that's more unique.

6. Be patient and enjoy the moment

Don't forget to enjoy the sunset. By preparing ahead of time, you'll be able to relax more and appreciate the process.

If you enjoyed these tips and would like to learn more about how to take stunning photographs in various settings, you can discover more in the course 'Introduction to Travel Photography' by Nico Ferreyra.

You may also be interested in:

- Photography Lighting for Portraits Out of the Studio, a course by Rodrigo Chapa Torres
- Introduction to Night Photography, a course by Adrián Melo
- Photography as an Expressive and Artistic Means, a course by Gerardo Montiel Klint