I'm always up for a sunset (though it's occasionally cloudy), but rarely a sunrise. I'm curious, which do you think is better? Is there a difference when photographing one over the other? Besides the obvious difference of the sun coming up and the sun going down, does one take longer or allow more time to get a good shot.
I always loved sunsets but I can never get a good shot of one, mostly because of my location. I should theoretically be in another town to get a good view. But I do get the perfect view of the sunrise just outside my apartment:
There actually is a difference between many sunrises and sunsets. It has to do with particles in the air, which is what gives the sky its rich color. Most of the time there are more particles in the atmosphere in the evening than in the morning so sunsets will often be more colorful. Of course, that's just a general rule of thumb as on any given day the atmosphere will be different than the next.
To expand on what @marubozo said, it's all about temperatures. And by this I mean atmosphere and color temperatures.
In the mornings, the atmosphere is colder and thus creates a more blue-hued effect along the horizon. Sunrises tend to shift toward the blue end of the spectrum, especially if you arrive about 30 minutes before sunrise (recommended).
In the events, the atmosphere has been warmed throughout the day and so the setting sun will shift toward the red end of the spectrum. That's why you'll see brilliant red/orange sunsets in the evenings. However, if you linger around about 30 minutes after sunset you will notice the sky to the west shifting toward blue because everything is cooling down.
So, typically, it works like this:
30 mins before sunrise: Sky to the east is blue, to the west is still very dark
Sunrise: Sky to the east begins to warm, shifting toward red, for about 30 minutes
30 mins after sunrise: Sky to the east is now orange/red
30 mins before sunset: Sky to the west is orange/red, sky to the east is getting dark
Sunset: Sky to the west begins to cool, shifting toward blue, for about 30 minutes
30 mins after sunset: Sky to the west is now blue
Also, don't forget to look behind you! While the sunset is obviously a sight to behold, you may be shocked what you see if you look back to the east. If you look back just after the sun has finally set you'll often see the earth's shadow rising in the east, which is usually a deep blue or purple that mixes with the lingering warm orange, pink, or red of the actual sunset.
@jeancarl Where I am, Belfast is in a valley, a subtle but massive one, the skanky pollution makes for beautiful summer sunsets because of the haze, winter the sunrises tend to win because they hit everything at just the right angle for almost two hours, usually about the time I'm getting home from work... Though summar gets the odd beautiful sunrises on the weekends... Seems whatever hobbies the world has helps...
@katiegc24 Gotta love gig photography... When you're traipsing in at 5-8AM with a pile of money in your pocket, a set of shots you're wildly pleased with and back from an afterparty with the band it's hard to beat...
@killerjackalope - Good point. Gigs are awesome.. I've never really been involved in photographing them, more sound teching etc. That does sound like a good night though :P
I LOVE sunrises and sunsets! Lately, though, I've been at work during BOTH... I love winter, except the going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark.
Here are a few of mine...
sorry so many... they are one of my favorite things to photograph, because no one looks like another! (believe it or not, I didn't post all of the ones in my project! ;)
@katiegc24 Ach all the techs too, depends on the outlook, during the summer gigs work was so steady I was sleeping roughly 8am-1pm, food, edits, uploads, food and back out to shoot another... Can't even lie, loved every second of it...
@katiegc24 Done both, did lights for people and teching is nice, set it and forget it but photography beats it for me, shooting any night as it goes tends to be amazing, also after too many bands making sure I got free drinks for the night I think my photos improved, probably down to learning to do things on autopilot and also because it's way harder to anticipate them when both you and the front man are too pissed to see... Though I am enjoying the january lull, you get some freedom with the photos you don't during a night where the place is packed...
@killerjackalope - Ooohh.. set it and forget it? I like that.. but entirely not true for me! Currently all of my sound engineering is for a Keyboard Orchestra (yes they exist) made up of about 20 kids playing keyboards.. the sound is awesome, when I get it right. The pieces they play are usually crazy arrangements of stuff, where the tune gets passed around all the different sections, and solos etc.. having to remember 20 names, numbers, which channel they are plugged into on the mixing desk and then which part they are playing and when.. and remembering to set the volume correctly in time is no mean feat I can tell you!! And sometimes I am called upon to sing at the same time!!! :P
It must be easier to get good shots when there are fewer people there.. and the free drinks thing sounds awesome! :D
@katiegc24 When it's just lighting it's easier, with sound I've only ever worked with up to ten channels at a time, usually OK because it's only balancing volume as songs and musicians swap over...
20 sounds like tough work, if you've got the full size soundboard in front of you it might be worth arranging them so the input lines are in order and sticking postits or the thinner page marking ones in front of each line with a name on it, they don't mark or anything, little more set up vs. more effort during...
Admittedly it's easier to get better composed shots but when you're knocking people out of the way for a shot you always seem to end up with more energetic ones. The free drinks are great but god, always be prepared for it - first time that one happened the barman was putting me down for drinks constantly, pints are fine but the band had got me in on the tequila ceremony before each gig, the guy was making me drink a shot with every pint...
@killerjackalope - I have some tape I use.. to be honest though it's less trouble just to learn it all. And it's not just 20 keyboards.. there can be anywhere between 2 and 5 vocal mics being used at a time.. and then I have to balance that all against live drums.. all whilst being sat behind the main speakers, or off to one side.. with no monitors. The things we do eh? :P
Yeah I can see where you're coming from, and energetic is best when you're photographing a gig, right? That sounds fairly epic.. shots are the best though! Admittedly I actually am a bit of a pint-chugging kinda gal.. but shots are great fun :D Not that I know, being only 17 of course.. not a clue about that stuff. ;) I'm sure I'll find out in a couple of months :P
@katiegc24 Ah, you need some hammerjack headphones, pair of ear protectors with earbuds inside, used to use them when I was tyre fitting...
Oh of course, being a sensible girl and whatnot... Yeah but every time you pick up your pint glass there another shot waiting, does ya damage by the end of the night, though last week Kaz had me doing jagerbombs between shooting, that was fine but because it's in the bar I do some work for I'm already being given random drinks... Wait when I say fine it's amazing I remembered to bring the camera home...
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In the mornings, the atmosphere is colder and thus creates a more blue-hued effect along the horizon. Sunrises tend to shift toward the blue end of the spectrum, especially if you arrive about 30 minutes before sunrise (recommended).
In the events, the atmosphere has been warmed throughout the day and so the setting sun will shift toward the red end of the spectrum. That's why you'll see brilliant red/orange sunsets in the evenings. However, if you linger around about 30 minutes after sunset you will notice the sky to the west shifting toward blue because everything is cooling down.
So, typically, it works like this:
30 mins before sunrise: Sky to the east is blue, to the west is still very dark
Sunrise: Sky to the east begins to warm, shifting toward red, for about 30 minutes
30 mins after sunrise: Sky to the east is now orange/red
30 mins before sunset: Sky to the west is orange/red, sky to the east is getting dark
Sunset: Sky to the west begins to cool, shifting toward blue, for about 30 minutes
30 mins after sunset: Sky to the west is now blue
I also love how the sky turns golden just before a sunset on a semi-cloudy day. Not quite orange or red, but a beautiful gold and blue.
Pretty much the only alright time I've gotten an okay view.
Sunset -
Also - I am now singing "Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler On The Roof...
@indiannie_jones @thuitt Living on the west coast, I just went for the sunsets. Line of sight is also a factor.
@marubozo I have looked to the east, while taking a 365 photo this month, and have seen that. But then I get distracted and look back to the west. ;-)
Now I'm tempted to wake up early and check it out. Thanks everyone.
Here are a few of mine...
sorry so many... they are one of my favorite things to photograph, because no one looks like another! (believe it or not, I didn't post all of the ones in my project! ;)
It must be easier to get good shots when there are fewer people there.. and the free drinks thing sounds awesome! :D
20 sounds like tough work, if you've got the full size soundboard in front of you it might be worth arranging them so the input lines are in order and sticking postits or the thinner page marking ones in front of each line with a name on it, they don't mark or anything, little more set up vs. more effort during...
Admittedly it's easier to get better composed shots but when you're knocking people out of the way for a shot you always seem to end up with more energetic ones. The free drinks are great but god, always be prepared for it - first time that one happened the barman was putting me down for drinks constantly, pints are fine but the band had got me in on the tequila ceremony before each gig, the guy was making me drink a shot with every pint...
Yeah I can see where you're coming from, and energetic is best when you're photographing a gig, right? That sounds fairly epic.. shots are the best though! Admittedly I actually am a bit of a pint-chugging kinda gal.. but shots are great fun :D Not that I know, being only 17 of course.. not a clue about that stuff. ;) I'm sure I'll find out in a couple of months :P
Oh of course, being a sensible girl and whatnot... Yeah but every time you pick up your pint glass there another shot waiting, does ya damage by the end of the night, though last week Kaz had me doing jagerbombs between shooting, that was fine but because it's in the bar I do some work for I'm already being given random drinks... Wait when I say fine it's amazing I remembered to bring the camera home...
I vote sunrise when cloudy, and sunset otherwise.
Oh, and I started a Facebook album for my sunsets. :)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=96492&id=1559642610&l=1c3bfc0a6c