Yesterday I talked about waves – how there is infinite variety in a wave, even when taken from one place in a short time period. Today, I can say the same about sunrises and sunsets. As a photographer, you have to be aware of how quickly light changes. Sometimes, it’s as if you are photographing two different sunsets yet it may be a matter of minutes or less between photos.
I’m a sunset kind of girl. I’m surprised I have as many photos as I do of sunrises because I don’t usually like to be up that early! But if I’m up under duress, sometimes I get lucky. It helps to know where the camera is because I can’t think clearly in the morning. And that’s a photography tip I’ve forgotten to share: keep your camera in the same place so you don’t have to search the house looking for it.
So let’s look at some sunrises. These were taken from the bedroom balcony of my house in Riverlakes.
This one is special. It was an auspicious beginning for President Obama’s inauguration day. I’ve used it for a collage. Flip through the art gallery until you find it. It currently hanging in a show at Metro Galleries where you can see it and even purchase it until Thanksgiving weekend.
Isn’t it amazing to have an orangey-red sunrise and then a pinky-blue one?
The same sunrise but the colors have deepened; also, I zoomed in.
Same cloud pattern so it must have been the same sunrise.
Same sunrise. What a variation in colors! This would explain why I was amazed I’d been up early so many times. I hadn’t!
I do believe we have another sunrise.
Wow! The fourth sunrise. This one is a beauty. And that does it for sunrises. Let’s take a look at the infinite variety of sunsets.
This is Tortuguero, Costa Rica, a small village – almost too small to be called a village – that you can only reach by plane or boat. It’s an amazing jungle.
This is the same sunset, but you can see that I’ve zoomed in. The coulds are forming a different pattern. When I travel I just use one lens – an 18 – 250 telephoto. In fact, that’s the only lens I use anytime. It saves carting lots of lenses around, having to change lenses which gives dust a chance to get on the sensor, and – it saves money. Sensor dust is a real problem with digital SLR.
This is a sunset in Big Sur reflected on the water. If you go back to the art gallery, you’ll see this as well as inauguration sunrise on a canvas. I alternated torn strips of each in an abstract American Flag.
I’ve used this sunset in other blogs, but I’m including it here to show that you don’t have to be out in nature to shoot a gorgeous sunset. This is Shanghai, China. You can see this and other China photos in the China gallery.
This is one of my favorites and I took it right here in Bakersfield on Riverlakes Drive, from my car window, using my Canon Elph. This illustrates some of the introductory items I wrote about in earlier posts – it’s the photographer more than the equipment. By the way, there is an index of former posts if you want to locate one quickly.
This is a sunset in Pismo. I had the camera on a tripod because of the low light, and just happened to be looking through the viewfinder when this bird flew by. I didn’t think – I pushed the shutter. The joys of digital – I didn’t have to worry about the cost of developing and whether it would turn out, etc. etc.
This was sunset the following night. I almost didn’t bother, and in fact the sun had already set. But I couldn’t help myself – I had to take a picture anyhow.
Sunset was just beginning in this picture taken in Shell Beach last year.
Sunset in Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy. How dramatic can it get! Love this.
And this – a little later, same night. I like the way the sun sort of bounces off the water.
Same sunset, same night. See how quickly things change? There are more photos of Italy here.
I like this sunset. I was waiting for a street car in Salt Lake City and I like the industrial look.
Sedona, Arizona. Beautiful. The red rocks are at their best at sunset.
Last, Venice, Italy. Wow. I love Venice.
So this is just a smattering of the variety you can get in color, setting, timing – it’s infinite. And after the sunset, the moon comes out.
script type=”text/javascript”>
