Signs it's going to be a good sunset?

macs

macs

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Rich
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I'm new to this photography thing and i'm really wanting to take some good sunset shots as i know a few locations local-ish that i think would make for a got composition and atmosphere but I don't want to go if it's going to be a bit of a let down when i get there.

Can anyone give me some tips on signs to look for during the day that will suggest it's going to be a half decent sunset for photographing?

Any tips or signs people can suggest will be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance.

Macs
 
Download the Photographer's Ephemeris at http://photoephemeris.com/

Not only does it give you sunrise/set times and direction etc, but if you zoom out you'll see that the lines indicating sunrise/set and moonrise/set come to an end. This is the point at which the sun will appear or dissapear over the horizon. Check the weather forecasts between you and that point and you can get an indication of how good a sunset it will be
 
J.D. said:
Download the Photographer's Ephemeris at http://photoephemeris.com/

Not only does it give you sunrise/set times and direction etc, but if you zoom out you'll see that the lines indicating sunrise/set and moonrise/set come to an end. This is the point at which the sun will appear or dissapear over the horizon. Check the weather forecasts between you and that point and you can get an indication of how good a sunset it will be
Click to expand...

What am I looking for in the forecast? Amount of sun at time of sunset? Cloud cover? Anything?
 
I'd look for amount and type of cloud cover and any rain between you and that point. Its not a definitive guide but it can save a wasted trip if you know theres rain/heavy cloud between you and where the sun crosses the horizon.
 
You tend to get a feel for it the more you do, I'd been after a decent sunset a couple of weeks ago but was foiled three nights running by thick grey cloud. On the fourth night it looked set for the same again but I just had a feeling it would change so went out anyway, when I got where I was going it was still grey but with 20 minutes till sunset suddenly the clouds parted enough and the colours came through.

Check out TPE, google streetview and flickr for your location and you'll get lucky. Don't forget also that if you're shooting into the sunset you'll have a lot of dynamic range between the foreground and sky so you'll need to either filter the sky (reverse ND grads are ideal for sunsets), blend images (either HDR or layermasks in photoshop) or just accept that your foreground will block out to a silhouette.
 
Keep your eye on the wind and clouds. Ideally you want a clear horizon with light puffs of cloud between you and the horizon. Clear days give boring sunsets, Stormy days can work, but they tend to be very last minute affairs that you just have to take a chance on!
 
A sunset with a cloud free sky can be spectacular but generally some cloud, I think, makes for potentially a better shot.

If the day has been poor but the forecast is for it to clear by sunset, then you could get some good conditions.

Using TPE and the relevant OS map won't help with the weather but they will be very useful in helping you select locations, there will probably be some very close to you that will mean that if you have a wasted journey, it is not too long.

On what looks like a good day try to be at the location about 30-45 mins before sunset and hope for the best. I've lost count of the number of what I thought were potentially good sunsets that have just fizzled out and
great sunsets I've missed by arriving too late, but also the number of stunningly brilliant ones I've seen.

Dave
 
Regarding colours, there is no guarantee of having a lovely sunset. generally, days without rain (which moves dust to ground level) tend to be better, as does light patchy cloud (gives some interest).

Avoid fully overcast days, and days where it has been raining all day in the distance.
 
the ideal conditions can be very fleeting so the important thing is to be there and set up for when it happens. My approach is to go out and work with what I find the conditions to be.
Different conditions can change what you shoot and how. Overcast skies may mean having to produce shots with a stronger compositional element, a clear sky can produce long shadows as the sun sets and silhouettes could be the main focus. Learning to make use of different conditions and sceneries would be more beneficial and better for your photography than waiting for the perfect conditions to appear.
 
I have been trying to work it out for a few years and it is still very much hit and miss. It is best to look out of the window a couple hours before. Passing away storm can potentially yield most dramatic results, yet is most likely to leave you wet and dissapointed.
 
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