Sunset

Sunset is one of the most beautiful moment to capture with your camera. Here is a warning, for this you have to do planning. You might have to ask local about good sunset points and exact timing. If you are are on hectic tour plan , then keep your rest time for one hour during the sunset. Remember, the sky remains beautiful even after sunset for some time. So just don't leave when sunset is over, and hang around for some time to get some great shots from around. The sunset hue is awesome and you can really get some great pictures in the hue.

Lets start with sunset hue. But before we even jump in this area , let me give you some tips which I use to get sunset pics. Increase your white balance to maximum and set the camera to aperture mode. Use a tripod as the camera shutter will remain open for longer as light will be low. The aperture should be minimum as much possible in your camera settings.

Cairo, Egypt.

This is a picture I took from the hill of Cairo. There was a person who suggested me this location. He drove us this point in haze so that we did miss the sunset. But the most amazing shot was not of the sunset but about 20 minutes before the sunset.

Toronto Tower, Canada.

This picture is from Niagara Falls. The sun had set over the Canada side but the hue in the sky was amazing.

Rock Formation In Sahara, Egypt.

 In Sahara desert sunset is amazing , but check this picture out where the sun hid behind a fantastic pattern of clouds before sunset.









If you do not believe me then try your self. Use the camera setting tips I have given above and you will not fails. Remember that focusing will be an issue , but focus on edges. For example where the sea meets with the sky, any rock formation edges, building edges.


The following are the pictures of sunset in Sahara Dessert.

Sunset at Sahara, Egypt.

The following is the sunset on Lake Eire, US.

Lake Eire, US.

The most amazing sunset I was able to shoot was in Alexandria , Egypt.

Alexandria , Egypt

Flowers

Flowers are one of the most interesting subject of photography that you can select. Just go to some park or remaining in your garden you will have lots of opportunity to experiment with your camera.

To shoot flowers it better to be equipped with at least 200 mm lens. The light condition is very critical and you must place your camera in an angle where you will have uniform light spread.

The focal length is 200 mm and aperture is wide open to have  a high depth of field F/5.6. Well you can control the shutter speed , but I decided to use Aperture mode and let camera do the work.

I need to control the Depth Of Field here so I opted for Aperture mode.

Now to have many flowers in frame , it is necessary to decrease the depth of field. But notice the change in angle of the photograph. I needed to come down to level of flower bed but making the roses in center again makes the picture dull. So the position is just over the level line. But the important thing to know what you want to capture , then click few pictures around the position you have decided. Sometimes you will amazed how an angle you did not think of made the most sense suddenly.

  In this something for which you will need a SLR. This kind of picture is amazingly simple. Select a bright colored flower. Ensure that sufficient light is present over the flower. Then reduce your ISO to minimum ( for me 100 ) and increase the shutter speed to maximum. Now , you need to be in shutter mode obviously.

The high shutter speed will cut the ambient lights. But if sufficient light is not present on the flower it will darken your flower too. This is the moment where you have to pay quality to get the desired effect. You will have to increase the ISO by a small level. Then repeat this still you get the desired effect.

 

Reflections

If something that comes to mind while outdoor photography is using reflection to provide a great deal of impact to your photographs. Where ever you find reflecting surface you can think of reflecting ideas. Now , think about it, what about reflection is so attractive. Its the symmetry which makes these pictures so lovely. You have to focus on getting the body , which is being reflected , and the reflection in same amount in your frame.

Capitol , USA.

This is one of the pictures I took in Washington DC. I do not like much because I don't have whole monument in my frame. Its because the water source to reflect the building was limiting my angle. I had to keep my camera on floor ( which I hate to do ) to have what ever I have.




Now for this you don't even need DSLRs to get these output. But obviously you cannot crib about the picture quality then.

Musse Du Louvre, France.

Well, I did not want to show this piece of reflection and run away. If you are reading this you are spending time. I value time. Now , while I was in Paris I was fortunate enough to photograph Musee Du Louvre. The ambiance of a spring night here is something I cannot even begin to describe , but that is for my travel blog if I am able to write someday.

Lake Eibsee, Germany.

Lakes, on a clear sky day , can provide you amazing reflections. Just keep an eye for it. But again compose your frame to highlight the symmetry in your photograph. This one is in Germany. There is a place near Berlin where I took this picture.













The scope with reflection is unlimited. The picture below is from Lake in El Fayoum. It is in Egypt about one hour drive from Cairo. The building being reflected by water provides an amazing picture. Without reflection there is nothing much to say in this picture.

El Fayoum Oasis, Egypt.