Creative Photography – Shoot the Golden Hour

Great photography is about being a creative photographer!

Be a creative photographer.  Capture some of your best photography moments by shooting the golden hour when the natural light of day casts a soft golden glow.

Photos taken in the middle of the day have to contend with direct and harsh sunlight whereas the light at sunrise and sunset reflects a gentler light, bringing soft golden tones to your subject.

Capture beautiful sunrises and sunsets

My most favourite time to go on a shoot is as the sun is going down.

I love the colours that saturate the skies and the golden glow that reflects on everything.  Daylight and sunset are also the times that wildlife is moving about, so your photos can often capture the unexpected.

[bctt tweet=”Learn your craft and get to know your camera to get the best out of your photography.  Practice, Practice, Practice!” username=”territorymob”]

It’s easy to miss the sunrises and sunsets in our busy lives but if you commit to a change of lifestyle, you will be rewarded with beautiful scenes.

12 great tips to make the most of the golden hour

1. Invest in a tripod

Low light conditions the camera will automatically reduce the shutter speed to allow more light to hit the sensor resulting in in blurred images if the camera moves while taking the shot.

Take the risk out of your shot by using a tripod to steady your camera whilst shooting in low light conditions.

Photo:  This photo was taken in Kakadu’s Yellow Waters billabong with my new Sony A6000.  An early morning cruise for some wildlife spotting gave us a stunning sunrise over the water.  One of the best things about my Sony A6000 is its capacity to function beautifully in low light.

Read more:  Let me show you how to use your Sony a6000

2. Warm soft lighting – naturally

As the sun sinks lower in the sky, the changing golden colours adds warmth and a softer glow to photographs.  The soft golden light draws your eye to the sunlit areas creating a beautiful soft tone in the diminishing light.

Photo: This photo was taken in the late afternoon with the sun going down on the horizon  effectively adding drama to a scene.

3. Tell the story

Even though a sunrise or sunset is beautiful in itself, adding a point of interest in the foreground of your photos will take your images to the next level.  Capture your audience, be sure your photos tell a story.

Photo: This saltwater crocodile was basking in the late afternoon sun.  The golden glow touched the exposed scutes on the crocodile’s back highlighting the texture of his skin.

4. Capture the reflections

If you’re shooting around water at sunrise or sunset, try to capture reflections of the orange colored sky and other objects. This can potentially turn a plain photo into a stunning image due to the added depth of reflections in the water.

Plan your compositions.  Lakes, ponds or even a puddle will work best for reflection photos, however a few ripples on the surface can add a lovely effect.  Watch out for any objects that are reflecting off the water and use them to your advantage.

5. Backlight your subject

Back-lighting means placing a light source behind your subject. This occurs when the sun’s angle falls behind your subject creating a backdrop of light.

This effect is often quite dramatic and has a degree of translucence.  A natural glow occurs when the translucence reflects the strong light leaving the opaque part of the subject, darker.  The subject will appear to glow.  Translucence can come from grass, hair, feathers, leaves and flowers.

Ensure the sun casts light directly onto your subject to get the best effect.

Photo: The sun was setting over Kakadu reflecting a soft golden glow on the grass growing on the rockface.

6. Capture long shadows

An advantage of shooting during golden hour is that the lower sun can result in long and dramatic shadows. Shadows add interest to the foreground of the image and help to create a sense of depth in your photo.

The appearance of long shadows can enhance elements in the photo such as sand dunes or shadows in the rocks.

For best results, shoot directly into the sun and set your exposure point on the ground where the shadows are falling. Shadows add texture and detail to the image giving a sense of volume and depth. Shadows can balance the warm reds and yellows from the sun with their darker colours.

Photo: In this photo a colleague took a sunset camel ride and provided the perfect opportunity. I framed the shot so that the late afternoon sun cast individual shadows from each of the camels as the sun was still high in the sky.