Nature Photography How To

When all else fails and there's "nothing to shoot" it's time to do out and photograph the sunset. These warm, romantic scenes are favorites among photographers of all genres, and this tutorial from the B&C Camera YouTube channel reveals the best camera setting to use for achieving beautiful results.

Our instructor named Raph says, "I've never met a person who doesn't love sunsets; however it can be tricky when choosing which camera settings to use." He also notes that unless you're an experienced pro you may encounter a few obstacles when properly configuring the camera.

In less than six minutes Raph explains the camera settings he prefers, noting that these should be used as a starting point for most situations before experimenting on your own. That's because, depending upon the specific situation, "trial-and-error is the best way to get perfect pictures."

In addition to helping you set up the camera, Raph also provides several shooting tips and tricks for increasing your odds of success. As a general rule he recommends shooting in manual mode. Raph typically begins at ISO 100, and then modifies this setting depending upon the position of the sun in the sky.

Raph recommends using a shutter speed of 1/30 or longer, and he starts with an aperture of f/16 that he then opens up as necessary for a correct exposure. When it comes to gear, he says a very wide-lens in the range of 18-24mm is typically the best choice for capturing these expansive scenes, and he recommends using manual focus for consistent results.

Contrary to what you may have, Raph suggests choosing the Daylight White Balance setting, and, of course, a sturdy tripod helps prevent camera when shooting at slow shutter speeds. Raph always shoots in Raw so he can make all the necessary adjustments during post processing to achieve an image that looks just what he saw through the viewfinder.

Raph make the following observation that's important to understand: "As the sun drops lower in the sky, the foreground of a scene will pick up more shadows than you may like." He goes into far greater detail than in our quick summary so be sure to watch until the end.

Along the way you'll pick up some great compositional tips, learn when and how to use a bit of supplemental light, and see Raph's straightforward method for shooting enchanting portraits as the sun is about to set. There are more helpful lessons to be found by paying a visit to the B&C Camera YouTube channel.

We also suggest watching a tutorial we posted earlier from another experienced pro who explains seven of his secrets for capturing stunning landscape photos.