Dusk
with shadows growing, cool breezes picking up, the romance of sunsets and people beginning to unwind
it's a favorite time of day for many, including avid photographers. When putting our minds to great shots at this time, we tend to think of sunset photos and silhouettes, but there are some neat alternatives you can try. One of these is flash photos combined with long exposures to make haunting landscapes full of detail and mystery. Here's how to capture the magic (article continues below photos).
Here are three examples. The last one was contributed by ACD Digital Imaging Blast subscriber Christine Baker of Scottsdale AZ, USA. Click photos for larger examples.
Dig into your gear-bag and grab your tripod. Then, head out to a scenic location in late afternoon so you have time to find a great spot and set up before the best opportunities have past. You may want to think of a spot where there will be an opportunity to capture a compelling landscape without people in it.
Find a spot and set up your tripod and camera - try several angles and locations to see what you like best. For digital camera users, you can shoot these and review them on your LCD screen before making a final decision. Orienting your camera in the general direction of the setting sun will give the most dramatic effect.
Now, as the dusk wanes and darkness gathers in, begin experimenting with flash and exposure settings to find the best combination at the right time. As it gets darker, consider increasing exposure time to capture more detail in the distance. Also, consider using a softer fill flash setting rather than a hard flash to bring out detail in the foreground without making it overpowering. This will especially be the case if there are bright surfaces in the foreground that will wash out easily from overexposure.
Since you will be using longer exposure settings, you will also want to consider using both a remote shutter release cable as well as something to weigh down and stabilize your tripod if there is much of a breeze or camera shake may result.