Get set up for time blending
FIND OUT HOW TO SHOOT FOR A TIME BLEND AND CAPTURE THE BEST LIGHT THROUGHOUT DUSK
Check your angles 1
Before heading out, consider the position of the sun and where it’s likely to set, as it’ll give you a better idea of which parts of the scene will be illuminated by the horizontal evening light of the setting sun. An app like The Photographer’s Ephemeris is ideal for this.
Time it right 2
Find out what time the sun will be setting using a weather app. This will determine when to arrive and how long you’ll need to hang around. We set up a couple of hours before sunset, then stayed a half-hour beyond it. Throughout this time, the light and clouds changed dramatically.
Experiment with 3 compositions
Upon arrival, walk around taking hand-held shots of the scene in order to seek out the best composition. Once decided, you’ll have to live with your choice for the rest of the evening. Here the winding path creates a natural leading line towards the tower.
Pick a spot 4
Our camera needs to stay perfectly still for an hour, perhaps even two, so a tripod is a must. You’ll want to set up somewhere that will not get in the way of passers-by or other photographers, especially in a popular location like Broadway Tower here. We chose a spot off the path.
Wait and shoot 5
After setting up the tripod and camera, all that’s left to do is wait. Keep an eye on the scene and sky, and fire off frames when the sun comes out, or when sunset colours appear in the clouds. You might want to bring a camping chair and a few snacks to tide you over.
Frame out the sun 6
The most vibrant part of the sunset sky is usually around where the sun is setting, so it’s tempting to frame up to include this. But for time blending, a side-on angle to the sunlight can be a better option, as the blend will look more natural if the sun is not in the frame. Here it’s just out of shot on the left.