# Sunset settings



## SoccerMomma (Sep 20, 2006)

What settings work best for y'all when photographing sunsets, especially over the water. I shoot a Canon 7 D.


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## SoccerMomma (Sep 20, 2006)

I need help...how do I delete one of these. Somehow it posted twice.


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## Formula4Fish (Apr 24, 2007)

SoccerMomma said:


> What settings work best for y'all when photographing sunsets, especially over the water. I shoot a Canon 7 D.


I would definately shoot it on a tripod, and would probably use Aperture Priority mode to control my depth of field. Tripod is indicated because sunsets are typically lower light levels, thus slower shutter speeds.

Manual focus at infinity should be safe, or autofocus on something that is distant would probably work.

If I wanted a shallow depth of field I would shoot it at f/4.0 or f/5.6. For a deeper depth of field I would try to go to f/22 or more. In this case "more" means bigger f/number, smaller aperture.

I would use whatever ISO setting I need to try and keep my shutter speed over 1/60 sec or thereabouts. If my shutter speed were slower than that, I would think about using a remote shutter release.

I would use exposure compensation in 1/3 increments, taking 6 shots to overexpose it 2 f/stops, one with no compensation, and 6 shots to underexpose it 2 f/stops. When I get them uploaded and look at them on the computer, I generally find I like one of them better than the others.

Then I would wait a minute or so, and take 13 more shots. I would repeat that, every minute or two, until the colors in the clouds turn grey. The session might last 15 or 20 minutes, and I might have to sort through a couple hundred shots later. If I have a couple that make me say "WOW", those are the ones that I was looking for.

If you get any "WOW" shots, we'd like to see them 

Dick


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## SoccerMomma (Sep 20, 2006)

Thanks for your advice. I am going to NY next week and know I'll have a few opportunities for some beautiful sunset shots. Just wanted to be prepared! I've tried already and was just hoping for a "magic" formula


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## SoccerMomma (Sep 20, 2006)

*Here's one I took the last time.*

I sat up on the lifeguard stand at the beach and got this one. Actually, I used the stand as my tripod and laid on it.:camera:


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