Photo by Pixabay

Is there really bad sunset photos?  Yes, some of them are snapshots taken from someone’s back yard, or someone with no composition experience.  

With the post, I want to go over what makes a good sunset.  And I’m going to use sunset photos that I think should not be used on a regular artistic blog post like this.  

First of all, let’s take care of this:

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Photo by brittany

I hate to say anything bad about Brittany’s photo here, but there is 2 things about this I don’t like.  

1-  I actually like a sunset photo with grass or trees in the foreground.  What I want to tell you is that sunsets come in a variety of colors, and intensities of colors.  This photo was taken about 1 to 2 minutes too early, when the colors get richer and more beautiful with richer colors. 

2-  What part of the ocean or lake on this great earth where the horizon is crooked.  If this was a for real photo, I would worry about the lake or ocean emptying in to another part of the world.  Please watch your horizons and make sure they are straight.

Photo by Bella  White 

This photo has some real potential.  But the horizon is right down the middle:  50% sky, 50% ocean.  And the colors are good here too.  But in about 30 seconds to 1 minute, those clouds there are going to be more than amazing!  So, I would take another photo and put 2/3 of the sky in the photo, while giving the ocean 1/3.  But then I bet the photographer may say:  “I like it just like that”.  Ok, it’s not so bad that I would throw it out.  Just trying to help.

Photo by Pixabay

This is what happens if you have good clouds in the sky and the sun is partially set.  That is when the sunset is the best.  You really don’t want to see the whole sun.  I always pray there is some clouds in the sky when it looks like we are going to have a beautiful sunset.

Photo by Pixabay

Although the sunset part of this photo is not that rich in color, the amazing part of this whole photo is catching the sunset while you still can get some blue sky. It is fun to take a lot of sunset photos and even get some different colors in it, like this.

Photo by Lanny Cottrell Photography

You know some of my favorite photos are not really sunset photos but “twilight” photos, where the sun has really gone down to the point of having very little orange or pink in the sky, but now the twilight colors of blue in them.  And to get some child playing in the water by the pier, or some other subject only adds to the composition in a photo.

Photo by Bob Ward

Subjects in the foreground, or other ways to get an incredible sunset.  This is amazing timing on this photo.  The lights on the cars just starting to show, and the sun is this color because of smog or fog.  This kind of lighting can only happen up to an hour before sunset and have that kind of weather conditions.  Try it sometime.  When you see a sunset coming and it’s foggy, get ready to snap some photos.

Photo by Jill Wellington

Horizon line down low, and  your girlfriend /wife in front of the sun, PERFECT, and highly recommended.

Photo by Ian Beckley

Here is the sun, catching the fog again, like the photo above.  For is by far one of my favorite times to take photos.

Photo by Johannes Plenio

This is my winning photo of the day.  Let’s explain how this was taken so you know if  you can do this as well:   Notice this time the water is still, obviously not on the shoreline (no waves to work with), the sun is just starting to set, and there is just a few clouds out on the horizon, which also reflect on the water, and it makes it look like there is no difference between the water and the sky.  And the people in the boat are off center a bit, which makes it so much better.  WOW!!  That is one good photo.

Today’s blog was a freebie, and I wanted to let you know that this blog was done on my website:  Patreon and shared also on 123PhotoGo.  There are a few blogs per week now that will require a subscription to see some of the blogs.  So if you don’t want to miss a thing, then make sure  you sign up now to become a Patron .  You won’t regret it.