Sunset photos don't have to be taken in rural or beautiful manicured settings to be good photos.
I work in the city, and I often get home after dark; so in order to fill my quota of a photo-a-day, I've often taken photos of the sun setting in the city.
Photos taken at sunset tend to have the most punch when the sun is below the height of something. It could be a building or even just the top of a lamppost.
Just like other landscape photos, there are a few principles that need to be followed to get the best results every time.
1. Think in thirds, the horizon should not be in the middle of the photo.
2. There should be something of interest that draws your eye away from the sun to something else in the photo.
3. Don't use the flash, and make the shutter speed slower to draw in as much light as possible. This is especially true when the sun is below the horizon already. If you don't have a DSLR, or you're uncomfortable with the manual settings, most cameras have a twilight setting (it normally looks like a moon) that will provide the same effect.
The trick to using that setting, or lengthening your shutter speed; is to use a tripod, or rest your camera on something steady. This is required because the camera will take the photo at a much slower speed, so it'll pick up any shaking or movement much more easily.
I used the edge of a balcony to get the following shot, as I'd left my tripod at home.
So, next time you're in the city when the sun is setting, take your camera out and have some fun.
Jeanette is a South African working mother of 2 very busy boys. She's been taking a photograph every day since June 2007 and you can watch her skills improve at Photography by Jeanette.
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