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Thread: Predicting Beautiful Sunsets,Sunrises,Other? Weather? Times? Direction?

  1. #1

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    Jul 2010
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    537

    Predicting Beautiful Sunsets,Sunrises,Other? Weather? Times? Direction?

    It would be great if anyone has advice on which factors to look for when trying to capture the best possible (most vivid/saturated/intense/unusual/eye-catching light).

    For example...

    What to look for in the night before weather forecast?
    Which direction to shoot and at what time?
    How to predict the light?
    Which factors make intense vivid sky/land landscape light?
    etc..

    Thank you in advance.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jan 2009
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    Re: Predicting Beautiful Sunsets,Sunrises,Other? Weather? Times? Direction?

    There's an App for iPhone etc, which also works on the web, called Clear Sky Chart (A. Danko is author), which covers part of the equation. I think it is free.

  3. #3

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    Jul 2010
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    Re: Predicting Beautiful Sunsets,Sunrises,Other? Weather? Times? Direction?

    I am currently trying to figure out the Stockholm's skies and "sweet light". Most of the time it seems a very uniform gloomy whiteout in the skies, which seems to block all the mornings sun rays and accompanying dawn/dusk colors. Am I missing something? Perhaps the right time, respective shooting direction? Or a creative filter?

    Also are there particular angles from the standard sunrise/set that should display
    Most brilliant colors?

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Sep 2003
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    Hudson Valley, NY
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    Re: Predicting Beautiful Sunsets,Sunrises,Other? Weather? Times? Direction?

    It is a high risk / high reward game. The conditions that yield the most dramatic sunrise/sunset effects also mean that more times than not you will get shut out. Such as very heavily clouded days. If you get lucky a gap will form at, or just above or below, the horizon and the sun will shine through the gap and light the heavy clouds from below. But 95% of the time that gap will not occur and you will go home with nothing.

    While there are some rules to help guess when conditions will be good, it is still a guessing game. Study the hour by hour weather forecasts even 12 hours ahead and chart their level of accuracy - not very good at all, and often not even close to what really happens.

    The only way to be certain of getting the shots is to get out there as often as possible. You don't get good sunrise/sunset shots sitting on the sofa. You have to get out there often and accept that much of the time you will go home with nothing on film. It is just part of the game.

  5. #5

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    Nov 2010
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    Pac. NW, USA
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    Re: Predicting Beautiful Sunsets,Sunrises,Other? Weather? Times? Direction?

    Being that you are so close to the Arctic Circle, Winter and early Spring won't afford you the best light. The trade-off will come in Summer and early Fall, when your daylight hours exceed that of the equator. Your sunrises and sunsets will last longer, or seem to.
    Ever hear of "Land of the Midnight Sun?"

  6. #6
    ROL's Avatar
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    Oct 2008
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    California
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    Re: Predicting Beautiful Sunsets,Sunrises,Other? Weather? Times? Direction?

    "Golden Hour" - before sunset and after sunrise, when local contrast is high but overall light intensity/contrast low (especially monochrome).

    Low sun, high clouds within 10 minutes before sunrise and after sunset ("red sky at night, sailor's delight - red sky in morning, sailor take warning").

    In the mid-lattiudes:
    • Cirrus clouds in the forecast as per those high altitude ice crystal clouds overrunning a front 4-8 hours before the "storm/precipitation"
    • Cumulus "popcorn clouds" following a cold front after the event (easily visible on satellite images)


    Shooting towards the sun's location is the best bet, but not always.

    True "alpenglow" occurs when the sun has already set:

  7. #7

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    Nov 2010
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    Re: Predicting Beautiful Sunsets,Sunrises,Other? Weather? Times? Direction?

    The most dramatic skies I have experienced are usually before and after strong storms, particularly with strong winds. In the East I find sunrises frequently more colorful than sunsets, but there is nothing in stone.

  8. #8
    jp's Avatar
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    Re: Predicting Beautiful Sunsets,Sunrises,Other? Weather? Times? Direction?

    I'm diggin the Shadowfacts app for android phones.

    For weather, I like partly sunny/partly cloudy for more variety of sky.

    Keep photo equipment handy so you're ready.

  9. #9

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    Nov 2009
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    Monterey Bay
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    Re: Predicting Beautiful Sunsets,Sunrises,Other? Weather? Times? Direction?

    For mountains and craggy coastlines, I find the following NOAA site indispensable. For various locations it shows the azimuth and elevation, angle of sunrise and sunset, and angle of current sunlight. For knowing the exact 3 days a year the sun shines through sea arches, or between two mt. peaks, this site is sweet. Just find your photo location and enlarge the map...the angles of light are right there, and you can pre-viz the shot.
    http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/grad/solcalc/

  10. #10

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    Feb 2008
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    Arizona
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    320

    Re: Predicting Beautiful Sunsets,Sunrises,Other? Weather? Times? Direction?

    Google sky map . Its a trick little deal, and free, at least on an android system. It will show you where the sun is at, even in the middle of the night.
    Go buy some film, and release the magic.

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