As an aspiring professional photographer, one of the first paramount lessons that I quickly learned was this: good light is everything. Even after seven years, this holds the exact amount of weight now that it did then. Whether you spend your career in well-lit studio spaces or at the mercy of the weather, there is nothing more imperative for scene enhancement than great light.
The best light of the day often coincides with sunrise and sunset. Therefore, I am sometimes forced to decide between which of the two I’d prefer to shoot at each location. Sometimes I am on the fence about a particular spot. In this case, I’ll jot down a quick “pros and cons” list to help me make an informed decision.
There is no right answer to the question of sunrise versus sunset. Although, there are some key differentiators that help me understand the value of shooting under one over the other. Let’s take a look at why you may (or may not) want to create during these most special times of the day.
The Case for Sunrise
There are so many reasons why I love to take photos at sunrise, sometimes called blue hour. My absolute favorite has to do with the frequency with which I have seen extremely special atmospheric events. You are much more apt to see low fog, or inversions, in the early morning hours. The coolest part of the day is greeted with the first light and warmth of the sun. This means you can be treated to a truly ethereal convergence of conditions. Luck and good fortune certainly play a part when chasing spectacular conditions. Although, I know that if I get up for sunrise, I am maximizing my opportunity and — in some ways — creating my own luck.
In addition to unique weather patterns, you are much more likely to see still bodies of water and the grandeur that they often reflect. The wind picks up in the afternoon where I live. Therefore, I know that I must be up early if a certain project demands a reflection.
You can learn more about photographing water at Tips for Beginner Ocean Photography and Tips to Photograph Waterfalls.
One of the best reasons to visit any place during sunrise is that it is almost guaranteed to be the least crowded time of the day. To me, this is absolutely imperative to generate the optimal compositions and experience the relaxation and solitude that nature offers to me. You are also likely to see an abundance of wildlife beginning their day. As noted above, this is a rudimentary Pros and Cons list, so let’s get into the reasons why you may not want to be up as the sun is rising.
You can find out more about photographing at sunrise in the AdoramaTV video below.
The Case Against Sunset
My absolute least favorite reason to go out and shoot at sundown is that every accessible location is usually teeming with people in the afternoon and evenings. Very few people make the conscious effort to get up and witness the rising of the sun. But almost every single person is awake and active at the time that the sun goes down. This often leads to noise and restricted compositions.
Creatively, sunset images can become less unique and hold lower commercial value. This is because the opportunity greatly increases when several photographers have just shot the exact same scene and conditions. Where I live in the high desert of the Pacific Northwest, the wind often picks up in the afternoons, scattering reflections and driving any clouds and atmosphere out of the area.
Conclusion
This was glimpse into the decision-making that I employ when deciding which time of the day is most worthy of the endeavor. As stated above, these thoughts and lists are highly imperfect. I have no doubt that some will agree and disagree with my assessments. It should be noted that these observations are made in regards to where I live, and that all of these points may not be entirely applicable where you reside.
