Nikon D750, Tamron 15-30.
EXIF: f/16, 1/5 sec, ISO 100, 15 mm Anton Gorlin, a Ukrainian photographer who currently lives in Sydney, shared useful tips on photographing sunrise and sunset on his blog. Below is a translation of this publication.
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Some people don't believe in magic. But that is until they see their first breathtaking light show. Photographers believe in magic, and photographing a sunrise is a way to share it with others, because when you share something great, it multiplies.
Difference between sunrise and sunset
The difference between sunset and sunrise is not obvious at first glance, but it exists. There are several differences. Firstly, it is very difficult to be in the right place during sunrise unless you have spent the night there. However, at sunrise there are practically no people on the streets, but at sunset there will be a lot of them. Choose for yourself what suits your photography best.
Nikon D750, Tamron 15-30. EXIF: F/10, 1/15 sec, ISO 100, 15 mm
Another important feature is the emotional part. The sunset moves from light to dark, it calms us down and prepares us for the night's rest. The sunrise, on the contrary, moves from darkness to light, from sleep to life. It's like the birth of life, like a surge of energy. It feels like a new opportunity, a new adventure.
The final difference is the color. Sunsets tend to be redder due to dust particles mixing in the air after a busy day. These particles create more red color in the atmosphere. Sunrises tend to have greater clarity in the air.
Beautiful sunsets of the world
The most beautiful sunsets in the world remain in the memory for a long time not only because they are beautiful. But also because some personal memories are associated with them. It is for memories that we travel. And now I’ll tell you a couple of stories about sunsets and sunrises on four continents and where it’s best to watch them.
And I'll start with sunsets.
In the Colorado Desert in the USA. Behind me are mountains and the highest dunes in America. You can find out what I photograph in the article.
Sunsets on the sea and ocean
The most popular sunsets are, of course, sea ones. The sea or the ocean, maybe a lake, but people who want to spend the sun always gather on the shore. Many beaches are specifically named Sunset Beach so that tourists know exactly where to go.
We don’t always go to such sunset beaches; sometimes we find our own places. It was at sunset that we saw Joshua Tree National Park for the first time and instantly fell in love with it! But now we are talking about sea sunsets.
1. Sunset on the Pacific coast on Easter Island
The town of Hanga Roa is located in the west of Easter Island, so the sunsets there are amazing!
Easter Island, it would seem, is famous not for its sunsets, but for its idols. Moreover, both sunsets and sunrises are criticized there, since the builders of the moai did not make sure that it would be convenient for modern photographers to take pictures of the idols against the backdrop of the setting sun. But a sunset by the Pacific Ocean is the most beautiful magic!
2. Caribbean Sea in Colombia
Classic with sunset and palm trees in Cartagena (Colombia)
On the city walls of Cartagena, off the coast of the Caribbean Sea, we spent a wonderful evening, seeing off the sun on the last evening of our trip around the world. Then we flew to frosty New York, and from there home.
3. Songkhla Lake in Thailand
Fishermen at Songkhla Lake return home
The beautiful Songkhla Lake in the center of the city of the same name in southern Thailand also gave us an unforgettable evening. We checked into a hotel on the lake and had dinner overlooking the burgundy and purple colors of the tropics. It was possible to go to a fish restaurant on the island of Koh Yo, but we stayed in a small hotel on the shore and were fully rewarded!
4. Barranca in Peru
Many cities in South America boast a west-facing promenade, such as the Peruvian capital Lima
On the embankment of the provincial town of Barranca in Peru, again on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, we had fun watching not only the sun slipping into the distance, but also the skaters who were practicing in the rays of the setting sun and honing their skills.
5. Krabi, Thailand
Boats on the shores of the Andaman Sea near Ao Nang Beach in Krabi
The sunset at seaside resorts, and especially in Thailand, will not surprise anyone. However, I will still highlight one evening that we spent in Krabi. Like all tourists, we went out to the embankment in the evening to watch the pink sunset and how the boats glide across the sea.
They say that the sunsets in Krabi are not as good as in Phuket, but I liked it
Of course, most of the best hotels in Phuket are located on the west coast. The sunsets there are more spectacular and beautiful, while the beaches of Krabi are oriented to the south, except for West Railay.
Sunsets in nature
Natural sunsets are no less beautiful than sea sunsets. I won’t be verbose, look at our photos for yourself.
1. Joshua Tree in California
Rocks that are millions of years old and unusual trees of the Mojave Desert - this is what makes Joshua Tree National Park unique
Joshua Tree National Park in California, as I said, we first saw at sunset. We were lucky: red clouds were rushing across the sky, the rocks of the park were ablaze, and the Joshua trees were stretching their branches upward. We were extremely impressed!
Even if there are no clouds in the sky, the sunset is still beautiful!
We then returned to Joshua Tree more than once to watch the sunsets again and again.
2. North Rim of the Grand Canyon
This place is called Cape Royal and is located at the end of the road. Further only the abyss of the canyon!
In my opinion, sunsets on the north rim of the Grand Canyon are more spectacular than on the south for one simple reason. In the north there is a plateau that juts out into the canyon itself, and the sunset can be seen as if from above, as if soaring over the Grand Canyon. Although the south side is much more popular among tourists and is visited 5 times more.
3. Pai Canyon, Thailand
It is difficult to compare the Pai Canyon with the Grand Canyon in the USA, but Pai is a small city and is proud of its landmark
At the canyon in the city of Pai in northern Thailand, tourists usually gather in the evening and wait for the sun to set. We lived in Pai for a long time and saw hundreds of sunsets there! But we consider sunsets near the canyon the most exotic. If only because you can see pine trees there, which are not typical trees for Thailand. But they grow everywhere in the mountains of northern Thailand, in the vicinity of the second largest (after Bangkok) Thai metropolis, Chiang Mai.
Hills, pine trees and hot – where is it? This is the north of Thailand and the town of Pai!
Even cloudy days bring beautiful sunsets in Pai. The gloomy clouds suddenly part, but instead of a sunset a rainbow appears!
A gift from nature – cloudy twilight with a rainbow in the Paja Valley
But to be sure to see a good sunset in Pai, it’s worth taking a ride through the viewpoints above the city.
4. Great Sand Dunes National Park, USA
The mountains on the horizon are not mountains at all - they are dunes!
Near the huge dune in the Great Sand Dunes National Park, you can see several stages of sunsets at once: standing on a nearby hill and watching the sun setting behind the dune, or standing at its foot, marveling at its height and the play of light and shadow!
5. Arizona landscape
Saguaro cacti can be three to four times taller than a person.
At Saguaro Cactus Park in Arizona, we felt like we were in old American cowboy and Indian movies. It was very beautiful in the cactus forest!
6. Atacama Desert, Chile
The volcano rises above the Valley of the Moon
In the Valley of the Moon in the San Pedro de Atacama desert, we watched the sunset along the high dunes. But we liked it much more when we rode bicycles back to the city of San Pedro de Atacama and stopped on the road to admire the unusual colors of the slopes of the Licancabur volcano.
7. Grand Teton, USA
In the Snake River Valley near the Teton Mountains
We accidentally caught an autumn sunset in the mountains of Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. We had just left the famous Yellowstone Park and wanted to just drive past the beautiful mountain scenery, but that was not the case! Have stopped more than once!
The sun went behind the mountains
We waited until it was completely dark and sacrificed a reliable overnight stay. Then we drove for three hours in pitch darkness in search of accommodation for the night. On this day there was a festival, and all the surrounding towns were busy with visitors. And the distances in Wyoming are enormous. As a result, we checked in only at midnight. But what memories!
8. Rice fields of Northern Thailand
Sunset over a rice field in Thailand
I will never forget the sunset in the rice fields on the way from Mae Sai to Chiang Saen. That time we were traveling by motorbike around the Golden Triangle, one of the main highlights in northern Thailand. And so we stopped in the middle of the fields and admired the sunset.
9. Mount Shasta, California
We ended up at a convenient viewpoint overlooking Shasta before sunset
While on the road we saw the beautiful Mount Shasta in the rays of the setting sun. But this already happened when we traveled by car to the USA. We stood on the observation deck, but it didn't look like we'd be lucky with the sunset, so we drove on to the very north of California.
Sunset in reflection
And then suddenly the sky turned pink, and we saw Shasta in the reflection of the mirror.
10. Delicate Arch, Utah
Not every tourist will make it to Delicate Arch
At the foot of Delicate Arch in Arches National Park we waited a long time for sunset. Everyone gave up, but we still saw beautifully colored clouds.
11. Badlands Park, USA
Blood red sun over the prairies
Arriving in the distant Badlands National Park in South Dakota, we immediately went to see the sun among the huge badlands. It was delicious!
12. Big Bend, USA
Sunset over the Rio Grande River
We saw two sunsets at Big Bend National Park in Texas because we spent several days there. Next to the campsite was a sunset hill overlooking the Rio Grande River, which serves as the natural border between the United States and Mexico.
Sunset with beautiful views of the Chisos Mountains
We also found a lookout along the road and waited for sunset in the company of several photographers. In the photo above, the sunset rays of the sun are spectacularly reflected from the slopes of the Chisos Mountains.
13. Cocora Valley, Colombia
Sunset in the rain
One of the most unusual sunsets happened in Colombia. We walked for a long time through the Cocora Valley, where the tallest palm trees in the world grow near the city of Salento, and in the evening it began to rain. But before it struck, we saw an extremely beautiful sunset with palm trees!
14. Ob Luang Park, Thailand
Sunset on the Mae Cham River
Our visit to Ob Luang National Park in the Chiang Mai province of northern Thailand ended with us seeing the sunset three times! First we walked along the bank of the Mae Cham River and watched the sun behind the hills.
Mae Cham River Gorge
Then we climbed onto a bridge along the river gorge. The rocks turned orange, and we again began to see the sun from above, and then it disappeared again.
And then we reached a plateau above the gorge
And there it is, the sun, hiding in the trees and soon going to rest again. What an amazing day of three sunsets it turned out to be!
Sunsets in the city
Watching the sunset in the city can sometimes be no less interesting than in nature. The bright flashes of the sun setting behind the horizon leave imprints of unimaginable beauty on the streets, tired from the bustle of the day.
In small towns this time is usually spent with the whole family. In addition, a beautiful sunset for city residents is another reason to break away from everyday activities and leave the house for a walk outside.
1. San Francisco, USA
San Francisco is on the bay
We saw one of the most beautiful sunsets overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge on the Crissy Fields Boardwalk in San Francisco. We walked there every day during our visit to the city of fogs.
2. U Bein Bridge, Myanmar
You can take a boat ride on the lake to get a closer look at the Ubein Bridge
The world's largest wooden bridge, U Bein, built across Taung Thaman Lake, is used by people every day to go about their daily business. But in the evenings, tourists come to the city of Amarapura near Mandalay in Myanmar to photograph the teak bridge at sunset. This view, printed in every guidebook, is what people come to Myanmar for.
3. Sipo, Myanmar
This river has many names: Namtu in Shan, Dokhtawadi in Pali and Myange in Burmese. It is a tributary of the Irrawaddy, into which it flows near Mandalay just near the U Bein Bridge.
On a sunset hill in the town of Sipo in Myanmar, we also said goodbye to the sun.
4. Mrauk-U, Myanmar
Sunset from another sunset hill in Mrauk-U
Right in the center of Mrauk-U city, where the most important pagodas stand, there is a sunset hill. From there you have a panoramic view of the entire city.
Twilight mysterious Mrauk-U
We really liked Mrauk-U, but it is extremely difficult to get there. But I advise real researchers to visit this extraordinary place.
5. Pakse, Laos
At the top of the hill there is a temple and a statue of Buddha who looks after Pakse
We climbed Pu Palao Hill in Pakse town in Laos to watch the sunset overlooking the great Mekong River.
6. Chiang Khan, Thailand
The Mekong River flows through all of Southeast Asia
We also saw the red Mekong while we were walking in the sunset along the promenade of the city of Chiang Khan in Loei province in eastern Thailand.
7. Kanchanaburi, Thailand
Houseboats on the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi
We also saw a vibrant sunset in Kanchanaburi on the River Kwai. This is also in Thailand, in a place that is notorious for military operations during the Second World War and the Death Railway, as well as the beautiful Erawan Falls
8. Lampang, Thailand
City embankment of the Vang River in Lampang city
The large city of Lampang in northern Thailand is famous for its unique temples, and when we arrived there in the evening, during our walk, we caught the sunset on the Vang River.
9. Los Angeles, USA
Sunset at the Manhattan Beach Pier
We saw many beautiful sunsets on the beaches of Los Angeles, Manhattan Beach and Santa Monica. Not surprising, since the City of Angels faces west. You just need to choose a beach and come to the pier at the end of the day to watch the sun disappear behind the horizon in the waters of the Pacific Ocean.
Not everyone watches the sunset, many prefer to continue catching the waves!
Sunset at the most famous pier in Los Angeles, Santa Monica
The Santa Monica Pier is the most fun place to watch the sunset: there is a Ferris wheel and a carousel. But on Venice there are more onlookers and musicians.
10. Myrtle Beach, USA
Amusement park at sunset
There was a beautiful sunset in Myrtle Beach in South Carolina, where we visited when driving from New York to Miami. First we looked at the sun setting towards the horizon on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. And despite the fact that the ocean is in the east, the sunset was beautiful. But as soon as you turned a little towards the city, there it was – a real, familiar sunset!
11. New York, USA
View from our hotel of the skyscrapers of New York in the sunset clouds
And we even liked the urban sunset in New York. Not the most obvious attraction in the Big Apple, but it's worth thinking about where to watch the sunset in advance.
12. Istanbul, Türkiye
Our first day in Istanbul enchanted us!
On our very first visit to Istanbul, we saw a beautiful sunset at Sultanahmet Square. The warm southern sun embraced the Blue Mosque, and we fell in love with this eternal city!
13. Vitebsk, Belarus
Sunset over the Western Dvina River in Vitebsk
We walked through Victory Park in Vitebsk and waited for the orange sunset. The next day we were already leaving Belarus, and I am glad that the city saw us off so well.
Sunsets in the Maldives
I think there should be a separate section for sunsets in the Maldives. Still, the ocean, ideal islands with palm trees and the equator are one of the unique combinations.
In the Maldives, the sunset may seem ordinary and similar to any other sea
But the palm trees will remind us exactly where we are
The Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean, and around them is the Laccadive Sea
The Maldives is a symbol of luxury holidays, but there are also inexpensive Maldives where you can relax much cheaper on local islands
And meet such an almost African sunset
Or a fiery red sunset
We also went to see dolphins in the sea and on a beautiful sand spit, and on the way back we caught a golden sunset in the open sea
But if you go for a luxury vacation, the main thing is to figure out which island hotel to choose in the Maldives
A synonym for a holiday in the Maldives is solitude
White sand, azure sea and silence
The sun is setting behind the island, and we are ready to board a dhoni boat and swim in the night sea
If it’s a beach holiday, then the Maldives! Sunsets are the best!
Full moon in the afternoon twilight
Large triangle of stars overhead
The main star pattern of the summer sky is a large triangle formed by three stars of the first magnitude. (Their brilliance is comparable to Arcturus.) If Arcturus is in the southwest after dusk, then the triangle is located in the south.
The Great Summer Triangle is the main star pattern in the summer sky, and in July in particular. Pattern: Stellarium
This figure is called the Great Summer Triangle, and the stars that make up it have sonorous and beautiful names - Vega , Deneb and Altair . Vega is the brightest star and forms the upper right corner of the triangle. At night in July it is almost at its zenith. Deneb is the star to the left of Vega. Below is Altair.
The stars of the triangle belong to three different constellations (Vega belongs to Lyra, Deneb to Cygnus, and the star Altair to the constellation Aquila). Therefore, the figure itself is not a constellation. Such formations are called asterisms.
Bright star in the north
In July, you can also hear a question like this: “What bright star is visible above the horizon in the north right now?” (For “now,” substitute “last night,” “today,” and so on.)
This is Capella , the star leading the constellation Auriga. Together with Arcturus and Vega, it is one of the three brightest stars in the northern celestial hemisphere. Capella is considered a winter star, but in central Russia and the north of the country it never sets beyond the horizon, so it can be observed in spring, summer, and autumn.
If we are talking about central Russia, then in July around midnight Capella is located exactly in the north. Due to its low position above the horizon, the star often flickers strongly. The Chapel looks especially beautiful at the latitude of St. Petersburg, Petrozavodsk, Pskov, as it burns against the background of a pale dawn.
Around midnight in July, the star Capella is low above the horizon in the north. Pattern: Stellarium
Bright star in the southwest in the evening
southwest after dusk , you can find a bright star quite high in the sky. What is this object?
This is truly a star! Her name is Arcturus . (The root of this name is the same as the word Arctic.) It is considered spring, but in most of Russia it is observed almost all year round.
Arcturus is a bright star that is high in the western sky on July evenings. Pattern: Stellarium
At dusk, the color of a star cannot be determined. However, at night it is noticeable that Arcturus has a pale reddish tint.
As befits a real star, Arcturus can flicker noticeably: the light of the star becomes uneven - it seems to tremble, like a candle in the wind. Arcturus shimmers especially strongly at sunset; In July, star sunset occurs at approximately 3 am.
Please note: although Arcturus is considered one of the brightest stars in the night sky, it is much inferior in brilliance to Jupiter.
Results
So, let's summarize.
- What bright stars and planets are visible in the sky now? More specifically, in July 2021?
- Just after sunset, low above the horizon in the rays of dawn (direction - northwest), you can stumble upon the bright planet Venus .
- Arcturus shines high in the sky in the west .
- In the evening and at night, in the southern part of the sky, almost overhead is the Summer Triangle , a figure that includes the stars Vega , Deneb and Altair .
- Below and to the left of the Summer Triangle, from about midnight until the morning, two bright planets float above the horizon - Jupiter (very bright!) and Saturn (similar in brightness to Vega or Arcturus).
- Finally, if you live at the latitude of Moscow, Minsk or St. Petersburg, then at night in the north you can see the star Capella . In the south of Russia it sinks below the horizon in the evening and rises after midnight.
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Tags: Altair, Arcturus, Vega, Deneb, Capella, Summer Triangle, Saturn, Jupiter
