The morning, with glistening morning dew from the sunlight, or the dreamy sunset, with the sun in its midst of setting? Both scenarios make for very attractive landscape photographs. In the following, we introduce two photographers who share with us their favourite time to shoot, as well as techniques for capturing beautiful shots of the constantly changing scenery. (Reported by: Yoshio Shinkai, Minefuyu Yamashita)

 

Morning: Photographing the glistening shine of morning dew on plants

Time of capture/ 6:30 am

EOS 5D Mark II/ EF70-200mm f/4L IS USM/ FL: 200mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/4, 1/500 sec, EV±0)/ ISO 100/ WB: Daylight
Photo by Yoshio Shinkai

Yoshio Shinkai says:

“On dewy mornings, dewdrops gather on the plant leaves and glisten in the morning sun. This brilliant sight, which you get to see only in the morning, is full of life and exudes an air of freshness. But it is also a fleeting moment because the dew evaporates quickly when the sun gets stronger. If you do not use a wide aperture when you shoot, you will not be able to capture the effect of light shining on the dew. I really like the numerous bokeh circles glittering amongst the soft background blur.”

 

For some more ideas on photographing mornings and sunrise, check out the following articles:
Capture the Fiery, Vibrant Colours of Sunrise
Camera Settings for Capturing Early Morning Mist​
Step-by-step: Capturing a Cool, Early Morning Landscape Shot


 

Evening: Photographing the gradually dissipating sunset

Time of capture/ 6:30 pm

EOS 5D Mark IV/ EF16-35mm f/2.8L III USM/ FL: 35mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/18, 15 sec, EV±0)/ ISO 100/ WB: Shade
Photo by Minefuyu Yamashita

Minefuyu Yamashita says:

“When the sun lights up the sky in crimson at the end of the day and then sinks into the horizon, gradually being taken over by an air of serenity, you feel time flowing. It's beautifully melancholic, which is why I love evenings. The thought of the night time that will follow helps me take on my subject with a composed mind. During this period of time, the colours change so subtly that each press of the shutter button seems to capture a different facet of the same scene. To convey this, I control my shutter speed as I shoot.”

 

Tip: Illustrate the dramatic changes in sunlight by varying shutter speeds

Shutter speed: 0.6 sec

EOS 5D Mark IV/ EF11-24mm f/4L USM/ FL: 14mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/8, 0.6 sec, EV+0.7)/ ISO 800/ WB: Manual
Photo by Minefuyu Yamashita

 

Shutter speed: 30 sec

EOS 5D Mark IV/ EF11-24mm f/4L USM/ FL: 15mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/8, 30 sec, EV±0)/ ISO 1000/ WB: Manual
Photo by Minefuyu Yamashita

Minefuyu Yamashita says:

“During time where the sky is ablaze from the setting sun, you can capture dramatic images by using a shutter speed that is fast enough to depict wave movement. When night approaches, you could then get a bit bolder and use a 30-second slow shutter, which helps to achieve a very soft and serene portrayal of the scene. Each passing moment in the flow of time calls for a different shutter speed setting to capture its essence.”

Also check out this article on Capturing Breathaking Landscapes Under Ever-changhing Lighting Conditions

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