Beach Sunsets

[SileNceR_RH]

Went out last night and took a few sunset shots at the beach.

<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/silencer_rh/1871230120/"></a>

<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/silencer_rh/1870117063/"></a>

<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/silencer_rh/1869902209/"></a>

Click any to go to flickr and view larger size if required.

C&C welcome.

[Geoff]

These are beautiful photos!!
The only criticism I could make is the distinctive (red) lens flare in the 3rd image in the centre of it. Would love to hear about the camera/lens/settings/filters you use here and/or how much PP has been done? The colours are vibrant but not overdone. They almost look like they have HDR. Well done though, beautiful shots.

[Underload]

These look great. Like Geoff, I suspect they're HDR also, but it's been used well, and to very good effect.

Great stuff

[mattyjacobs]

They almost look like they have HDR.

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is HDR?

Google is giving me a bunch of sony cameras, and an HDR Research Support Fund... oh, and a Franchise Business Opportunity.

Oh wait ... wikipedia is my friend! Is this what you're talking about? Layering multiple exposures (exposing for sky, foreground etc etc)?

[Biggzie]

They almost look like they have HDR.

Please excuse my ignorance, but what is HDR?

Google is giving me a bunch of sony cameras, and an HDR Research Support Fund... oh, and a Franchise Business Opportunity.

Oh wait ... wikipedia is my friend! Is this what you're talking about? Layering multiple exposures (exposing for sky, foreground etc etc)?

Yep thats it ...

[SileNceR_RH]

First photo isn't HDR, only RAW, modified with Digital Photo Professional
The second and third however were shot in RAW with AEB -2,0,+2 EV and combined in Photomatix (detail enhancer)

Camera: Canon EOS400D
Lens: Crappy 18-55 F3.5-5.6 Canon Kit Lens
Handheld - I think I was leaning on a fence for the mid-hill shot (on stairs)

Lens flare is most likely because I don't yet have a hood or UV filter although shooting straight into the sun might make this a bit hard to avoid anyway?

[Matt. K]

I think shots like this should be used as backgrounds. You need something of interest in the foreground like a motorbike or a beautiful woman...and use a tad of fill flash to balance it with the sunset. Sunsets by themselves are a common subject and will only excite if they are unbelievably spectacular in some different way. On the other hand, they are good practice and there is much to be learnt by doing them. It's also a very good idea (thanks to Gary for this tip) to bracket your exposures widely when doing sunsets, mostly towards under-exposure in the hope of getting a spectacular result. Nice work and please keep shooting and posting them.

[SileNceR_RH]

Any ideas for cutting down the lens flare?

I'm surprised my handheld HDR worked so well, most i've tried have had heaps of artifacts.

[Matt. K]

SileNceR_RH
You can usually see lens flare before you press the shutter. (This presumes you carefully scrutinise the image in the viewfinder). If you see it then small changes in your point of view can make it go away. Sometimes, shading the lens with your hand will do the trick, or get someone to stand next to you to block the side light... sometimes works.