I don’t have to tell any of you the best time to take photos, right? Mid-day on a sunny day.
Kidding. Of course what I meant is “the hour before sunset” – or the hour after sunrise, but then I tend to be asleep. The Golden Hour, as we call it.
Around sunset:
- Light becomes more red since it passes through more atmosphere;
- The sky gets darker, meaning more saturated (blue rather than blown out white);
- Light becomes less harsh;
- Shadows get longer and softer.
To benefit from this, ensure that your camera is set as follows:
- White balance – daylight (the sun symbol);
- Exposure – not too bright (maybe exposure compensation around -1 stop);
- If the shutter speed gets low, ensure you increase ISO or use a tripod.
Simple. In Rome, as above, and in Tel Aviv, London and anywhere else you care to shoot. Sometimes it is just as simple as “be there at the right time” rather than “use lots of technique”.
Of course as you all know, you can also shoot at mid-day – that’s when flash comes in. More about this in many future posts, I can assure you.