A sunrise is probably the most dramatic natural occurrence to take place everyday. It symbolizes a new day and a new beginning – the sheer raw intensity of the sun, slowly creeping up from over the horizon is what makes it every photographer’s first love. Every vacation album is incomplete without a stunning shot of the sunrise, and there’s no doubting the fact that a sunrise makes for the most awe-inspiring image. Let’s take a look at some of the best destinations for sunrise photography and a couple of handy tips to help you get that perfect shot at sunrise.
Imagine a place where the sun doesn’t set. A place where there is bright sunlight twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. Well, Svalbardin Norway is one such a place. The sun doesn’t set every year between the months of mid-April and late August and it experiences something known as the midnight sun, the many mountains and glaciers add to the enchanting beauty of the landscape. Sounds out of this world, doesn’t it?
Fiji being on the 180-degree longitude line is one of the first places to witness sunrise every morning. Apart from its white sand beaches and turquoise waters, which we all know about, Fiji makes for one of the most intoxicating sunrises one can see the world over.
Another phenomenal sunrise is witnessed everyday is at Stonehenge,England. Still a place of sun worship,Stonehenge draws equinox devotees every year, for the Vernal Equinox. Witness a truly magical sunrise at this mysterious landmark which was built all the way back in 3000 BC.
The most beautiful sunrise across the United States of America is witnessed at the Grand Canyonevery morning. Cool purple hues blending into bronze, orange shades. This teamed up with the unreal backdrop make it a memory that will last a lifetime.
Let’s now look at a few tips which should be kept in mind when trying to capture that spectacular sunrise taking place in front of you. The first and most important tip is to plan ahead. A sunrise barely lasts for a few minutes so make sure to plan well in advance, you do not want to be setting up your equipment while the sun rises behind your back.
Another very important part is composing the picture: Use different focal lengths in order to achieve an array of different shots. You could also try and add a portion of the landscape in your picture, this would add to the impact and beauty of your picture.
Also, never use auto focus. Stick to manual focus and adjust your focus setting as per your requirements from the picture. Avoid a white balance setting as this might automatically adjust the many colours captured in a sunrise image and thus take away from its natural feel.
Keeping these simple tips in mind will greatly help in achieving that surreal shot. So go ahead, set that alarm for 5 a.m.and try and experiment and take as many shots as you can, you never know which one might turn out to be your best picture yet.
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