It was a magnificent winter day the first time I found myself in
Bosque Del Apache National Wildlife Refuge. The temperature was unseasonably
warm and the brilliant blues of the sky overhead shown free of even
the faintest of clouds. Sunset was fast approaching when I set myself
into position - along with a bevy of other entranced photographers -
on a platform overlooking the marsh. There we stood: cameras ready,
big lenses attached, anxiously awaiting the feature presentation.
Just then the first of the cranes and the geese flew in, followed
by ever-increasing flocks. The formally empty marsh was now seething
with thousands of boisterous birds. As the sun inched ever closer to
the horizon everyone stood engrossed in the task of capturing as many
images of the riotous spectacle as possible. Before we knew it a half-hour
had passed since the show began and the sun had given way to the colors
of dusk. As I continued my work I paused to watch everyone around me
pack up and head off to their respective vehicles. I thought to myself,
"Hello…where are you going?" The light albeit low, was still beautiful
and rich in color. Why could these people not see this?
The answer to that question is double fold. First, many photographers,
especially those with limited experience, hold the mindset that photos
taken at sunset must include the sun. Therefore, once the sun disappears
all photographic possibilities cease to exist. Second, they recognize
that low lighting conditions means slower shutter speeds, also limiting
photographic possibilities. And while there is some merit in the ladder
- though this can be overcome - there is none in the former.
This
is not the first time I have experienced this phenomenon. In fact, I
observe this behavior all the time, all over the world. Twilight photography
can be successfully executed; it just requires a different method of
approach. If you are willing to take the extra time - along with a few
risks - images made during this period of the day are often dramatic,
unique, and profoundly artistic.
After the sun drops below the horizon it continues to emanate light.
That light is then cast back onto the land by way of clouds or the sky
itself. Clouds produce the most dramatic results as they absorb and
reflect the red hues common to this time of day. Even on a cloudless
day however, stunning colors can sometimes linger for up to an hour
after sunset. These colors span a range of hues before giving way to
total darkness including delicate pinks, vibrant reds, and deep indigos.
Exercising patience and learning to recognize when the peaks of
the aforementioned colors will occur is vital to the overall mastery
of twilight photography. In time these observations become second nature,
developing into a sort of sixth sense that clues one in to when to pack
up and leave or when it might be advantages to hang around a bit longer.
It often takes ten minutes or more after the sun has disappeared before
the colors begin to reveal themselves and sometimes twice that before
they peak at the height of their richness. If deep blues are your intended
goal be prepared to wait anywhere from thirty to forty-five minutes
as these hues, although present throughout the duration, do not peak
at full saturation until the end of twilight's cycle.
Once these skills have been honed, pre-visualization and creativity
must be employed. Without these attributes you are dead in the water.
Being able to see in the mind's eye what outcome is desired and possessing
the creativity to envision it is absolutely vital. In other words, it
is your responsibility to assess the given situation and then decide
what techniques must be employed to attain your goal.
There are numerous methods that one can use when photographing twilight.
These methods often require techniques commonly used to overcome the
problems inherent to low-light and slow shutter photography, many of
which demand some creative insight to achieve.
One
common method is the use of fill-flash. At dusk fill-flash helps to
balance the light between foreground and background, which is otherwise
impossible during this time of day. This is done by taking a meter reading
of the background light and dialing it into the flash. For example,
if your meter reads 1/60 second @ f 8, set the camera for that exposure
and dial f 8 into your flash. Just be sure the subject falls within
the distance prescribed by the flash. If it does not, simply adjust
the readings accordingly. The only other way to deal with this situation
is to silhouette the foreground subject against the colorful sky behind
it. This can also be very pleasing so long as the darkened subject is
graphic in shape and readily recognizable.
Another popular method, and the one I used at Bosque, involves recording
motion. There are two main ways of accomplishing this. Both are reasonable
solutions to the slow shutter problems encountered at this time of day
because in order to be successful, slow shutter speeds of 1/30 second
and slower are essential. The first, and easiest of these is referred
to as motion blur and simply involves placing the 
camera
on a tripod and releasing the shutter. The longer exposure will record
any movement as blur, leaving any stationary subjects sharply focused.
The second technique, called panning, is a bit more difficult. It involves
placing the camera on a tripod and moving, or panning, the camera along
with the moving subject until it exits the frame. If done properly,
the subject will be rendered sharp while the background is blurred.
Using this technique will produce its share of failures, even for the
best of us, but when triumphant the resulting image is quite stunning
.So the next time you find yourself out to
capture that perfect sunset photograph, by all means include the sun.
Just remember that with some patience and a bit of creativity, the twilight
hour may leave you with images that far surpass those you originally
came in search of, and maybe I will get to enjoy a little bit of company.
