The Sunset Conundrum

[Kyle Jones]

I'm sure I am not alone as a landscape photographer in hoping for getting some great sunset light on mountains while also getting great color in the clouds. Unfortunately, this desire doesn't match reality as the "nice" light moves up during sunset, hitting the mountains first and then the clouds later. That usually leaves me with a choice: which version do I go with? I almost always select the later image with color in the sky. Sometimes I'll do a blend, but I tend to tone-down the color in the sky in that case to keep things looking somewhat believable.

In this case I am not choosing. Here are two images from sunset on Saturday at Inspiration Point. The nice thing about committing to a timelapse is that I have plenty of images to choose from!

1) Golden light on the peaks (I have already desaturated the reds and yellows but they still seem too strong to me)

2) Late sunset light on the clouds (with a little glow on the peaks)

 

[AlanLichty]

My response to choosing between #1 and #2 is Yes

The same conditions of the sun dropping low enough to be shining through the earth's atmosphere and giving us color in the clouds also imparts that same color spectrum on the peaks first so yes it will offer up some warmer colors than usual on the peaks.

Very nice sunset BTW.

 

[Michael13]

I have on several occasions observed photographers leaving the scene abruptly after the light has left the peaks, only to see the sky come alive just minutes later. I have done this myself a few times when I had a drive back to where I was staying, only to kick myself for missing the real show. You have solved this by being around for both and you have 2 excellent images to show for it. The old saying is true - patience is a virtue!

 

[JimFox]

I have on several occasions observed photographers leaving the scene abruptly after the light has left the peaks, only to see the sky come alive just minutes later. I have done this myself a few times when I had a drive back to where I was staying, only to kick myself for missing the real show. You have solved this by being around for both and you have 2 excellent images to show for it. The old saying is true - patience is a virtue!

I can't count the number of times I have seen that happen. In the meantime I am just standing there patiently, just hanging out knowing (hoping) that the best is yet to come.

 

[JimFox]

Super cool Kyle! Both are great, but I agree #2 takes the cake and not by far.

In Yosemite though, there is an exception to this typical rule, it's when you are down in the valley and capturing the red pre-sunset climbing up the face of Half Dome in an isolated composition, maybe with the Merced River reflecting that red glow. When the face of Half Dome is covered in Red light. That's the one image that could trump #2, at least for me.

But that's the exception to the rule I think. In general I agree #2, waiting for the post sunset light will trump the actual sunset in most cases.

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Like them both with a nod to the second one.