Experience is a Great Teacher

The tips I’m sharing are common sense advice I’ve learned through experience. They may seem obvious but are often overlooked, especially when you are excited about photographing a stunning sunrise. Even after many years of photography and 10,000-plus sunrise photos later, I still get so immersed that I must remind myself to relax, breathe, and remember what I’ve learned. 

There are many professional photographers that I highly respect. And they will readily share their expertise to help you improve your craft. As a student, I have continued to study their work. Their advice has helped me become a better and more confident photographer, and I am very grateful for their guidance.

If you are new to photography and need to become familiar with your equipment or are interested in learning the technical aspects of photography, I highly recommend learning from them. At the conclusion of this document, I have listed some of my personal favorites. 

Now, let’s start so you can proudly share your beautiful sunrise photos with the world!

# 1 – Use Nature’s Mirror to Your Advantage

Anyone can photograph a sunrise from their window or yard, but capturing what I call a “complete shot” requires water. Because of the beautiful reflections it creates, your frame becomes filled with brilliant colors or formations. And if you are shooting during the “Golden Hour”, the sun itself is multiplied, creating the illusion of more than one golden orb. 

But if no water is available where you are shooting, find a favorite destination that allows you to photograph all the elements you desire and return there daily or as frequently as your schedule permits. 

Not every visit will yield perfection, but you can capture many memorable moments at sunrise with focused persistence. In time, you, too, can have a gallery full of personal favorites. Click here to discover how water can create a perfect shot.

#2 – Clouds Can Be Your Best Friend

It is easy to look outside on a cloudy morning and choose to roll over in bed. But I’m here to tell you, DON’T! Those clouds can be your best friend when photographing a sunrise that will ignite a conversation. A combination of clear and partly cloudy skies can yield some incredible shots. Their density and position often force the sun to work harder to break through, resulting in a beautiful array of colors and shapes emerging around and through them. Click here to discover how clouds and water create a perfect shot. 

#3 – Patience is a Virtue

Bring a strong cup of coffee (or beverage of choice) and be patient. It was not my most redeeming quality (and perhaps not yours, but the coffee sure helps), but I learned to develop much more as I became proficient in photographing sunrises that give you all the feels. 

Clouds may not be present when you begin shooting, or there may be too many, so be patient. Too often, I see people stop to take a couple of photos, and then they’re gone. So much of the beauty of a sunrise is its evolution, which takes time and can yield great rewards. Click here to see how my patience was rewarded with a brilliant sunrise. 

#4 – It’s a Balancing Act

Find balance in your scene when taking pictures. As humans, it gives us great comfort when we believe everything is in balance. A sunrise is one of those events where we want to be mesmerized yet feel a sense of peace simultaneously. It helps bring clarity and purpose to the day. And when we find the balance, it puts everything in the proper perspective. Click here to see how all the necessary ingredients created the perfect balance in the shot. 

#5 – Don’t Overlook the Obvious

As photographers, we often search for the perfect shot, scanning the horizon for all the elements we want included. And in a quest for perfection, we can lose sight of what is right in front of us. After reviewing them while editing, I took photos during sunrise, discovering wildlife I hadn’t noticed during the shoot! Click here to see how the grass along the shore of the lake (which I did not notice) created the perfect balance in the shot. 

#6 – Don’t Be Shy

Don’t shy away from including manufactured objects when you are photographing a sunrise such as a boat, pier or fence line. This is especially true if they can be in silhouette. These objects allow the viewer to create their own story. They may imagine themselves being present in the moment, enjoying the breathtaking view unfolding before them. And as a photographer, there is no greater compliment than someone being wholly immersed in one of your shots. Click here to see how the pier (and, if you look closely, a person standing on it) sparks the viewer’s imagination. 

#7 – Pack Your Secret Weapon

I strongly recommend using a tripod. This is especially true when the scene is very calm or there is wildlife present. Even the slightest camera shake can create blur. And if a clear, sharp photo is your goal, you don’t want to miss capturing a unique shot because your hands are shaking. Believe me, they will! Simply because you get caught up in the moment of witnessing such beauty. Click here to see how a tripod helped me capture a perfect shot. 

#8 – Get Lucky

I’ve been out many mornings before dawn, hoping conditions will be suitable to produce a memorable sunrise. And there were times, I left disappointed. Not every day will yield perfection. Some days, you just get lucky! And that is why being diligent and dedicated to your craft should be a priority.

So, if you are new to photography or perhaps rethinking your decision to get up so early, I’m here to tell you, “Don’t give up.” The sleep sacrifice, and a little luck WILL make those predawn mornings worth the effort, giving you a front-row seat to one of nature’s most extraordinary shows, a beautiful sunrise. Click here to see how everything necessary to capture a beautiful shot appeared at just the precise moment. 

#9 – Survey your Surroundings

When photographing such an event, you can get caught up in the moment as the sunrise evolves. So, after arriving at your favorite spot, survey the surroundings and carefully watch how the scene forms. That way, you can find the best location within the location, and determine the perfect angle for photographing a sunrise that produce the image(s) you are looking for. Click here to see how finding the exact location allowed me to capture the illusion of two sunrises becoming one. 

#10 – Find the Sweet Spot

Sunrise photography requires understanding the cycle of the sunrise. If you begin shooting too early, it’s still dark, and there may be very little to see. But more importantly, the color quickly fades if you wait too long. Once the sun crests above the horizon, its brilliance washes out the colors, and they become muted or nonexistent. So if lots of color is your goal, timeliness is critical for an exceptional sunrise photo.  

When do these precious moments occur? It’s usually (although every sunrise is different) when there are plenty of (but not too many) clouds and they  have some very dramatic formations, no rain or fog present, particles of dust in the air, and the sun’s light is just becoming visible. 

Learning when “The Sweet Spot” exists takes time, patience, and experience. But once you know when it occurs, you can capture some fantastic photos. Click here to see how understanding the evolution of a sunrise allowed me to capture the perfect moment. 

Bonus Tip #1 – Keep Shooting

This is a tip I learned many years ago from a fantastic photographer, hired to take pictures on a company trip. And I’ve never forgotten this great advice. There have been several mornings where I will have over three hundred shots of one sunrise. While many may be identical or nearly so, I can see the subtle differences. And having many photos to choose from means I don’t have to “settle” and can select the ones that best portray the image I want. 

Once I’ve made my final selections, I delete the remaining shots so I won’t continue to second guess my decision. With today’s technology, including digital cameras or cell phones, deleting unwanted photos is quick and easy.

Bonus Tip #2 – Be present IRL

You got up early, found the perfect location, set up all your gear, and waited for the sun to rise. Congratulations! So now it’s time to put your phone on silent. Or tuck it away in your backpack if you are using a digital camera, and really appreciate the moment.

Even though it happens daily, watching a sunrise is an incredible experience. The world is awakening to another day, filled with new possibilities. Having minimal or no distractions means you won’t miss those precious opportunities to capture it with your camera. And, after all, isn’t that why you made the effort to begin with?  Click here to see how being present allowed me to capture this tranquil shot. 

Let’s Keep this List Growing

Do you have some great tips for photographing a sunrise? Share them in the comments and I’ll continue to update this list to include yours, including a direct link to your website or blog!

Printable Copy Available

If you would like a PDF copy of this guide, send me an email.

Learn from the Best

• Tim Shields
  • Website: www.timshields.com
  • Instagram: @timsphotos
• David Molnar
  • Website: www.davidmolnar.com 
  • Author: A Photographer’s Guide From Zero to Your First Paid Gig
• Art Wolfe
  • Website; https://artwolfe.com 
  • Author: The New Art of Photographing Nature – An Updated Guide to Composing Stunning Images of Animals, Nature and Landscapes
• Creative Live – On Line Learning
  • Website: https://www.creativelive.com 
  • John Greengo
  • Tom Mangelson
  • Frans Lanting

Let’s Stay in Touch

• Website: https://kathytillphotography.com
• Email: kathytillphotography@gmail.com 
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