Twilight Photos

Twilight & Photography

One thing that has always surprised me when I am out photographing a sunset is that when the sun dips below the horizon all the photographers pack up their gear and go home. They miss out on my favourite time to shoot: twilight.

It happens about 20 minutes after the sun goes down or 20 minutes before the sun comes up. In the period between day and night, there is plenty of usable light rich in colour. While our eyes will often see black, our camera’s sensor will see deep cobalt blues and rich pinks.

When the sun is just below the horizon, pink and orange hues dominate the sky.

Later in the twilight phase (or earlier if the sun is rising) the sky is dominated by rich blues. This is a great time to start photographing cityscapes. Use a small aperture opening (like f/22) to make the city lights turn to stars. This will also maximize the depth of field in your image to ensure everything is in focus.

Capturing a rising or setting moon during twilight is a special experience. At that time of day, the moon will have soft light so you can still see details. When it is higher in the sky, the moon will appear completely white.

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