Top Tips for a Great Huron County Sunset Photo

It is hard to not gasp sometimes when you look up to see yet another amazing Huron County sunset. The colours, the lights and the cloud formations all combine to take your breath away. If you’re visiting Huron County, or even if you’re a local, you may want to grab one of those moments to treasure forever. 

But sometimes capturing what you see with your eyes into a photo can be challenging. So we thought we would share some top tips for getting a postcard-worthy Huron County sunset picture.

We checked in with Conrad Kuiper from the Bayfield Photography Club and he offered these tips.

Top five tips for a super sunset shot:

• Keep the horizon level, especially when photographing at the lake. A crooked horizon creates a sense of tension, especially if the lake threatens to drain out one side of your image. If your horizon is going to be tilted, make sure it’s off by at least 30 degrees so it doesn’t just look like a mistake. You might consider this with an action shot if your photo includes surfers or people jumping.

• Avoid placing the sun and the horizon right in the centre of the photo. Decide whether the sky or the water and/or foreground is more interesting and compose your shot with about two-thirds including the more interesting part of the photo and one-third of the rest. Imagine your photo divided into nine rectangles with a tic-tac-toe grid. Place interesting elements like the sun at an intersection point of the lines. This is known as the rule of thirds.

• Try to include something to add foreground interest to the photo to help create a sense of depth. This could be driftwood, rocks, trees or people.

• If you are including people, they will be backlit by the setting sun and will end up as silhouettes. This can be effective if it’s what you want. Otherwise, use your flash to bring out the features of the people in the shot.

• Do not leave within moments of the sun dropping over the horizon. Often the best colours and light show occur in the half hour after the sun sets. You would be advised to bring a tripod or find a place to set your camera so it doesn’t shake during longer exposures. Do not use your flash.

While the lake is the obvious focal point of the western view in Huron County, don’t pass up an opportunity for a great shot just because you are further inland. Try for a view over a field of wheat or with the sun peaking through a line of trees or the outline of buildings. Look for the shadows, light and colour.

When the colours are strong and the sun is low, look east as well, because sometimes the reflections are just as stunning as the main event. Or you can always check out the sunrise for some spectacular colour as well. 

We would love to see your shots so don’t forget to tag us on social media with #stopsalongthewayhuron.