Sunset on Maui
The sun seems to set faster in the tropics. I don't think this is actually a scientific truth-but in West Maui where there is nothing between you and the Pacific-it seems to just drop into the ocean. The air is usually clear and there is little atmospheric haze. It is the clouds and haze that make for spectacular sunsets. When I visit Maui I try to be outside each night at sunset, but am not always rewarded with great pictures. The beaches at Kaanapali, Wailea and Kehi and the Western slopes of Haleakala are the best places to catch the sunset, although any spot on the West side of Maui is good. Read on for some of my personal tips for getting great pictures at sunset in the county of Maui.
Instructions
1. Don't wait for sunset to get to your location. During the day, think of where you want to be at sunset and then get there while there is still light in the sky. As the sun gets closer to the horizon you will see many unique lighting conditions that are as colorful as the sunset. This sailboat was photographed right before sunset with the setting sun creating the yellow highlight on the hull.
2. Most of the time Maui sunsets are pretty, but nondescript like this one. This was taken in July and there is no haze. There was some dust and haze in the center of Maui and upcountry where they were harvesting sugar and dealing with the waste. However, on the Western shores the skies are generally clear with no haze. Using a tripod will let you photograph the sky longer since you can use longer shutter speeds.
3. After the sunset, there is still interesting available light. The closer you are to the water the better, since the ocean is like a giant light reflector. This available light allows you to include objects in your sunset picture to help convey a story. Using people and silhouettes like the boat in this image help to tell a story, which is the goal of most good photographic images.
4. You can also use the sunset reflections to help create a certain feeling of place. In this image the sunset reflects not only in the window, but creates the warm wood tones and adds texture to the plant. This was taken at a Pan Asian Restaurant and captures the warm tones and feeling of the space.
5. If you are patient, eventually you will see a classic sunset. In this one you can see the rays of the sunset as the sun sinks into the Pacific Ocean. If you have a tripod you will be able to shoot at slow shutter speeds and use a low ISO setting to get the best resolution.
Tags: available light, great pictures, shutter speeds, there still, this image, This taken, tripod will