Sunrise Photography Tips From Ray Redstone

Arizona's epic desert landscapes offer photographers a mesmerizing canvas for capturing dramatic sunrises. The unique lighting conditions, vast open spaces, and stunning natural formations make it an ideal destination for shooting sunrises. In this blog post, I will share some of my “go to” tips and to help you capture the breathtaking beauty of Arizona's desert sunrises. See images below post…

Sunrise Locations: Most of the sunrise photos I have posted below were captured in the Phoenix-metro area. I am a big fan of the 30k acre McDowell Sonoran Preserve located primarily in North Scottsdale and a lot my images were captured along trails in this classic Sonoran Desert setting. I don’t want to publicly hot spot specific locations, but one piece advise I will share is I prefer to shoot from an elevated position if possible which generally involves hiking away from the trailhead.

Check The Weather:

I think most photographers understand that to capture a dramatic sunrise or sunset you need some clouds, dust, & particles in the atmosphere to refract off the rising sun light or sunrays. Shooting A sunrise landscape on a clear and cloudless day to me is a waste of time and the images are generally boring. This is why I always check the weather radar in the morning before I head out to verify if there is enough clouds or cloud cover to possibly generate a colorful sunrise. After many years of trial and error, I have become very competent about predicting good or colorful sunrise conditions and this weird skill I believe has saved me a lot time and expense.

Hit The Trail Early:

To capture the magic light of a desert sunrise, you need arrive at your chosen location well before the sun starts to rise. In my experience the best colors and light occur in the Arizona desert about 10 to 15 minutes before the sun rises over the horizon. So, obviously checking the sunrise time online or via an app is important and routine preparation. In addition, arriving early will give you time to reach your vantage point, set up your equipment, etc. I find that arriving early will also reduce your anxiety about possibly blowing a great sunrise image capture.

Try a Wide-angle Lens:

Wide-angle lenses are very helpful in capturing the expansive desert skies in Arizona and the Southwest in general. They allow you to include more of the sky, foreground, and distant landscape elements in your composition. Try using focal lengths between 14mm and 35mm to achieve the best effects.

Use A Tripod:

Sunrise and sunset time are inherently challenging times to capture super sharp images with low noise because of the obvious low light conditions. A decent tripod is essential for keeping your camera steady during long exposures, mitigating noise, and ensuring the sharpest images possible. It also allows you to frame your shots precisely and experiment with different compositions.

Shoot in RAW Format:

To maximize the dynamic range and flexibility in post-processing, always shoot in RAW format. RAW files retain more image data, allowing you to recover details in both shadows and highlights in post processing. This will be particularly beneficial when dealing with mitigating noise. Yes, they are larger files than JPEGs, but for the best and professional quality results you need to capture your Sunrise images in RAW format.

Make The Leap and Go Mirrorless:

I purchased my first mirrorless camera about 2 years ago (Canon EOSr) and can share that in my opinion they are superior to DSLR cameras in capturing low light scenes like sunrises and sunsets. Yes, the quality and sharpness of the lens you shoot with is very important too, but in all my tests and comparisons the images captured on my mirrorless vs DSLRs were less noisy and sharper- sometimes considerably. Going mirrorless is a no-brainer for getting the best sunrise images.

Multiple Cameras:

I get it that this is not an option for everyone, but I always bring and use two cameras with different lenses on every sunrise and sunset shoot I do. On one camera I will use a wide-angle lens (18-35 mm or 16mm prime) and the other I will shoot with a prime lens like a 50mm. For me, I don’t want to waste precious time fumbling around changing lens in low light conditions. In addition, I feel more comfortable and have grown to appreciate the back-up security or peace of mind of having and shooting with 2 cameras brings me.

Experiment with Exposure Settings:

During a desert sunrise, the dynamic range between the bright sky and darker foreground can be challenging to capture in a single exposure. Experiment with exposure bracketing or graduated neutral density filters to balance the exposure. Alternatively, try or consider using manual exposure mode and spot metering to expose for the highlights or important elements in your composition.

Enhance Colors & Warm with White Balance Settings:

Desert sunrises can produce vibrant hues, ranging from warm golden tones to fiery reds and purples. Experiment with different white balance settings, such as "Daylight" or "Cloudy," to enhance and capture the true essence of the colors. Shoot in RAW format so you have more flexibility for adjusting white balance during post-processing.

Conclusions:

Capturing dramatic desert sunrises in Arizona requires careful planning, attention to detail, and an understanding of some basic photography techniques. By scouting your location, checking the weather, arriving early, utilizing a tri-pod, shooting in RAW, and employing the right camera settings, you can capture awe-inspiring images that showcase the breathtaking beauty of Arizona's desert landscapes. So check and pack your gear, embrace the magic of the desert, and let your creativity unfold as you witness the stunning spectacle of a desert sunrise in Arizona.

Below are some of my favorite AZ desert sunrises I have a capture over the years. Please feel to contact me if you have any questions or requests . All these images are available for sale. Please click image to see full size version. All images are copyrighted

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