| OHCC LIVING | MARCH 2023 | 31
One of the great things about living in this area is the opportunity
to take wonderful sunset photos. Here are some thoughts on how
best to go about it.
Scope out places that might be good for sunsets a day or two ahead
of time. You might be one of the lucky ones to just walk in your back
yard, but most of us have to think about where to base ourselves. You
want a location where you can photograph the sun all the way down
to the horizon, plus other elements of interest.
Know when the sun is going to set and get ready at least half an
hour ahead of time. Lots of good shots can be had prior to the sun
sinking below the horizon. Keep an eye on the weather – it's usually
on the days when there are a few clouds around that you get the most
dramatic shots. And while we don't want them, if there's dust or
smoke in the air it will lend some drama to the sky and provide some
amazing shots.
Any camera can capture great sunset images, but if you have a full-
frame camera, it offers the opportunity to capture dark shadows and
bright highlights in a single frame. It's also good to have a camera
with a decent number of megapixels if you are thinking about
making large prints of your sunset photos.
Finally, you can get some of your best sunset photos after the sun
has gone down. One evening in La Jolla we walked down to the cove
to see what was going on late in the day, and we got some incredible
sunset shots with just a phone held horizontally. We'd never seen
La Jolla that way before. And although we walked down, there was
parking available everywhere! Who knew?
The OHCC Photography Club is open to all residents. No
experience necessary. We meet most months in the Lamia Room,
on the third Thursday of the month at 1 pm, but check the weekly
schedule published by the Rec Department to be sure. Annual dues
are only $8.
Photography
