Photography tips (#1)

I will be sharing five tips that I have previously posted in Google+ and Facebook.

Here is the first one:
( If you can't wait for the rest: here are all my tips: http://www.groblerdupreez.co.za/phototips.htm )

Shooting into the sun

As most people know by now, the most beautiful photos are usually created during the "golden hour" (the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset). What is also widely taught, is that you must always shoot with the sun at your back. This is an untruth - some of my best photos ever were shot nearly directly into the sun. The photo below was shot about 10 minutes before sunset when the sun was only a few degrees above and to the side of the subject. If there is dust in the air, shoot into the sun, but be careful not to shoot before the intensity of the sunlight is low enough not to damage your eyes or your camera sensor.

This type of photo you usually cannot see with the naked eye as the light is too sharp to see clearly.
Always use a tripod and remote control or the camera timer to reduce camera shake.

Sunset at the Okaukeujo waterhole, Etosha National Park, Namibia.

Nikon D300s, Sigma 50-500 at 420mm, f11, 1/160s, ISO 200, tripod. I used the camera timer on 2 seconds to further decrease camera shake.