Photography and the sun



As I scout for likely spots for interesting photos, I have wondered about knowing where the sun would rise and set from a particular vantage point.

There is always the old-fashioned way of getting up at sunrise and looking, but I would like to increase the chance of success before I start doing radical things like being on the spot at sunrise to take pictures.

So, with the NOAA Solar Position Calculator , I can pick Portland from the location list, put in the time of sunrise or sunset, and have it calculate the azimuth. Now I can go out with my trusty compass from REI and see where the solar action will be as I walk about.

Starting tomorrow, sunrise will be at 118 degrees clockwise from north. It will set at 242 degrees. By the end of the month, it will have walked around to a sunrise at 114 degrees and a sunset at 246 degrees.

It all starts with being in the right place at the right time. I would like it if that didn't always happen by chance.



Posted: Mon - January 21, 2008 at 01:37 PM        

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