Dawn versus Sunset – Part 1

Are you a dawn person or a sunset person?

This is a typical personality diagnostics question; but in our case, that of photography, it is quite relevant, given that one of the most basic pieces of advice that you will get to make yourself a better photographer, is that the light at noon is too zenithal, too sharp to create any sort of atmosphere; hence that the desirable illumination to shoot good landscapes, portraits, etc. is the early morning light and that of the end of day.

This is why amateur photographs make a lot of sunset pictures, because it is convenient from the point of view of ease and comfort; and one of the big differences between professional and amateur photographers is that the professional photographer wakes up very early (even before dawn) and starts shooting pictures. Amateur photographers shoot sunset pictures (and they even rarely take portraits in the sunset light –taking advantage of its benefits) and end up collecting an impressive number of orange colored clouds.

What is the best thing we can do to improve our photographs? Taking pictures in the afternoon or in the morning? The truth of the matter is that neither time is better; they are supplementary to each other; and each one of them has its strengths.

For example, sunsets tend to have a much more saturated light, stronger and orange tinted light; the cloud patterns tend to be more violent and spectacular. 

But, on the other hand, the light at dawn has more dust particles, and has dew, fog, and, although the light is not so saturated at dawn, it has the conditions that allow for photographs which, though not so spectacular to our eyes, are more dramatic and special to the eyes of the camera.