Creating A Sunburst With A DSLR : A Step By Step Guide

i am always intrigued by that beautiful sun that streams through the trees as it is setting.  it’s a beautiful display of light that often has me wanting to pick up my camera to photograph it’s beauty.  one of the funnest things to do with a ray of light is to create a sunburst.  a sunburst is when you capture the light in a way that creates ray or beams of light from it’s center point.  when done correctly, it is very beautiful and can really bring an image to life.  creating a sunburst with a dslr is super easy and here is how you can create one yourself.

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the images within this post were achieved using : nikon d750 and sigma art 24mm f/1.4 lens.

Creating A Sunburst With A DSLR : A Step By Step Guide

nikon d750 | sigma art 24mm f/1.4 lens |  ISO 1000 | f/16 | 1/5ss

Pinpoint The Light Flare

once you see the sun shining, walk around and find a position where the light in shining towards you at it’s strongest or is most defined.  sometimes this means just taking the tiniest of steps left or right, positioning yourself where the light is streaming.

Raise Your F/Stop

raise the f/stop on your lens the highest that you can.  the higher your f/stop, the more defined your sunburst will be.  play around with your f/stop to get the desired look you are going for, whether that is creating a softer sunburst with a lower f/stop or a sharp defined sunburst with a higher f/stop.

nikon d750 | sigma art 24mm f/1.4 lens |  ISO 500 | f/14 | 1/100ss

Consider Extra Support

in order to create a sunburst, you are raising your f/stop very high.  when you raise your f/stop really high, you are allowing less light to your sensor and you will need to compensate for that.  you can do this by raising your ISO to let in more light or, when shooting in lower light situations, you can support your camera using a tripod.  using a tripod may allow you to create a sharp image, despite your high f/stop and slow shutter speed.

the next time you see an opportunity for creating a sunburst with a dslr, be sure to keep these simply steps in mind.  by using a higher f/stop, positioning yourself where the light burst is it’s strongest and considering extra camera support, you are bound to create a strong sunburst that will add visual interest to your image.

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