Shooting the ABSOLUTE crack of dawn

[Brian Rose]

I'm doing a documentary project, and for the opening, I would like to begin with a few night shots, which gradually yield to daybreak. I would REALLY like to capture the first traces of light in the early hours, those subtle hints of blue, then yellow, before finally orange and the burst of the sun itself. Has anyone tried this before? I gather I wont' be able to use my 50D until the sun has actually broken, but I have some 500T. Would this work, if I say, pointed it straight at the point of first light, and opened the aperture wide open? Or would I need to cheat a bit, and shoot at a slower framerate? Since it is a relatively still scene, I could get away with it. Thanks!

Best,

Brian Rose

[David W Scott]

I'm doing a documentary project, and for the opening, I would like to begin with a few night shots, which gradually yield to daybreak. I would REALLY like to capture the first traces of light in the early hours, those subtle hints of blue, then yellow, before finally orange and the burst of the sun itself. Has anyone tried this before? I gather I wont' be able to use my 50D until the sun has actually broken, but I have some 500T. Would this work, if I say, pointed it straight at the point of first light, and opened the aperture wide open? Or would I need to cheat a bit, and shoot at a slower framerate? Since it is a relatively still scene, I could get away with it. Thanks!

Best,

Brian Rose

 

With Nautical Twilight starting about an hour before Sunrise actually occurs, I would shoot timelapse. Start your timelapse exposures before Astonomical Twilight, and let it run right through full sunrise. That's the only way to capture the entire event. If you simply shoot a slower framerate, say 9fps, then you only have about 30 minutes (on a 400 foot mag) to capture part of the transition.

 

Your aperture will be determined by which part of twilight/sunrise you deem most important: if it's the first tickles of colour, then wide open is your only choice.

 

Here are some good tips on timelapse: A Time Lapse Primer from SOC Magazine

Edited September 19, 2006 by David W Scott