Think “vibrant” and “true colours” when attempting to capture landscapes. The most vibrant colours are not created during the glare of midday, for harsh direct and overhead sunlight can wreck a photo – overexposed, too much contrast, intense highlights and shadows.
The best outdoor shots can be taken during the golden hours—soon after sunrise or shortly before sunset. These magic hours give soft warm hues, as oppose to the overtly bright tones you’d find during midday. Have a look at how glorious rural beachside Athens becomes when shot at 6PM…
You see, midday hours tend to wash your images out; what you think you are shooting during say 11am through 3pm will not be reproduced.
During golden hours the sun illuminates buildings and landscapes with a desirable red and orange tint…
Here’s a tip: Turn off your auto white balance. Manually adjust the white balance to create the color mood you desire. Or, you can also experiment with the auto-presets such as ‘sunny’ or ‘daylight’…
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