Photography tips

Sunburst effect

A ship sailing on Lake Lucerne during an orange sunset

Key tips

  1. Use a small aperture like f/20 to achieve a sunburst effect when shooting directly into the light.
  2. Use a small aperture to create the characteristic sunburst effect when shooting directly into the light.
  3. Use a closed aperture like f/22 when you want to highlight the sunburst effect in direct backlight.

Photographs on this topic

4 photographs with tips

The exact camera settings for each shot are shown below it - a starting point for recreating the look yourself. Click through to a photograph for detailed photography tips on that specific shot, under "Photography tips for this image".

All subjects Landscape Mountains City Lake Lucerne Pilatus Lucerne
A ship sailing on Lake Lucerne during an orange sunset 45 mm · f/16 · 1/100 s · ISO 250 The Lilu lettering made of luminous elements on the shore of Lake Lucerne with a view of Mount Pilatus at sunset 14 mm · f/20 · 1/100 s · ISO 500 Snowy coniferous trees at Krienseregg with the Pilatus massif in the background 100 mm · f/25 · 1/125 s · ISO 640 The Reuss river in Lucerne at sunset with the Jesuit Church on the bank 16 mm · f/22 · 1/80 s · ISO 400

Related topics

  • Landscape
  • Mountains
  • City
  • Light
  • Camera settings
  • Perspective
  • Composition
  • Lake Lucerne
  • Pilatus
  • Lucerne
  • Sunset
  • Evening light
  • Snow
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