Photography tips

Sunstar

The sun sets behind the hills over Lake Lucerne

Key tips

Use a small aperture like f/22 to achieve the sunstar effect when shooting directly into the sun.
Use a small aperture to enhance the sunstar effect when shooting directly into the light.
Use a narrow aperture like f/22 to create a distinct sunstar licht effect when shooting directly into the light.

Photographs on this topic

7 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 Architecture City Lake Lucerne Pilatus Lucerne

Luzern town hall with sun rays behind the roof gable

45 mm · f/22 · 1/100 s · ISO 500

View across a quay chain towards the Chapel Bridge and Water Tower in Lucerne

12 mm · f/22 · 1/320 s · ISO 500

Chapel Bridge and Water Tower in Lucerne in golden backlight with pedestrian and iron ring in the foreground

14 mm · f/22 · 1/200 s · ISO 500

Silhouette of the sculpture on the dome of Lucerne station against the sun

45 mm · f/22 · 1/80 s · ISO 200

Silhouette of the Wasserturm in Lucerne against the sun

45 mm · f/22 · 1/80 s · ISO 400

Two birds sitting on a dark wall against the backlit low sun.

45 mm · f/22 · 1/200 s · ISO 200

An old tree in front of a section of the Musegg wall in Lucerne photographed against the sun

30 mm · f/22 · 1/80 s · ISO 160