Rays of sunshine

For a long time, and I have failed, I have been trying to capture rays of sunshine. The only time I have succeeded is when ther has been moisture in the air. I have seen photos, TV programmes and cinema films showing rays of sunshine.
Has anybody succeeded and how did you manage to capture them?

If it ones that come from behind or through clouds, i find using full or graduated ND filters is best. If it's the ones between trees or some form of landmark, then a day with high humidity is a good start, as you have found out.

You can also use a bit of post processing, to make them stand out more. You'll find most use post processing to enhace the rays.

The images below were taken with filters. Top image I used a Cokin Circular Polariser, with a ND16 filter. The bottom image was with a ND16 hard graduated filter. I took the ND filters out, then metered the foreground with my subject. I then stopped down a couple stops to underexpose a tad. I then put the filter back in, and took the shot. Then in post in post processing, I used a mask to hightlight the rays slighty. The bottom one I fannied with more to make the people stand out.







Mist where the sun starts to break thru is also a good way to get them. This requires much mooching about waiting for the right moment and works well for landmarks and woodland. It also works very well at night with artificial lighting.

Thanks for that, but I have seen photos inside buildings (cathedrals etc.) no obvious moister and rays of sunlight!

It's pretty much a similar principle to doing them outdoors on days without high humidity. The biggest thing is timing and patience. Basically right place at the right time....

You could actually try it at home. Summer is probably best as the sun is higher in the sky, and stronger.

Leave a small gap in curtains, then wait for the sun to hit them. Morning or evening would be best, but you can do it at anytime.

Camera wise I would set up to underexpose, catching the light is your aim. Forget the metering, take test shots to get it close to what you want. This will then give you a base to shot from in other locations. You can use autobracket shifted more towards unerexposed. Set it to -1 or -2 stops between shots, then shift it towards under. Set it to take 5 shots. This will then also give you the option of a HDR merge. This could improve your results. Another option of using autobracket, is creating a compsite image. One image of the ray combined with an image of the location. Doing these will require a tripod. Its not absolutely necessary, but it will give you better merges.

You will still need to use post processing to enhance the light of the rays.

Once you've mastered this, then head out to a location, that you have already scouted. Then wait for that moment to shoot.

A quick addendum.... if you see images of perfectly symmetrical or spreading light rays. It is a fair bet that is an image created in photoshop. It is relatively easy to achieve.

Just a couple of comments. First, light is invisble until it hits something. That's why mist, haze, dust, smoke etc. are needed for seeing rays of sunshine (there is, of course, usually a fair amount of dust in the atmosphere). If you want to see rays of sunlight in a church, go to one that uses incense, it can hang around in the air for longer than you can see it. Second, rays of light will always converge on the source of the light, so rays of sunshine will converge on the position of the sun even if the sun itself is not visible. I've got a painting on the wall where the artist hasn't understood that last point, it's intensely annoying to me although to be fair to the artist most people just see it as a lovely picture (which it is) rather than noticing the dodgy physics.

Steve

Just to add to the comments above.
In stage lighting to get a similar effect to that which you're trying to achieve , the setup will
either include a smoke generator or I have seen dust dropped from above from a device like a
length of gutter which can be rotated on cue to release dust.

Good point you two!!!

Basically.... indoors.... more dust and crap flying about the better

My approach to keeping the house clean and tidy . Mrs L thinks differently...

Steve