The plan for today’s afternoon photo walk was to catch a sunset over the Dunstable Downs in Bedfordshire.  With the Dunstable Downs being the gateway into the Chiltern Hills.

Sunset

It was lovely sunny late March day, one of those early summer days.  I would first explore Blow’s down in Dunstable and then head to the Dunstable downs for a sunset.   Leaving work the night before I had noticed a fire red setting sun.  Today was going to be the same weather conditions, haze which turns the sun red when its sets on the horizon.

Blow’s Down

I discovered Blow’s down using google map explore function and then OS Maps online.  Its right next to council estates on the outskirts of Dunstable which is where I parked.  Still I hoped I could steal a good photo.

On Blow’s Down it was difficult to find a good composition, the sky was featureless and wherever you looked council estates were imposing themselves and reminding you that the conurbation was not far away.

Trying to exclude the housing estates and capture the essence of Blow’s down was difficult.  A large part of the hills had been sacrificed for a golf course which is often the case in such locations.  Still it was a nice walk in late March.  Now I was heading to Dunstable Downs for a sunset.

Dunstable Downs

I had already scouted Dunstable Downs a few weeks before with it being directly opposite the Ivinghoe Hills.  I knew although the sun would set in front of me there was not going to be much in the way of foreground interest with it being a steep chalk escarpment.  Also potentially there would be a lot of people up there enjoying their evening for different reasons than landscape photography.

Parking was free, I headed over to the far end to an area known as Five Knolls.  I hoped a lot less people would walk that far from the car park.  I had a scout around and found a spot with a small silver birch in the foreground.

I set up with my tripod and waited for the sun to set on the horizon.  I was using a reverse graduated neutral density filter to attempt to cut out any sun flare and reduce the brightness from the setting sun.  It had been a while since I had caught a sunset and the lighting conditions is always challenging.

Sun Flare

Sun flare was a problem this evening with the camera lens facing directly into the setting sun. The only good sunset photos was when the sun was just above the horizon and more just an orange ball.

Adding filters can compound the problem of sun flare rather than reduce itm ore for the rays to bounce off.  In hindsight I dont think a reverse graduated filter was the right choice as the sky above the horizon was actually darker except for the sun rather than brighter.  Maybe a 3 stop hard edge graduated filter would have produced better results.  Also I should have tried a longer exposure like F/22 and attempt a sun burst.

Not bad, not brilliant. I always enjoy a setting sun, at this time of year you not have to stay out too late but the days are getting longer.