All Eyes on City
Sky Photography
Inspiration for how to shoot skies and sunset pictures your own unique way.
We all live under the same sky, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at all the different ways you can photograph it. For our City Skies #withGalaxy challenge, we want to see your city sky, your way. Here’s some inspiration and tips for how to take pictures of the sky, from how to photograph sunsets to using architecture to your advantage.
New York City: Photo by Iqbal Gran / @iqbalgran
Sunset pictures that stand out
The sun might get all the glory, but clouds are the real stars in an epic sunset shot. You can predict a good sunset by paying attention to cloud conditions during the day. If the clouds look promising and wind is light, chances are those same cloud patterns will stick around to make way for Instagram-worthy pink and red hues. Come sundown, find a high vantage point and take your best shot, then play with white balance in Pro Mode to get the exact colors you want.
London: Photo by Des Curran / @descurran, New York City: Photo by @Samsungmobileusa
The advantage of architecture
Buildings can become playful design elements in sky photography. They not only provide a subject for you to focus on, but they also add interesting shapes and textures, especially against boring (but beautiful!) clear blue skies. Courtyards can frame the sky in an unusual way, and the edge of a skyscraper against the sky can create a graphic pattern that jumps off the screen.
Orlando, Florida: Photo by James Lano / @JamesLano, Seoul: Photo by KK / @kklivehigh
Reflections and dimensions
Sometimes the sky isn’t just above us — it’s all around us. Reflective surfaces add more dimension to otherwise straightforward sky pics, so keep your eyes open while scouting your city. The surface could be water, windows, a sculpture, the side mirror on a car, or even a puddle.