Why on earth would you turn your back to the sun to photograph a landscape at sunset?

When you’re photographing a beautiful landscape scene in front of you, and patiently waiting near the end of the day for the sun to set so the colors in the sky change, it might seem crazy to instead turn your back on the setting sun, and take photos in the completely opposite direction!

However, some of my best landscape photos weren’t taken when I was shooting in a westerly direction towards the sunset. In fact, even if I was doing that I wouldn’t be including the big, bright ball of fire in the sky, as it often causes so many harsh highlights unless it’s behind clouds or below the horizon.

Instead I’ll face east and compose a landscape shot lit by the setting sun's light. As well as the lovely, soft light at sunset, as the sun’s lower in the sky and the light is much more diffused as it approaches the haze of the horizon, the skies can be transformed into incredible purples, pinks, and more if you’re lucky. 

There’s also no harsh highlights associated with landscape scenes when you’re shooting towards the light and have the bright sun in your frame.

Of course, there’s nothing stopping you shooting both – capture the amazing landscape shot with the sunset you’ve been picturing all week, then spin around and shoot the other way. 

Obviously you need a location that offers scenic options in both directions. You can’t just take a picture of the carpark behind you!

This Cornish church is perched on a hillside near a great coastal spot so I was able to shoot both a seascape at sunset, and this shot in the other direction, with little walking or time-wasting in between.

Lastly, it’s not just sunset that can work for this technique. At sunrise the colors in the sky opposite the rising sun can be transformed into picturesque pinks to light up a morning landscape.

Check out our guide to the best cameras for landscapes