How to predict the angle of sunrise for the perfect landscape photography

Predict sunrise

Photography is all about light: its direction, angle, quality and strength. Scenes can look very different under varied lighting conditions and, as any landscape photographer knows, the most attractive natural light occurs at the start and end of the day.

Not only does the low angle of the sun create pockets of light and shade that reveal the contours of a landscape, its rays have to pass through more of the earth's atmosphere, causing the light to take on the warm qualities that result in vibrant sunrises and sunsets.

If you can work out how the light will behave in advance, you'll have a huge advantage when shooting landscapes. This is where technology can help. With a smartphone, all the information you need is at your fingertips. In the last few years several apps have been developed specifically for this purpose, including the excellent PhotoPills.

It's possible to chart the trajectory of the sun with such precision that you can even predict exactly where it will appear in your composition. Here we'll use PhotoPills along with other planning tools to work out exactly where the sun will rise. With smart tools like this, we can predict the angle of the sun and determine the most vibrant part of the sky long before going out to shoot it.

Step by step: Plan your sunrise shoot

1. Check the weather

Check the weather

First, check the weather. Ideally you want partial cloud. If it's miserable and wet, stay in bed! Next, check the time of sunrise. There's a moment when the colours are at their peak, but it lasts for minutes at most, so be ready.

2. Plan your position

PhotoPills

Use Google Maps to scout out the location. Here a hill to the west of our subject offers an elevated position. Now open the PhotoPills app (or the Photographer's Ephemeris app) and check the sunrise angle.

3. Check the position

Check the position

Upon arrival, check the position of the sun using PhotoPills' augmented reality mode. Patience might be needed: Corfe Castle here was initially shrouded in mist, but 20 minutes later, the mist had cleared just enough.

4. Compose the shot

Compose the shot

Keep the camera off the tripod at first; this will free you to experiment with framing. As well as the sun, include foreground details. Focus one-third of the way in (or use PhotoPills to obtain the hyperfocal distance) and shoot.

Latest in Photography
Xiaomi 15 Ultra smartphone housed in the Xiaomi Photography Kit, with user hold the phone up to take a photo outdoors
I swapped my $3,000 camera for the Xiaomi 15 Ultra for a month – here's what I learned
Nikon Z6 III camera in the hand with no lens attached and full-frame sensor on display
What's the best camera sensor format? You told us your clear favorite – here's why it's not that simple
Lunar eclipse
I'm a pro photographer – here's how I'm shooting the total lunar eclipse blood moon with my camera and phone
A young man takes a portrait photo with a DSLR.
Sell Smart: Quick, easy, and secure camera gear solutions with MPB
Shooting with a Samsung Galaxy Ultra smartphone
I shot and edited this photo with my Samsung Galaxy Ultra and Adobe Lightroom Mobile – here's how you can get pro results with just your phone
A hand holding the Ricoh GR IIIx camera
My photography resolution for 2025 is to keep a point-and-shoot compact in my pocket, and to actually use it!
Latest in How Tos
Computer memory RAM on motherboard background
How to enable XMP
Person using a laptop.
How to check battery health of a laptop
Cheerful Female Gamer Playing Online Video Game on Personal Computer
How to quickly optimize your PC for gaming
Mobile phone with logo of video game distribution platform Steam operated by Valve on screen in front of web page
How to gift a game on Steam
Venezuela's forward #09 Jhonder Cadiz celebrates after scoring during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers football match between Ecuador and Venezuela, at the Rodrigo Paz Delgado stadium in Quito, on March 21, 2025 ahead of Venezuela vs Peru
Venezuela vs Peru live stream: how to watch today's FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier anywhere online
The cast of Alone Australia season 3, standing in a knee-high body of water
How to watch Alone Australia season 3 online – stream the survival show from anywhere