Sunset/rise Photography - Timing makes all the difference

Timing is key

Tonight I made this shot of a fiery sunset in Austin.  I was about to pack up after the sunset, but I decided to stay and watch the clouds.  Check out the difference in the images below and the times they were taken:

 Taken at 6:48pm

Taken at 6:58pm

The topmost pic is just a crop from this pic taken at 6:58.  I added a little more contrast to make the colors pop even more.  Notice how the colors are so much richer and deeper in the second pic before the edit.  I could have never made the first shot look as good in photoshop if I didn't wait.  

Shooting at Magic Hour - There's an App for that!

I started using an app on my phone called Magic Hour which let's you know when the ideal time in the morning and at night to take pics based on your location.  It also has a reminder 1 hour before the ideal time so you have time to pack up your gear and get to a good location.  Hats off to the developers of this simple app.  Here's a link.