Capturing Sunset Magic: Learning Landscape Photography at Ngarunui Beach

A Hands-On Landscape Photography Workshop in Raglan

Last night, I had the pleasure of guiding eight passionate photographers—ranging from complete beginners to seasoned shooters—through an immersive landscape photography workshop in stunning Raglan, New Zealand. With golden-hour light and a breathtaking beach setting, it was the perfect opportunity to master essential photography techniques while capturing the magic of sunset.

Building Skills Before the Shoot

We kicked off the workshop at 5:00 PM with an informative session covering:

✅ Tripod Techniques for Sand: Stability is key when shooting long exposures at the beach. Participants learned how to prevent camera shake and protect their gear from sand and saltwater.

✅ Mastering Camera Settings: We explored the best settings for capturing sharp, well-exposed landscape shots, adjusting shutter speed, aperture, and ISO for optimal results.

✅ Focus Bracketing & Exposure Bracketing: These techniques help create ultra-sharp images and perfect exposure blends, crucial for high-contrast sunset scenes.

✅ Filter Usage: Neutral density and graduated filters played a big role in balancing bright skies and darker foregrounds, allowing participants to enhance their compositions naturally.

Putting Knowledge into Practice at Ngarunui Beach

As the sun dipped lower, we moved to Ngarunui Beach, where the real fun began. The participants put their new skills into action, experimenting with composition, long exposures, and bracketing techniques to capture the shifting light. It was incredible to see their confidence grow as they applied what they had learned, fine-tuning their shots to create stunning images.

One of the highlights was watching participants capture silky smooth waves with long exposures and perfectly balanced skies using graduated filters. The mix of excitement and determination was contagious, and by the time the last light faded, everyone had shots they were proud of.

A Night of Learning and Creativity

This workshop was all about gaining hands-on experience, and the results spoke for themselves. Whether it was a first-time DSLR user learning to shoot in manual mode or an experienced photographer refining their bracketing technique, every participant walked away with new skills and a fresh perspective on landscape photography.

If you're keen to improve your photography and join a future workshop, keep an eye out for upcoming events! Sunset at the beach is just the beginning—there’s always more to learn and explore.