The Golden Silhouette
Captured at Khandi, Maharashtra, Oct 26, 2025, 6:12 PM — Epic, commanding, and warm..
Story Behind the Shot
Mastering high-dynamic range sunset portraits using off-camera flash to balance a powerful backlight.
"This image was part of a personal experiment to capture solitude in motion — a quiet frame that feels alive without any movement."
Shooting directly into the sun is a death sentence for your sensor if you don't know what you're doing. By underexposing the sky and punching back with a 45-degree flash, we kept the rider from becoming a black blob and saved the fire in the horizon.
Location & Conditions
Location
Khandi, Maharashtra
Timing
Oct 26, 2025, 6:12 PM
Environment
Golden Hour, clear skies, lakeside humidity
Gear & Accessories
Camera Body
High dynamic range is essential here.
Lighting
Held at 45 degrees to illuminate the rider's face and jacket.
Technical Breakdown
To capture the sun without blowing out the highlights, I dropped the exposure by **-1.7 EV**. I used an external flash held at a **45-degree angle** to provide fill light on the subject, ensuring the orange accents on the KTM and jacket popped.
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Aperture | f/4.5 |
| Shutter Speed | 1/800 sec |
| Flash Power | 1/16 |