Reading the Sky: A Sunset Case Study from Exeter Canal
A good sunset photo is rarely just down to being in the right place by chance. Reading the weather can greatly improve your chances, helping you decide whether conditions are worth pursuing and where the most interesting light may develop.
I use real-time satellite imagery from Meteoblue alongside the Met Office cloud-cover forecast to build a picture of the sky: where cloud is sitting now, where it is likely to move, and whether clearing skies may allow low evening sunlight to illuminate cloud from beneath. What follows is a real case study from back in early autumn, when that planning really paid off — although, of course, it does not always work out that way.
The situation
A band of cloud associated with a weather front was moving south-east across Devon during the evening, with clearer air following from the west. The Met Office cloud-cover forecast suggested that the timing might work in my favour: if the low sun in the west found a gap beneath the clearing cloud, it could illuminate the underside of the cloud retreating towards the south-east. This sort of set-up can produce some of the most dramatic sunset colour.
The satellite image at 6pm (below), as I was making my final decision ahead of sunset at 7.53pm, showed the situation developing in real time. There was still extensive cloud across the area, but its western edge was already beginning to clear south out of Wales. The uncertainty was whether it would remain too cloudy for the sun to break through at all, or whether the clearance would happen too quickly — leaving too little cloud overhead by the time the sun was low enough to light it from below.
Deciding on a location
My initial thought was to head up onto Dartmoor. At that point, the band of cloud still appeared to have a long way to clear, and an elevated location with an open western view felt like the obvious choice if the sun broke through beneath it.
However, the Met Office cloud-cover forecast suggested that by 8pm (see below) the main cloud band would have cleared much of the north of Devon and Dartmoor. With sunset at 7.53pm, that raised the possibility that I might arrive on Dartmoor to find the most interesting cloud had already moved on — leaving a rather empty western sky.
That made me reconsider. Rather than committing to a longer drive, I decided to stay closer to home and choose between a couple of locations where I could react more quickly to the conditions. Both Topsham and the Exeter Canal offered water for reflections, but importantly, they also gave me different directions in which to work if the colour developed away from the sunset itself.
Watching it develop
As I left home, I could see the clearing edge already approaching Honiton from the north. That made me question the plan again. If the clearer air moved through quickly, I might be better off somewhere farther east, looking back towards the retreating cloud as the sun set in the west.
However, as I drove along the A30, it became clear that the clearance was now moving quite slowly. That gave me the confidence to settle on the Exeter Canal. From there, I could look south-east towards the cloud moving away, with the setting sun behind me — exactly the direction where I now thought the best colour might develop.
The Exeter Canal was a familiar location. I have photographed there many times on foggy mornings at sunrise, so I knew the boats, masts and calm water would give me strong foreground interest and the potential for reflections. What was new was photographing it at sunset; I had not previously used the location with the light and colour arriving from this direction.
I arrived at around 7pm, almost an hour before sunset. That is a useful habit whenever conditions look promising: arrive early enough to make the most of golden-hour light and any colour that develops well before sunset. On this occasion, the early light was attractive, but the strongest colour developed just before sunset and continued shortly afterwards.
Working the scene
Now, hopefully, I was in the right place at the right time. From then on, it was simply a matter of watching the sky and taking photos at regular intervals as the light and colour developed. The scene changed surprisingly quickly: warm golden hour light gave way to subtle pinks and oranges, then stronger red colours just before sunset, followed by a deeper afterglow as the sun dropped below the horizon.
There was not much scope to move between viewpoints at this particular location — every photo in this sequence was taken from the same spot. But that did not mean making the same image repeatedly. I varied the composition as the balance of the scene changed: sometimes including the full width of the canal and its reflections; at other times concentrating on the boats and their masts. I also changed the position of the horizon, and switched between landscape and portrait formats.
When the strongest colour was high in the sky, a vertical frame gave it the space it needed; when the reflection and boats were doing more of the work, a wider horizontal composition made better sense.
The following sequence shows just a selection of the photos made as the colour developed and faded. It is a useful reminder that, once the conditions come together, the job is not finished: keep looking, keep shooting, and let the changing light guide the composition.
Final thoughts
It will not always pay off. Even with a promising forecast, the final result depends on the exact timing and amount of cloud, and sometimes the colour simply does not develop as hoped.
But a little planning makes a real difference. Reading the forecast, checking conditions as they develop, staying flexible and knowing a few nearby locations with different views will give you a far better chance of coming away with a good photo than relying on luck alone.
The aim is not to predict every sunset perfectly. It is to turn a hopeful guess into an informed decision — and to be ready to make the most of the light when it does arrive.
Landscape Photography for Beginners - now as a pdf download!
You may already be aware that in 2025, my Landscape Photography for Beginners book was released on Amazon as a paperback. It has been a lovely way to share what I’ve learned in the field over the last 20 years, but I know a lot of you prefer to read on a tablet or laptop rather than adding another book to the shelf. Thanks to Amazon taking most of the sale price, the paperback edition is also sadly quite expensive.
So, I’ve now created a digital edition that you can download directly from my website. It’s the same content as the print version, presented as a high‑quality, screen‑friendly PDF with full‑colour images and double‑page photo spreads kept intact. The e-book is designed to take you from “point and hope” to taking deliberate, confident landscape photos, with clear explanations, simple settings that actually matter, and plenty of examples from real locations. If you’d like a copy, you’ll find it in the shop section of my site HERE, ready to download and keep as a reference for your next outing.
About Gary Holpin Photography
As a professional photographer based in Devon, my journey began along the stunning South West Coast Path. Disappointed with my initial attempts to capture its beauty, I embarked on a second 630-mile journey, this time dedicated to mastering photography. Today, I'm a nationally acclaimed photographer with award-winning landscape photos.
I specialise in providing top-notch property photography, business photography, and drone photography services to businesses across the South West. Additionally, I offer comprehensive photography training courses tailored for both businesses and individuals. Whether you're looking to enhance your corporate image or improve your personal photography skills, my training programs are designed to help you capture stunning images.
As an award-winning and widely published photographer, I frequently share my passion for photography and Devon through engaging talks at local camera clubs and community groups. My expertise spans the entire South West region, ensuring that clients from Devon, Dorset & Somerset benefit from high-quality photography services and training.
