How to Photograph Sunrises in Bagan, Myanmar
Bagan is one of the most magical places on earth. You literally have to pinch yourself to make sure you aren’t dreaming. The history, the access, and the adventure here is fantastic.
The iconic photos that you see here are of the sun rising over the 2000+ pagodas while the hot air balloons take flight over them. It is a must do thing when you are in Bagan, but getting great photos is not always easy.
Here are some things that will help you to achieve amazing photos from this place.
Sunrises
No two are alike, and so you are never guaranteed a beautiful sunrise. It took me 3-4 different mornings to get all my favourite images. Every sunrise has something great about it, unless it is clouded over completely, so try and find the beauty out of each one. Also go multiple mornings, you have a better chance of great photos the more you go, plus it is always chasing that “will it be better tomorrow” feeling.
Location
You need to know where the best locations to get your photos from. Since you will be travelling in the dark, you need to know where you are going and how to get there. Also you want to know if the pagoda you are going to is one that you can climb up, how busy it will be and when you should arrive. Mark it on your map so you have directions to get there.
The first time I went, I joined in with the sunrise tour my hostel was hosting, and a few of us got separated from the pack, ultimately not knowing where to go. After some discussion on what to do, I took the lead even though I didn’t really know where to go, I just looked for big pagodas and a grouping of bikes in front. We made it to one, but it was not where our group was. It was still great, but confusing for so early in the morning.
Logistics
You will need to leave in the dark so you can get there for pre-sunrise as this is the best time to get your photos…not long after the sun rises the photos are not worth it most of the time. Knowing this, you need to reserve your e-bike the night before so you can pick it up in the morning. You also need to know what time the sunrises. I use an app called “sunrise & set” that uses your GPS location to determine the times. You want to have a headlamp with you so you can wear it while on your bike in the dark, but also to help you climb up the pagoda in the dark.
Framing your images
Everyone has their own style, but there are things that I try to take into account in my images. First I want to have two different lenses. A wide angle zoom and a telephoto zoom. Depending on the wind, and where you are located, you will need both and sometimes only the telephoto to get the shots you want.
I also like to make sure I don’t have any balloons hanging off the edges of my frame, as well as not have any elements overlap each other. I don’t want a balloon half behind a pagoda etc. I also don’t want to cut a pagoda or tree in half in the frame. Waiting for your moment or reframing the images will make all the difference to your photography.
You also want to take photos of the landscape without the balloons and what is going on around you. This will add a more dynamic range to your photo story.
When you travel to Bagan, I recommend you keep these things in mind so you can get the best photos of this amazing experience. Bring a tripod, and remember to get out from behind the camera as well to treasure these moments in your brain and not only through a viewfinder.
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