Photographing the Kuta Sunset in Bali

Just the mention of Kuta, Bali is enough to make some seasoned travelers cringe. I wasn’t quite sure why before visiting, but now that we have been there, we get it. The town is so commercial and busy that you can hardly take a breath with all the frantic movement on any given day.

We were so overwhelmed by this that we didn’t even make it down to the beach the first 2 days that we were there. Instead, we hung out in the air-conditioned sanctuary of our room on Legian street and just wandered around the immediate area.

A couple of days in and we were prepared to take on the beach. We knew it would be busy but we packed up the tripod and camera equipment anyways and headed down for sunset.

Yes, it was definitely busy on the beach; there were times when the crowds were so thick with people that you couldn’t even see the water. Add that to the street sellers that have trickled in behind that wall and setup now permanent stations and you will be hard-pressed to relax at all.

Don’t let this deter you. I’m serious, push your way to the front of the crowd, set up your camera and get ready for a beautiful sunset. In my opinion, it is still worth it to pay a visit to Kuta Beach for this purpose.

You can’t beat the way the sun smears color across the water while the surfers use the last rays of light from the day to ride some waves. The scenes are timeless and make for some great photo opportunities.

I think the biggest thing to know about Bali is that you should prepare yourself for the madness. If you don’t do this, it would be really easy to have an erratic, poor holiday while you are there. I hate to say it, but get the Eat Pray Love out of your head before you visit.

You’ll be hard-pressed to have such a quiet experience while you are there but don’t be discouraged. You can still have a great time, with great views and memories if you just prepare yourself ahead of time. Most importantly of all, don’t let the crowds deter you, get out in the streets, see the culture of Bali and enjoy a beautiful sunset, that is what vacation is all about.

Tips for Photographing the Kuta Sunset

Here’s a look at some tips that should help you get great shots despite the large crowds on the beach.

• Push your way to the front, all the way to the front.
• Stand as close to the water as you can so people walk behind you to avoid getting wet.
• Alternatively, stand far back at the top of the hill, where you can photograph over or between people.
• Walk down the beach and out of the crowds so you can stand where you want.
• If you can’t beat them, incorporate some of the people into your photos for contrast to the sunset.
• Use the surfers in the water to create a foreground contrast in your photos.
• Have fun, you’re on a tropical island where your biggest worry is how many people wander into your frame!

You can’t beat the way the sun smears color across the water while the surfers use the last rays of light from the day to ride some waves. The scenes are timeless and make for some great photo opportunities.

I think the biggest thing to know about Bali is that you should prepare yourself for the madness. If you don’t do this, it would be really easy to have an erratic, poor holiday while you are there. I hate to say it, but get the Eat Pray Love out of your head before you visit.

You’ll be hard-pressed to have such a quiet experience while you are there but don’t be discouraged. You can still have a great time, with great views and memories if you just prepare yourself ahead of time.

Most importantly of all, don’t let the crowds deter you, get out in the streets, see the culture of Bali and enjoy a beautiful sunset, that is what vacation is all about.

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