Can I plan for the sun to set behind a specific landmark?

Yes — check the sun's azimuth across several candidate dates from your shooting position until it lines up with the landmark's bearing, then plan the shoot for that date.

← Back

Sun Position Calculator for Landscape Photography

Knowing exactly where the sun will be — not just roughly 'behind that ridge around sunset' — turns a landscape composition from a guess into a plan you can execute on the day.

Sun Position Calculator for Landscape Photography

Open the Sun Position Calculator

Recommended settings

Check azimuth and elevation for the exact date and time you'll be shooting, not a general seasonal impression of the location.
For a sun-behind-a-landmark composition, work backward from the landmark's bearing to find which date puts the sun there.

Tips for this niche

A composition planned around the sun setting directly behind a specific peak only works on certain dates each year — check before travelling for it specifically.
Low sun elevation increases the chance of lens flare or silhouetting foreground elements — decide in advance whether that's wanted.

Got your Landscape settings dialed in?

Turn your landscape shoot into ready-to-post captions, hashtags and matching audio — free to try, no signup.

Want the full lesson?

This topic is covered in depth in Lesson 6: Shooting for a Genre.

Example scenario

A photographer wants the sun setting directly behind a distant peak. Checking the calculator across several candidate dates finds the one where the sun's azimuth aligns with the peak's bearing from the shooting position — turning a lucky-guess composition into a planned one.

Common mistakes

Scouting a location at the wrong time of year. the sun's setting position along the horizon shifts by tens of degrees across the year — a spot that worked for a summer shot won't put the sun in the same place in winter.
Not checking elevation, only direction. azimuth tells you which way the sun is, but elevation determines whether it clears a ridge or foreground obstruction entirely — check both.

FAQ

Can I plan for the sun to set behind a specific landmark?: Yes — check the sun's azimuth across several candidate dates from your shooting position until it lines up with the landmark's bearing, then plan the shoot for that date.

Guides for this tool, by niche

Sun Position Calculator for Wedding Photography Sun Position Calculator for Architecture Photography

Troubleshooting

Why Is the Sun in the Wrong Place for My Planned Shot?

Before the shoot

Landscape Photography shot list