How To Easily Capture a Starburst Effect In Your Photos

Starburst Photography

A “Starburst” of "Sunburst" in photography refers to capturing the sun in your photo where you can actually see the sun’s rays in a star like shape.

I don't capture starbursts in all of my landscape photos, but it is ONE OF MY FAVORITE things to capture on a bright sunny day!

Here are a few tips to capture a beautiful starburst effect:

1. A bright sunny day makes for better results.  It is much harder to capture a good sunburst on an overcast or cloudy day!

2. Set your camera to aperture priority mode (AV mode) and start out by setting your aperture to f/16.  My ISO settings are low; usually around 100.

3. Take a test shot towards the sun.  You do not have to worry about harming your sensor by shooting towards the sun; I try to focus just below the actual sun itself so that it is easier for the camera to focus.  If changing your focal point is an option, I use the center focal point and recompose if needed.

4. Check your test shot on your LCD screen and adjust your f-stop accordingly.  If you open your lens wider (such as f/9) there will be less sun “points” in the sunburst compared to closing your aperture (such as f/22).

5. Every lens is made differently, so experiment with a few test shots to find your desired effect.  I personally prefer to stay at f/16 with my 35mm.

6. Do not forget to physically move around and try different angles.  It is easier to capture a sunburst if part of the sun is slightly behind an object such as a tree, hill, leaves, mountain, etc., especially when you are first testing your desired settings.

(Image above from the Grand Teton National Park & edited with Copper Fields from the Landscape Collection)

Here are a few examples on how changing your f-stop can change the effect of the starburst:

Example 1 - Minimal Starburst Effect

Photo taken with Canon 6D and 35mm lens - ISO 100, f/2.8 and shutter speed 1/320

This photo was taken with my lens set at a wider aperture (f/2.8).  You can see the sun looks more like a light blob compared to my next two examples.  Keep in mind, If your aperture is too wide you will not capture the sun’s rays and desired sunburst effect.

(Edited with Buff preset from the Pretty Film Pastels Lightroom Preset Collection)

Example 2 - Medium Starburst Effect

Photo taken with Canon 6D and 35mm lens - ISO 100, f/9.0 and shutter speed 1/320

For this photo, I closed down my aperture to f/9.0, which in turn shows a sunburst.  I like this image but wanted to try to get the rays even a little more defined which you will see in the next example.

(Edited with Buff preset from the Pretty Film Pastels Lightroom Preset Collection)

Example 3 - Strong Starburst Effect

Photo taken with Canon 6D and 35mm lens - ISO 100, f/16.0 and shutter speed 1/100

For this photo, I closed the aperture slightly more to f/16.0 causing the sunburst to become even more defined & the rays cover even more of the photo. 

This photo ended up being my favorite & final image.  I could have moved my f-stop to f/22 but I was already quite happy with the results at f/16.

(Edited with Buff preset from the Pretty Film Pastels Lightroom Preset Collection)

I hope this tutorial helps you capture some incredible starbursts!  Happy shooting and never stop exploring!

Do you have any questions or comments about Starburst Photography?  Leave us a comment below - we would LOVE to hear from you!  And PLEASE SHARE this post using the social sharing buttons (we really appreciate it)!