Hello experienced shooters!

How can I shoot theese types of shots? Do I need a filter?

Which one? Tiffen? Maybe a starter kit? Also, tripods...

Eventually I will have $400 to spend, but I need a quick fix for under $100. Any thoughts?

under a 100?

get a polarizer (rotating) and apply a region filter on the sky in post - tweak it. You could get a set of gels and tape the right color half way across the lens.

What precautions are necessary for shooting the sun directly? Can the sun cause damage to the CCDs?

Thanks.

Ever fry an ant with a magnifying glass? It ain't the light it's the heat that can build up quickly from pointing at the sun. ND filters will help.