estuary where the Seine River meets the English Channel. The Vieux-Bassin (old harbor), lined with 16th- to 18th-century townhouses, has been the subject of artists including Claude Monet and native son Eugène Boudin. This is where Samuel de Champlain sailed from in 1603. Saint Catherine's Church on the right side of the frame is a 15th-century cathedral, the oldest surviving wooden church in France, and the largest, with a separate bell tower.

I took this 4-minute exposure at dusk on a calm spring evening. I used the long exposure to capture the movement of the clouds. The historic harbor was filled with boats, their reflections shimmering in the calm water. The tall, narrow buildings lining the quay, tightly packaged together in a variety of styles and colors, are also reflected perfectly in the calm water of the harbor, doubling the visual impact and adding to the overall sense of tranquility. The colorful buildings create a warm glow against the deep blue sky.

The bit of magenta in the sky on the right side is a remnant of pink clouds left over from sunset. Cameras tend to be oversensitive to bright street lights, and there were plenty around this old harbor. So, I sought to tame them in post-processing to yield a more balanced exposure. I believe the bright streak in the sky (also reflected in the water) to be Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo and one of the brightest in the night sky.