I took this photograph on August 28, 2025, at 06:20. The result reflects two fundamental elements of photography: careful planning and familiarity with one’s gear.
As mentioned in a previous publication, I used The Photographer’s Ephemeris to identify a local sunrise location that I could reach in less than twenty minutes. The weather forecast was favourable, and sunrise on that date was at 06:10. Experience has taught me that arriving at the vantage point at least fifteen minutes before sunrise is essential.
Once on location, I set up my tripod, camera, cable release, and Leica DG wide angle lens. From experience, I know this lens produces pleasing star effects when used at a very small aperture, in this case f/22.
To ensure I captured the full dynamic range of the scene, I programmed the camera to take three exposures with a two stop increment, allowing me to merge them later into an HDR image in Lightroom.
As the sun began to rise over the distant shoreline, I repositioned the tripod and refined my composition using a 16mm focal length. I included the shoreline on the left to convey depth, colour, and texture, while placing the sun on the right side of the frame, guided by the rule of thirds.
When I saw the sun and its reflection mirrored on the river beneath beautifully textured clouds, I released the shutter. Seeing the rays of light appear in the viewfinder was astonishing. For a photographer, it was a dreamlike moment to witness and capture.
It is worth asking yourself whether there are interesting locations close to home where you could experience and photograph a sunrise or sunset.
