In October 2024, I spent a wonderful week in the Charlevoix region with friends, all eager to capture the beauty of autumn with our cameras. Each day began with fog, which led me to ponder how I could capture an interesting landscape in these misty conditions.
One night, I decided to plan my shot for the following morning. I envisioned the strong rays of sunlight at sunrise and knew I needed to find a barn facing east. Additionally, I wanted to include a natural element in the foreground to enhance my composition. Using my trusty Leica DG wide-angle lens set to a very small aperture of f/22, I aimed to create star effects with the rising sun.
To determine the exact time and location of sunrise, I utilized the Photographer’s Ephemeris app, which helped me narrow it down to three barns. One morning, I arrived at my selected barn, parked my car on the side of the road, and walked into the field. As I had anticipated, the sun rose very close to the barn. I looked for a plant that I could position in the foreground to complement both the barn and the rising sun.
When I spotted a lovely plant, I set up my tripod and camera. I composed the shot using an 18 mm focal length, set the aperture to f/22, and pressed the shutter button.
Once again, I was reminded that careful planning and familiarity with one’s gear are essential elements of successful photography.
