I took this photograph on December 28, 2025, at 07:19. 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 07:34; the expected temperature was -20°C. Thus, I was expecting to see fog on the unfrozen St. Lawrence River. 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. At a focal length of 16mm, my lens couldn’t capture the entire scene in one shot, so I planned to take two overlapping shots, allowing Lightroom to stitch the two photos together into a panorama.
For the general settings of each shot, I used a focal length of 16mm, an aperture of f/22, and ISO 200. I voluntarily overexposed by 1 stop to achieve a perfect exposure (ETTR). These settings would generate a 2-second exposure time for each shot. Long exposures have the benefit of reducing ripples on the water and enhancing reflections.
Fifteen minutes before sunrise, with the fog and colours in the scene, I took the shots. Once again, meticulous planning and a thorough understanding of my equipment proved to be essential elements of successful photography. For me, it’s important to have preferred photographic locations close to my home. Living in a large city, I am fortunate to reach this site in less than twenty minutes.
It is worth asking yourself whether there are interesting locations close to home where you could experience and photograph a sunrise or sunset and become familiar with your gear.
