In June 2025, I spent three wonderful weeks with friends in Newfoundland, capturing its natural beauty, including whales, birds, icebergs, and stunning landscapes. During our trip planning, we decided to stay a couple of days at a lodge near Bonne Bay Pond Shoreline, a perfect location for capturing sunsets.
On that day, sunset was at 21:25. Fifteen minutes before, I arrived at the shoreline, which was just a short one-minute walk! To compose my image, I set up my tripod and camera with a wide-angle lens and a cable release. I also installed a 10-stop ND filter, envisioning a long exposure to smooth the water’s surface texture while enhancing reflections and emphasizing the dramatic clouds.
I used a 16mm focal length to frame the shot, including large boats on the left side of the image to remind viewers that this pond is connected to the ocean. Typically, I shoot at ISO 200, but after testing, I found that with the 10-stop ND filter, the exposure time was too long, so I raised the ISO to 800.
I utilized the live time feature on my Olympus camera to achieve a perfect exposure (ETTR), which took 90 seconds. Long exposures allow me to enjoy the scene for an extended period, providing a unique visual pleasure.
This beautiful moment reminded me of the importance of planning and being familiar with my gear. Canada truly is a fantastic country for photography!
