Nightscape What's that in the sky?

[-ST-]

• ILCE-1M2
• FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM OSS II
• 200.0 mm
• ƒ/2.8
• 1/40 sec
• ISO 16000

This is the view facing north from the beach where I walk every morning. I took this 70 minutes before sunrise. It was cold with a light breeze.

I like landscapes like this because, with a little walking around, you can frame things up and compose the shot intentionally, in-camera. I've been trying to get this shot for a couple of weeks, but it wasn't until this morning that the light, the water, the weather, and all the elements were visible in the right way for me. I had a lot of fun with this one.

If you like it as is, you can stop reading now.

If you want to know more, keep reading.

The lights above with the wispy clouds suggest movement, a UFO at first glance or perhaps a supernatural creature.

They’re actually the Grouse Mountain ski runs, 42 km from this vantage point; the undulating pattern comes from the natural contours of the mountain and the way the runs hug the curves across the slopes. At this distance, the combination of angle, atmospheric conditions, and elevation gives the lights an almost otherworldly presence.

The bridge towers on the right are 12 km away. I positioned them off‑centre to keep their strong verticals from competing with the arc of light on the mountain, while still giving the frame a stable architectural anchor.

To the left, 21 km out, the Metrotown skyline and construction cranes—strung with holiday lights—provide a softer counterbalance. Their lower contrast and finer detail help distribute visual weight without pulling attention from the primary subject.

The reflections were positioned intentionally: the horizontal striations in the water echo the vertical structures above, adding stability and preventing the shoreline from landing at mid‑frame. The result is a layered composition where distance, geometry, and light interact cleanly across more than 40 km of sightline.

Just a few edits, cropping for composition, a tiny bit of vignette to guide the eye and a touch of noise reduction.