Phare de Lachine
This compact red-and-white steel lighthouse sits at the tip of a long concrete pier jutting into Lac Saint-Louis, where the lake meets the St. Lawrence River. The pier itself is one of your best compositional tools, use it as a leading line shooting from ground level with a wide angle lens to draw the eye straight toward the lighthouse. The surrounding water and open sky give you plenty of room to work with dramatic cloud formations as a backdrop. Golden hour at sunset is particularly rewarding here, with warm light hitting the red accents on the structure and reflecting off the water. Early morning works well too, when the lake is calmer and you can catch mirror-like reflections. The pier is publicly accessible and easy to walk, though wind can be strong so bring a stabilizer or tripod. A 24-70mm range covers most compositions comfortably. (Lachine, Quebec, Canada)
