City Reflections: Sunrise Photography at St Mary’s Bay

Join me at St Mary’s Bay on Saturday, October 24th, for a cityscape photography workshop. With high tide coinciding with sunrise, we’ll look for compositions that pair Auckland’s skyline with reflections across the water.

Starting before sunrise, we’ll photograph the city lights, changing sky colours and early morning light, experimenting with exposure and shutter speed as we go. Reflections will depend on the wind and water conditions on the day.

Suitable for photographers who want to build confidence with manual settings and explore cityscape and long-exposure photography.

Parking and meeting point

Park in the Westhaven Marina car park at Pier S and meet the group there at 5:45am. From there, we’ll walk together to the bay, approximately a minute away, and set up on the grass beside the water.

Weather

The workshop will go ahead if it’s overcast. We can still explore city reflections and long exposures without a visible sunrise. Reflections will vary with wind and water conditions. If rain is expected, we’ll postpone the session and notify attendees.

All camera brands are welcome. This session is suitable for photographers wanting to build confidence with manual settings, composition and slow shutter photography.

Afterwards, you’re welcome to join our Coffee Catch-up and Image Review at Buoy Café & Eatery from 8–9 am. Bring a few images from the morning to share and discuss with the group. Register here.

• Composing the skyline and its reflection
• Using manual exposure as the light changes
• Working with slow shutter speeds to soften water movement
• Focusing in low light and using a tripod effectively

• Camera with manual controls
• Tripod — essential
• Wide-angle or standard zoom lens
• Fully charged battery and memory card
• ND filters, if you have them — optional but ideal
• Warm layers, a weatherproof jacket and comfortable walking shoes
• Small torch or headlamp for setting up before sunrise