Canada has at least 150 perfect places for sunsets

Nancy Shields
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Something slows us all down when we see a sunset. We walk along a ridge slower, we calm down and contemplate life. But why do we cherish it so much? Is it because the colours are changing like a warm fire? Is it a way to say “so-long sucker” to a bad day? Is it because it is a fleeting moment in time that can never come back so we have to “seize the day?” No matter what the reason, Canada has at least 150 great places to watch the sinking sun. Here are our favourite places to stop and watch. Feel free to add your own at the bottom.

The shores of The Bay of Fundy Looking East

Sunset

Yes, I know the sun sets in the west but we should show a little love to the moon and its power too. Just like the sun on a 24-hour cycle, the moon works silently in the background pulling that tide in and out twice a day. And that power is no greater than in the Bay of Fundy where boats are left lifeless at the bottom of the harbour in Alma, New Brunswick, every 12 hours.

Anywhere Prairies

Sunset

Photo by Tourism Saskatchewan

Standing anywhere in Saskatchewan where all you can see is wheat blowing in the wind is a powerful statement to how big the prairies are. With no hills or mountains to get in the way, the sun can take all night to set. Toss in a lake and you’ve got a night show worth returning for.

North Glenmore Park, Calgary

Sunset

I can’t count how many times I’ve sat on the bench at North Glenmore Park and watched the sun set. Back in high school as the sun dipped we contemplated our futures while watching the geese settle in for the night in the shallow waters in the Weaselhead. The sun would slowly go down…get hung up on the mountains before leaving us in the dark. Both literally and physically. We never did figure out our futures.

Jasper National Park, Alberta

Sunset

Speaking of mountains, this isn’t the best photo I’ve ever taken of the sunset in Jasper but every time I look at it, it reminds me of the friends I was with and how we all fought to capture that same image. Seriously it was a crazy pushing match that left one or two of us on the ground laughing. So maybe it’s not the sunset but the good times it brings.

Nanaimo B.C.

Sunset

I don’t know how Nancy Shields does it. She says this picture is out her backdoor. Can you imagine saying goodnight to the day with this view every time you open the door?

What to know how to take a good sunset photo? Me too! Here are some tips from the internet pros.

  1. That orb sinking into the ocean can be the whole story but maybe the photo can ramp up a bit. Add mystery, depth or shape to keep the eye engaged. Put a person in the photo or a dog or tree. The silhouette will create a story.

  2. Use something to draw the eye deep into the photo. A bridge leading to the horizon is great.

  3. Put people in the bottom corner and the sun across the image so that the angle you take the shot at has the soft glow on their faces.

  4. Standing on that prairie? Use the panorama mode to show the whole story.

  5. If you are using an SLR camera, experiment with shutter speeds to capture the movement of the water, or the grain or the crazy friends photo-bombing your photo.

  6. If you are using a smart phone, test the HDR feature to capture the dynamic range of colours. And if you want to edit the photo, download Snapseed.

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