Peggy's Cove at Sunrise

A white lighthouse with a red roof stands atop rugged, gray granite rocks. The structure is bathed in warm sunlight, casting shadows on the textured stones. The sky is a clear, vibrant blue, meeting the deep blue ocean in the distance. The scene conveys a sense of tranquility and isolation, typical of a coastal landscape.
Peggy's Cove Lighthouse stands guard at the entrance to St. Margaret's Bay in Nova Scotia just after daybreak — J. Matthew Buchanan

I noticed this view after photographing the lighthouse at Peggy's Cove from the eastern side. The rock formation on which the lighthouse sits gradually reveals a sidewalk on the way out, and that walk gently leads you to the northeastern side. There, a viewing deck of the visitor's center overhangs the rocks a bit, creating a small cavern at the base of the rocks. I walked in that direction until I was under the overhang. Once there, I turned around and caught this beautiful view.

So I dropped the bag, setup the tripod, and started framing this shot.

Sunrise had passed and the morning golden hour was leaving quickly. The long shadow of the visitor center deck covered most of the rocks and seemed to accentuate the last bit of sunrise hitting the lighthouse.

I captured a few last photographs, packed everything away, and started the trip back to Halifax.

Technical Notes

I took this photograph at a focal length of 32 mm using my RF 15-35 F/2.8 L lens. I took a few additional photos at the wider end of that lens, but prefer this narrower framing. The rock formation is quite dominant at Peggy's Cove, and I prefer views that convey that sense of the place. The wider shots don't seem to do that.

Metadata

EXIF & IPTC
Published
June 4, 2026
Identifier
JMB-20260522A-0064
Camera Make
Canon
Camera
Canon EOS R5m2
Lens
RF15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM
Focal Length
32mm
Aperture
f/16
Shutter Speed
1/20s
ISO
ISO 100
Captured
May 22, 2026, 5:13 AM
Exposure Program
Manual
Metering Mode
Multi-segment
Flash
No Flash
White Balance
Auto
Creator
J. Matthew Buchanan
Sublocation
Peggy's Cove Lighthouse
City
Peggy's Cove
State
Nova Scotia
Country
Canada
Copyright
Copyright 2026 J. Matthew Buchanan
Rights Usage Terms
All use of this image requires a license from the copyright holder.
Copyright URL
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