Belgium Augustihnenkaai, Gent

Augustijnenkaai is a quiet, photogenic section of the historic Lieve canal in central Ghent. The canal dates back to the 13th century, while the quay takes its name from the Augustinian monastery established here in the late 13th century.

What makes this particular view interesting is the combination of old brick architecture, the small bridge, and the narrow canal. Around sunset, the opening beneath the bridge can catch the last direct sunlight, creating a beautiful golden reflection on the water while the surrounding buildings fall into shadow.

I photographed this scene during sunset with a telephoto zoom. A longer focal length works particularly well here because it compresses the bridge, historic façades, and canal into a much tighter composition.

The most important element is the light underneath the bridge. Around sunset, the low sun can illuminate the water on the opposite side, producing the intense golden reflection visible in the photo. Expose for these highlights so that the reflection retains its texture rather than becoming completely white. The pedestrians crossing the bridge can also add scale and a little bit of life to the otherwise architectural scene.

I would recommend roughly 100–200 mm, depending on your exact position.

Augustijnenkaai is in central Ghent and easy to include in a photography walk through the historic center. It follows the eastern bank of the Lieve and is close to the Augustinian monastery, which has stood in this part of the city since the late 13th century.

The location is best explored on foot, allowing you to move along both sides of the canal and experiment with different perspectives toward the bridges. For this exact lighting situation, arrive before sunset and scout the sun's alignment with the bridge beforehand—the small patch of golden light underneath the arch lasts only a short time.