Categories
Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec Ship photography

Photography of ships on the St Lawrence Seaway in Quebec City

Here are a few recent photos taken during the month of May 2016 using a Canon 5DSR camera equipped with a Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens. I was on île d’Orléans for the photo session, near the Horatio Walker promenade in Sainte-Pétronille.

The vessel Shelduck (Monrovia) in front of Quebec City in 2016. The photo was taken with a Canon 5DSR
The vessel Shelduck (Monrovia) in front of Quebec City in 2016. The photo was taken with a Canon 5DSR

The picture above shows the vessel Shelduck flying the Liberian flag. It just crossed the narrow channel between île d’Orléans and Levis. This ship, built in 2012, is a bulk carrier. In the background it is possible to see Quebec City, with the Château Frontenac and the Hotel Le Concorde Quebec.

The photo below shows the Silver Carla (Majuro), a tanker used to carry oil and chemical products. It is moored at the Quebec harbour installations. The ship was built in 2014 and sails using the Marshall Islands flag of convenience.

The vessel Silver Carla (Majuro) and some of the Quebec harbour installations in May 2016
The vessel Silver Carla (Majuro) and some of the Quebec harbour installations in May 2016

In the picture below, the tanker Cap Jean, property of Euronav, is approaching île d’Orléans. This tanker was initially supposed to be named St. Jean but the name’s religious connotation could have caused problems in some parts of world. The name Cap Jean was thus chosen.

The vessel Cap Jean, property of Euronav, in front of Quebec City in 2016
The vessel Cap Jean, property of Euronav, in front of Quebec City in 2016

The photo below, also taken from île d’Orléans, offers an interesting view of Quebec City just before nightime. The Hotel Le Concorde Quebec’s new lighting system is visible in the distance. In the foreground, you can see the ship Laurentia Desgagnés.

The vessel Laurentia Desgagnés moored in front of Quebec City during a May 2016 evening.
The vessel Laurentia Desgagnés moored in front of Quebec City during a May 2016 evening.

Below, the ship Nilufer Sultan is heading towards Quebec harbour. Built in 2008, this oil tanker also uses the Marshall Islands flag of convenience.

The vessel Nilufer Sultan in front of Quebec City in 2016. Also visible are the Château Frontenac and the Hôtel Le Concorde Quebec.
The vessel Nilufer Sultan in front of Quebec City in 2016. Also visible are the Château Frontenac and the Hôtel Le Concorde Quebec.

The photo below shows the tanker Sloman Herakles, normally based in St. John’s, Canada. It sails under the Antigua and Barbuda flag and is heading to Sarnia, Ontario.

The vessel Sloman Herakles (St. John's) in front of Quebec City in 2016
The vessel Sloman Herakles (St. John’s) in front of Quebec City in 2016

The two photos below show the container ship Toronto Express, property of the Hapag Lloyd Company. I chose to transform the first picture in black and white since the ship did not contrast enough with the background in the colored picture. It is actually slightly inclined since it is turning towards the right while approaching île d’Orléans. On the next picture, we can see in the background the smoking chimney of the Papiers White Birch Company, formerly called Daïshowa and later Stadacona.

Black and white photo of Hapag Lloyd's Toronto Express in front of the Quebec harbour installations in May 2016
Black and white photo of Hapag Lloyd’s Toronto Express in front of the Quebec harbour installations in May 2016
The Vessel Hapag Lloyd Toronto Express near the Quebec City Harbour in 2016. Photo taken with a Canon 5DSR full-frame camera
The Vessel Hapag Lloyd Toronto Express near the Quebec City Harbour in 2016. Photo taken with a Canon 5DSR full-frame camera

Below is the chemical tanker Mayaro (Japan) arriving near Quebec City in May 2016.

The vessel Mayaro (Tokyo) and Quebec Château Frontenac in the background. The picture was taken in 2016 with a Canon 5DSR
The vessel Mayaro (Tokyo) and Quebec Château Frontenac in the background. The picture was taken in 2016 with a Canon 5DSR

Taking pictures in the evening

Trying to take pictures of moving ships in the evening, using the smallest possible ISO, forces a photographer to use a tripod, a remote trigger and the camera’s mirror lock-up function to reduce vibrations. Ideally, it is best to find a spot where the tripod will be protected from the wind while ensuring that the camera’s strap is not moving at all. There is no need to use a polarizing filter at this time of the day: that would only be detrimental to the photo.

The Canon 5DSR DSLR full frame camera allows the photographer to take a picture in two steps, reducing even more the possibility of secondary vibrations. First, the mirror is lifted up. Then, two seconds later, the photo is finally taken. For a sharper image, it is best to use the Liveview function with a 16X enlargement and do a manual focus adjustment.

Risks associated with photography!

On île d’Orléans, many visitors use the surroundings banks to let their dog roam freely. This can cause a problem as the animal sometimes perceives the photographer and his photographic equipment as a potential threat to a master that it must protect… You will have been advised!

For other ship photos posted on my website, click on the following link:

Ship photography

For other photos on the province of Quebec and also Quebec City, click on the following links from my blog:

Province of Quebec Photos

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Autumn

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Winter

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Spring

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Summer

https://www.euronav.com/fleet/all-vessels/

Categories
Flight Simulation

Flight simulation: the “Tapini” virtual scenery in Papua New Guinea (FSX)

A virtual DHC-6 Twin Otter enroute for Kokoda after a fire on the right engine while departing Yongai (KGH) in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A virtual DHC-6 Twin Otter enroute for Kokoda after a fire on the right engine while departing Yongai (KGH) in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

Ken Hall and Tim Harris have created a new virtual scenery for flight simulation enthousiasts. It is called “Tapini” and sold by ORBX. Their penultimate creation, AYPY Jackson’s International, allowed the virtual pilot to fly in very demanding virtual airports along the Kokoda Trail in Papua New Guinea. “Tapini” represents a whole new challenge and I have included several screen captures to show you how the different runways look in this new virtual scenery.

“Tapini”, still in Papua New Guinea, allows the virtual pilot to test his skills on seven new runways located in difficult areas of the Owen Stanley Range. Those airports also constitute a serious test for any aircraft, like in the picture above where damages to the right engine were sustained at Yongai.

A virtual Piper Pacer virtuel is about to land on the Ononge (ONB) curved runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX). (It is possible to see the curve starting on the top of the image)
A virtual Piper Pacer virtuel is about to land on the Ononge (ONB) curved runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX). (It is possible to see the curve starting on the top of the image)

To improve the virtual clouds while flying between the different airports, I used either REX or FSGRW weather engines. The cloud textures and weather effects were improved by one or many of the following products: Cumulus X, PrecipitFXREX Texture Direct and REX Soft Clouds.

A virtual Dash 7 has just landed in Woitape (WTP) in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A virtual Dash 7 has just landed in Woitape (WTP) in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

As variety is more fun, and also due to the different challenges created by those runways, the following virtual aircrafts were used: Carenado C-185F,  Lionheart Creations PA-18,  Virtavia DHC-4,  Aerosoft DHC-6 Twin Otter and Milton Shupe DHC-7.

The “Tapini” scenery gives the pilot a choice between the seven following runways:

ASB (Asimba)

A tricky, very short runway near a river.

A DHC-4 Caribou virtual aircraft is on approach for Asimba's sloped runway (ASB) in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A DHC-4 Caribou virtual aircraft is on approach for Asimba’s sloped runway (ASB) in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

This is a very interesting runway, best done with a STOL aircraft like the Caribou DHC-4. The inhabitants might have to help you clear out some branches along the runway, considering the size of the aircraft. The runway slopes down on take-off, which helps to build up speed.

A DHC-4 Caribou virtual aircraft is on a stopover at Asimba (ASB) in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A DHC-4 Caribou virtual aircraft is on a stopover at Asimba (ASB) in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

A DHC-4 Caribou virtual aircraft is airborne from Asimba (ASB) in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A DHC-4 Caribou virtual aircraft is airborne from Asimba (ASB) in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

FNE (Fane)

A one-way, really challenging 12 degree sloped runway, with unpredictable winds.

A De Havilland DHC-7 virtual aircraft on final for the Fane (FNE) airport's sloped runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A De Havilland DHC-7 virtual aircraft on final for the Fane (FNE) airport’s sloped runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

The runway sits on top of a hill. It is an amazing experience to land there. No wonder there are a lot of people watching the arrivals and departures.

If you slow down too quickly with an aircraft as big as the DHC-7 on that sloped runway, the twelve degree angle prevents you from moving forward. You must let the aircraft come down the runway very slowly, using the power to control the descent and the rudder to stay aligned on the runway, then apply take-off power for a few seconds to build just enough momentum to get above the hill.

A De Havilland DHC-7 virtual aircraft just finished taxiing uphill on the Fane (FNE) airport's sloped runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A De Havilland DHC-7 virtual aircraft just finished taxiing uphill on the Fane (FNE) airport’s sloped runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

To turn the aircraft around, it’s a combination of power and reverse thrust until you clear all the obstacles (any humans venturing behind the aircraft will also be cleared during the operation…).

A De Havilland DHC-7 virtual aircraft is airborne from the Fane (FNE) airport's sloped runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A De Havilland DHC-7 virtual aircraft is airborne from the Fane (FNE) airport’s sloped runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

There is a not so friendly man with a rifle watching the airport’s operations. Even the United Nations staff do not stay longer than necessary…

KGH (Yongai)

A very bumpy one-way sloped runway. A real bush aircraft is needed here!

A virtual DHC-6 Twin Otter on approach for the Yongai (KGH) bumpy runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A virtual DHC-6 Twin Otter on approach for the Yongai (KGH) bumpy runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

Even with a real bush aircraft, there is a possibility that one of the aircraft’s propellers hits the ground while taxiing on the runway. There are so many deep holes that are hard to see, I can only wish the best of lucks to everyone trying out this airport!

A virtual DHC-6 Twin Otter on the Yongai (KGH) bumpy runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A virtual DHC-6 Twin Otter on the Yongai (KGH) bumpy runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

Keep a close watch on the area near the little house at the end of the runway. The DHC-6 was really shaken while turning around for take-off. One of the propellers hit the ground but no problems were detected…until the aircraft was airborne. The fire alarm then went off, just as the aircraft was passing the runway threshold, seconds before flying over a cliff.

A virtual DHC-6 Twin Otter with its right engine on fire is just airborne from the Yongai (KGH) bumpy runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A virtual DHC-6 Twin Otter with its right engine on fire is just airborne from the Yongai (KGH) bumpy runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

So much for the planned trip… and it was out of the question to return to Yongai on one engine. I had to pull the handle to stop the fire, feather the prop, cut the fuel where it was not needed anymore then head to the Kokoda airport as it was a sure alternative, having a long runway and an elevation that did not require the use of extra power.

KSP (Kosipe)

A relatively short runway that requires good calculations from the pilot, since it is located high in the mountains.

A virtual Cessna C-185F is enroute to the Kosipe (KSP) airport in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A virtual Cessna C-185F is enroute to the Kosipe (KSP) airport in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

The Cessna C-185F is a very well suited aircraft for that runway. Make sure not to be too heavy on the brakes, as new C-185 propellers are hard to find in Kosipe. You can land in both directions. Ensure that the mixture is set properly as the airport is above 6300 feet.

A virtual Cessna C-185F is rolling after touching down on the Kosipe (KSP) runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A virtual Cessna C-185F is rolling after touching down on the Kosipe (KSP) runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

A virtual Cessna C-185F is airborne from the Kosipe (KSP) runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A virtual Cessna C-185F is airborne from the Kosipe (KSP) runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

ONB (Ononge)

A curved and very bumpy runway! For those who like low flying. Make sure you choose the good aircraft here; there is not much manoeuvering area once on the ground.

A Virtual Piper Pacer on approach for the Ononge (ONB) curved runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A Virtual Piper Pacer on approach for the Ononge (ONB) curved runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

Ononge looks really scary when you show up on final for the first time. You wonder if the little trail that you see can really be a runway. For that kind of situation, the little Piper Pacer is an excellent aircraft, approaching slowly and braking on a dime. The runway is curved in the middle so you will need a bit of right rudder to keep the aircraft aligned with the runway.

A Virtual Piper Pacer on the Ononge curved runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A Virtual Piper Pacer on the Ononge curved runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

I guess all those people with their cargo are waiting for a bigger airplane than mine…

A Virtual Piper Pacer is airborne from the Ononge curved runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A Virtual Piper Pacer is airborne from the Ononge curved runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

TAP (Tapini)

A challenging one-way sloped runway nestled in a tight valley. You can even use an ILS to arrive there!

A virtual DHC-4 Caribou on short final for the Tapini (TAP) sloped runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A virtual DHC-4 Caribou on short final for the Tapini (TAP) sloped runway in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

This is a superbly designed area and airport. I visited it with the DHC-4 Caribou but any other big STOL aircraft would have fitted there. There is enough room to manoeuver. It is not too bumpy. There is an interesting slope: it starts downward and ends upward: this helps to slow down the aircraft after landing.

A virtual DHC-4 Caribou on the ground at the Tapini (TAP) airport in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A virtual DHC-4 Caribou on the ground at the Tapini (TAP) airport in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

A virtual DHC-4 Caribou is airborne from the Tapini (TAP) airport in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)
A virtual DHC-4 Caribou is airborne from the Tapini (TAP) airport in Papua New Guinea PNG (FSX)

WTP (Woitape)

Looks like a no brainer, but there is no margin of error on this one-way slightly sloped runway. Very precise calculations and settings are required if you want to land there with something else than a small aircraft.

A virtual De Havilland DHC-7 on final approach for the Woitape airport (WTP) virtual airport in Papua New Guinea (FSX)
A virtual De Havilland DHC-7 on final approach for the Woitape airport (WTP) virtual airport in Papua New Guinea (FSX)

I found the runway to be very slippery with the De Havilland DHC-7. I must say that there was a good crosswind, as I was flying with real life weather and winds. The DHC-7 behaves like a big boat while decelerating on such a runway.

A virtual De Havilland DHC-7 on the ground with two Twin Otters at the Woitape airport (WTP) in Papua New Guinea (FSX)
A virtual De Havilland DHC-7 on the ground with two Twin Otters at the Woitape airport (WTP) in Papua New Guinea (FSX)

The Woitape scenery is gorgeous. It is nice to have all those well designed virtual aircrafts, people and animals on site as this makes the scenery so much more realistic.

A De Havilland Virtual DHC-7 is airborne from the Woitape airport (WTP) in Papua New Guinea (FSX)
A De Havilland Virtual DHC-7 is airborne from the Woitape airport (WTP) in Papua New Guinea (FSX)

I love this new Orbx product. When you fly in such a realistic scenery, the brain does not make much difference between what is real and what is virtual. It really works! And if you use real life weather downloaded from the internet, it’s even better.

I tried the seven airports included in the “Tapini” virtual scenery and they are quite demanding. Yongai was the most challenging airport of them all. I had to do two missed approaches there since I ended up too high on the approach. I eventually got it right, like in real life!

I used the Microsoft flight simulator X (FSX) for all the virtual flights, but other platforms would have worked as well (Dovetail Games FSX Steam edition (FSX: SE) and all versions of P3D). The following products were also installed on my flight simulator: FTX Global, FTX Global Vector and Holgermesh, as well as Pilot’s FS Global 2010.

It is a totally immersive virtual experience and you have to forget everything else when undertaking those challenging virtual flights… if you want to make it “virtually” alive!

For more articles on flight simulation on my web site, click on the following link : Flight simulation

Categories
Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

Photography: the Canon 5DSR DSLR camera and its 50.6 megapixel full frame sensor

The container ship Maersk Pembroke under the Quebec Bridge, May 2016
The container ship Maersk Pembroke under the Quebec Bridge, May 2016

Choosing what is important in a camera

Since there is actually no camera that has everything, whatever the brand, the buyer of a new camera must make choices: the type of sensor, the number of megapixels, the weight and size of the camera, the automatic focus’s speed and ability to follow a subject, the number of images per second, the performance under low light, the possibility to greatly enlarge a picture while maintaining its quality, advanced video functions, electronic communications with other devices, an extensive choice of lenses, etc. The list can be quite long…

The Canon 5DS(R): a specialized camera

A photographer happy with the Canon 5DS or 5DSR is one who needs a specialized camera offering both sharp images and the possibility of greatly enlarging the pictures it takes while maintaining the initial quality. This camera allows for more creativity as the possibility of extreme cropping beats, for now, everything that is on the market in the DSLR format.

Testing the potential of the Canon 5DSR when it comes to enlarging a picture

Here is an example of what this means: the photo below shows the yellow M of the McDonald’s restaurant photographed with a 50mm lens. Not easily visible…

Mc Donald's restaurant's yellow M captured with a 50 mm lens. Hard to see, of course!
Mc Donald’s restaurant’s yellow M captured with a 50 mm lens. Hard to see, of course!

Then the next photo was taken with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens set at a 200mm focal length.

Testing the Canon 5DSR: the Mc Donald's restaurant's yellow M enlarged through a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens. Focal length used: 200mm.
Testing the Canon 5DSR: the Mc Donald’s restaurant’s yellow M enlarged through a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens. Focal length used: 200mm.

But the picture can be enlarged a lot more using the amazing resolution of the Canon 5DSR. The following picture shows the result after cropping the 200mm image: the yellow M now takes the whole vertical space available in the picture without any loss in quality.

The Mc Donald's restaurant's yellow M, after having been enlarged (focal 200mm) and cropped within the Canon 5DSR.
The Mc Donald’s restaurant’s yellow M, after having been enlarged (focal 200mm) and cropped within the Canon 5DSR.

From my position on the hill, the yellow M was barely visible with the naked eye. By using a 200mm focal length, followed by serious cropping, I was able to obtain the result above. So it is possible to photograph a subject that is almost invisible without a telephoto lens and transform it into the principal subject of the picture without any loss in quality.

I chose the 5DSR because the anti-aliasing filter has been neutralized in the model R to offer even sharper images, although there is a risk of occasional moire effect when there are repetitive patterns in a scene. This is the compromise that Nikon users must also have to deal with.

Rethinking photography

The 50.6 megapixel full frame sensor in the Canon 5DS or 5DSR allows a new approach of photography for those who do not have access to a much more expensive and larger medium format camera that does not necessarily give really superior pictures.

When I go outside for a photo session, it seems to me that I now carry a huge telephoto lens without the weight and the cost. A lot of what seemed to be unavailable possibilities are now accessible.

Taking pictures of people in the street is now less complicated: there are no more suspicious looks, artificial poses or people hiding their face. This is an ideal camera to capture people acting naturally without disrupting their routine. Gone is the feeling that you are bothering them in any way.

Quartier Petit-Champlain Old Quebec May 2016
Quartier Petit-Champlain Old Quebec May 2016

The photo below was taken while I was standing at least 300 meters from the scene, just after sunset. For those who are from Quebec City, I positioned the tripod on a high wall on the other side of Chemin St-Louis, near the St. Louis Gate. I had to slightly brighten up the picture to make the details more visible, risking at the same time to increase the digital noise. It was a May 2016 warm misty evening, which is clearly visible by the lack of details in the background as we look in the distance.

Quebecers defying gravity in Old Quebec, May 2016
Quebecers defying gravity in Old Quebec, May 2016

But those are not the only possibilities of this camera. The Canon Company, in its promotional video, explains what exactly the camera was designed for:

How can someone maximize the use of a 50.6 megapixel full frame sensor

In order to bring a subject closer to you while fully benefiting  from the Canon 5DSR 50.6 megapixel full frame sensor, it is obvious that there must be absolutely no vibrations. The photographer must therefore use a tripod, a remote control release and the mirror lock-up function. This allows for a very low ISO setting while avoiding a blurred picture.

The mirror lock-up function is very well thought through, with the possibility to choose a totally automatic processus according to a timing chosen by the photographer (between 0 and 2 seconds). The system eliminates any secondary micro vibrations.

In order to ensure an even better picture, the photographer must use Liveview and set it to the 16X enlargement available on that camera (versus 10X on my Canon 5D MKII) to manually adjust the focus. It is then possible to see the slightest vibrations caused by the wind. Doing so, I realized that my camera strap, lightly swaying in the wind, was causing some minimal vibrations. Every detail taken into consideration will improve the final result.

One must then ensure to immobilize the strap and even diminish the tripod height if possible when the wind is blowing. These steps will allow an incredible enlargement of a subject while maintaining the initial quality of the image offered by a full frame sensor.

Superior mirage effect (cold mirage)

The photo below shows a ship being helped by two Ocean tugboats on its way towards the Quebec Harbour. The ship was at a good distance from the harbour; it is then possible to witness the superior mirage effect (cold mirage) resulting from a temperature inversion immediately over the water. The boats are deformed but the important close-up has not lowered the image quality. It has instead allowed to increase the atmospheric phenomenon effect.

Superior mirage (cold mirage) effect. Vessel and two Ocean tugboats on the St-Lawrence seaway heading to the Quebec Harbour, May 2016.
Superior mirage (cold mirage) effect. Vessel and two Ocean tugboats on the St-Lawrence seaway heading to the Quebec Harbour, May 2016.

Once closer to the Quebec Harbour, the cold mirage effect decreased, as shown on the picture below:

Quebec Harbour, May 2016
Quebec Harbour, May 2016

The Canon 5DS or 5DSR without the use of a tripod or mirror-lock

Obviously, a tripod is not necessary if you do not intend to use a lot of cropping to enlarge a photo. You will obtain excellent results with the hand-held camera providing that you remember that this Canon DSLR is a specialized tool.

So many megapixels on a sensor of that size require that the photographer adapts his technique. But, as you can see from the picture below, it is totally possible to capture an aircraft in movement, even at dusk (May 11, 19:49), when the camera’s parameters are correctly adjusted. A higher shutter speed than normal is, in this case, absolutely mandatory.

The photo below shows an Air Canada Express Bombardier DHC-8-402NG (C-GSJZ) on final for runway 29 at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB).

Bombardier DHC-8-Q-402NG (C-GSJZ — Air Canada Express) on final for the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport, May 2016. Photo taken with a DSLR Canon 5DSR.
Bombardier DHC-8-Q-402NG (C-GSJZ — Air Canada Express) on final for the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport, May 2016. Photo taken with a DSLR Canon 5DSR.

The Maersk Pembroke with the camera hand-held

The photo below shows the Maersk Pembroke container ship photographed with a hand-held camera using a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens during Spring 2016 near Quebec City. The focal length was only 140mm and the shutter speed 1/1000. The lens was equipped with a polarizing filter and the photo taken when the vessel was approaching the Quai des Cageux.

The Maersk Pembroke container ship on the St-Lawrence seaway near Quebec City, May 2016
The Maersk Pembroke container ship on the St-Lawrence seaway near Quebec City, May 2016

The colours produced by the Canon 5DSR

The digital processing of the image and colours produced by the Canon 5DSR require different adjustments than what was necessary with the Canon 5D MKII. I am still learning how to handle the results produced by this camera so I will wait a bit before commenting.

View of Old Quebec from the St. Louis gate. Quebec City, May 2016
View of Old Quebec from the St. Louis gate. Quebec City, May 2016

Night photography

Here are two photos taken during the evening in Quebec City. The photo below required a 200mm focal, an ISO set at 4000 and a shutter speed at 1/30 in order to obtain something else than trailing lights. Luckily, the traffic was moving slowly…

Night photography, Grande-Allée avenue, Quebec City, May 2016
Night photography, Grande-Allée avenue, Quebec City, May 2016

The picture below, taken with a 200 mm focal, required an exposure time a bit longer that one second with the ISO set at 800. To take the photo, I took advantage of the fact that the cars were momentarily stopped at a red light, so that they would be clearly visible.

Night photography, Tourny fountain and Quebec lower town, May 2016
Night photography, Tourny fountain and Quebec lower town, May 2016

The images per second of the Canon 5DS(R)

The Canon 5DSR is so far quite an impressive camera. I would have appreciated that Canon offer a higher rate of images per second (7 instead of 5) to make it more versatile.

The camera allows taking pictures with smaller formats than 50.6 MP, the two other options being 28 MP and 12 MP. If the camera can deliver five images per second with 50.6 MP RAW files, we can deduct that it is able to offer more speed for smaller formats. But the camera is blocked at 5 IMS so that it, I suppose, does not compete with other existing Canon models of the same category…

Nonetheless, Canon says that the rapid sequence of shooting lasts longer if the photographer uses the smaller files provided. So it is not faster, but it keeps on firing for a longer period. My guess is that it would only require a new firmware version to improve this camera’s number of images per second.

For other night pictures, click on the following link to my site:

Night Photography

For other photos on the province of Quebec and also Quebec City, click on the following links from my blog:

Province of Quebec Photos

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Autumn

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Winter

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Spring

Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Summer

Categories
Aviation photography

Aviation photography: Quebec’s CL- 415s heading towards Fort McMurray, Alberta

A Bombardier CL-415 water bomber, property of the Government of Quebec, is being prepared for its flight towards Fort McMurray, May 2016
A Bombardier CL-415 water bomber, property of the Government of Quebec, is being prepared for its flight towards Fort McMurray, May 2016

Quebec’s CL-415s helping out in Fort McMurray

On May 5th, 2016, according to what had been announced by the Government of Quebec, four CL-415s took off from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB) heading to Fort McMurray, Alberta, to help in the fight against widespread forest fires in that province. It is the worst natural disaster that Canada has known in its history.

Preparing flight crews and aircrafts for such a long cross-country trip naturally demands much coordination from the SOPFEU (Society for the protection of forests against fires). Once they will have landed at the Fort McMurray airport, the pilots of those CL-415s will be under the direct command of the Albertan authorities in charge of fighting the wildfires, since the latter are best positioned to know exactly what the local needs are.

I figure that the flight service specialists (FSS) of the Nav Canada flight information center (FIC) in Edmonton must have quite busy days with the increased aerial activity associated with the numerous fires…

Crew members are walking towards the Government of Quebec CL-415; they will soon be airborne and heading to Fort McMurray in Alberta, to fight the forest fires (2016)
Crew members are walking towards the Government of Quebec CL-415; they will soon be airborne and heading to Fort McMurray in Alberta, to fight the forest fires (2016)

The picture above shows crew members heading towards their assigned aircraft. Once they start working in the Fort McMurray region, they will not only have to directly fight the forest fires but also head to sectors that have not yet been touched by fire and water the area thoroughly to prevent new wildfires.

A Government of Quebec CL-415 number 245 is taxiing at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport to take-off towards Fort McMurray, in Alberta, to help fight the out of control forest fires in that province during May 2016.
A Government of Quebec CL-415 number 245 is taxiing at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport to take-off towards Fort McMurray, in Alberta, to help fight the out of control forest fires in that province during May 2016.

Taking pictures of propeller-driven aircrafts

A Bombardier CL-415 water bomber takes off from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport heading to Fort McMurray, in Alberta, to help fight the forest fires (2016)
A Bombardier CL-415 water bomber takes off from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport heading to Fort McMurray, in Alberta, to help fight the forest fires (2016)

It is a bit touchy to photograph propeller-driven aircrafts while making sure that there is a sensation of movement. In a natural reflex to want to avoid blurred pictures, the photographer uses a shutter speed that corresponds to the focal used for the shot. In the case of the picture above, the focal was 400mm. But if a shutter speed of 1/400 had been used, the propellers would have been totally immobilized and the aircraft would have looked like its climbing while not using its engines.

It was necessary to reduce the speed to 1/160, thus increasing the risk of obtaining a blurred picture. In order to get both image sharpness and moving propellers visual effect, the photographer has to follow exactly the movement of the aircraft with the camera so that it looks totally immobile in the viewfinder. This asks for a bit of practice but allows for more realistic photos.

The CL-415 in a black and white photo

Black and white photo of a Bombardier CL-415 (C-GQBG) flying over Quebec City in 2015
Black and white photo of a Bombardier CL-415 (C-GQBG) flying over Quebec City in 2015

The government of Canada helping out Alberta’s citizens

The government of Canada, under Justin Trudeau, has promised to match the amounts of money offered by all Canadians to the Red Cross society toward helping the Fort McMurray population.

Obviously, its contribution will not stop there (in fact, far from it), but the message is for the whole Canadian population to contribute generously to support the efforts of the Red Cross. It is already estimated that the material damages will reach at least nine billion dollars and that numerous years will be required to rebuild everything. The Liberal Party of Canada had built its political campaign around the need to invest for the renewal of infrastructures. With the Fort McMurray fires, there will be plenty of new unplanned expenses ahead.

More than 1,400 firemen are fighting the wildfires. So few, there has been very few lives lost, although “very few” is always too much. The crisis is, according to everyone, well managed by the government of Alberta.

At the time of writing, there was still no rain forecasted for days to come and the drought was also extending to the southern half of Saskatchewan and part of Manitoba. The winds were expected to increase, which would mean that even more resources would be needed in the near future to bring those wildfires under control.

It seems to me that the government of many Canadian provinces would benefit in acquiring new water bombers like the CL-415 to give them an increased margin of manoeuver that would allow them to react more quickly, if we take into account the tendency for the ever growing number and size of forest fires. In the picture below, the government of Quebec CL-415 number 247 is just airborne from Quebec to Fort McMurray.

A Bombardier CL-415 C-GQBK airborne from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport heading to Fort McMurray, Alberta, in May 2016
A Bombardier CL-415 C-GQBK airborne from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport heading to Fort McMurray, Alberta, in May 2016

The CL-215s will not head to Fort McMurray

While several CL-415s are leaving for Alberta, few water bombers, like the two Canadair CL-215s shown below, stay at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport in case of forest fires in the province and also to be used for the seasonal rehearsal needed for every pilot before they are dispatched across the province of Quebec.

Two Canadair CL-215 water bombers parked at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport in May 2016.
Two Canadair CL-215 water bombers parked at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport in May 2016.

Global warming

Some people can say that global warming is not responsible for the increasing number of extended wildfires. They might be right, but I prefer to adopt a wider view than only what is going on in Alberta. Heat transfer between the north and south are now more extreme in order to equalize the temperatures around the globe. All means to reduce the difference in temperatures between the equator and the poles are at work and this causes increasing problems to particular regions.

The Kamloops region in British-Columbia, when numerous forest fires were raging 2014.
The Kamloops region in British-Columbia, when numerous forest fires were raging 2014.

A powerful El Nino phenomenon, repetitive Omega blocks, the air circulation in different cells (Hadley, Ferrell, polar, Walker) all participate in the heat exchange. At a more reduced scale, we also regularly hear of cold and warm fronts in the meteorological forecasts.

It is certainly not local warm fronts that are responsible for the fact that a thinner layer of permafrost is unable to ensure the stability of Arctic runways anymore. Nor are fronts responsible for the fact that houses on stilts do not have a stable foundation anymore. Many heat records have been established these past years in northern Canada. There will certainly be large amounts of money to spend to rebuild the Nordic infrastructures.

Brush fires as soon as April in Alberta

This year, as soon as April, there were widespread brush fires in a region as north as Fort McMurray in Alberta because winter has not brought much snow to humidify the land during Spring. I thus wondered what would happen once in July. Albertans did not need to wait that long to get the answer.

Western Canada forest after a fire (2014)
Western Canada forest after a fire (2014)

The modelization of climatic changes indicates that, in the Fort McMurray region, the forest fire season is already fifteen days longer that it used to be. More heat might favor more droughts. But an increase in temperature also favors the development of thunderstorms and with them comes lighting that will start up new fires.

One thing is sure: insurance companies will not lose time with the different theories on global warming. The reinsurers (those who insure the insurance companies) have the obligation to limit their losses to stay afloat and premiums will quickly increase to answer to the thousands of claims following an increasing number of natural disasters.

Photos of the local air traffic in Quebec, just after the CL-415s departed to Fort McMurray

FedEx ATR 72-202F C-FTAR and Air Canada Express Bombardier DHC-8-Q-402NG (C-GIJZ) at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport in May 2016
FedEx ATR 72-202F C-FTAR and Air Canada Express Bombardier DHC-8-Q-402NG (C-GIJZ) at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport in May 2016

At the Quebec airport, between the take offs of the four Bombardier CL-415 towards Fort McMurray, I was able to take few pictures of the local air traffic. In the photo above, it is possible to see a FedEx ATR 72 (C-FTAR) taxiing toward the ramp after a landing runway 06. An Air Canada Express Bombardier DHC-8-402 (Q-400) (C-GIJZ) was also being towed for is imminent departure.

ATAC’s Hawker Hunter N339AX

Being in luck, I was able to capture a Hawker Hunter (N339AX) belonging to the American company  ATAC, just airborne from Quebec. As for any military jet, it is difficult to ignore them on take-off: the reactor’s noise is there to remind you of their presence…

A Hawker Hunter belonging to the american company ATAC is airborne from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB), May 2016
A Hawker Hunter belonging to the american company ATAC is airborne from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB), May 2016

A Hawker Hunter, from the american company ATAC, is airborne from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB) in May 2016
A Hawker Hunter, from the american company ATAC, is airborne from the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB) in May 2016

The pictures above have been taken with a Canon 5D MKII camera, equipped with a telephoto lens Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM with a polarizing filter and a Canon Extender EF 2X III which brought the focal length to 400 mm. Even then, more cropping was necessary to enlarge the aircraft since I was quite far away from the runway.

Wishing to ensure that the image was sharp (a blurred picture is more probable with a 400 mm focal length while the photographer attempts to follow a fast flying jet), I adjusted the shutter speed to 1/1600 and made sure that the automatic focus was set on AI servo.

I now realized that a slower speed could have worked a bit better since it would have allowed showing a blurred forest in the background while keeping the aircraft sharp. But it is not often that you have the opportunity to see a Hawker Hunter in flight these days and I played safe with the shutter speed. The ideal shot will be for another day…

CL-415s and CL-215s together in Quebec (2012 photo)

CL-415 and CL-215 water bombers belonging to the Gouvernment of Quebec. Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB) 2012
CL-415 and CL-215 water bombers belonging to the Gouvernment of Quebec. Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB) 2012

A last picture, taken few years ago, during autumn 2012, shows numerous water bombers CL-415 and CL-215 parked at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB). During the off- season, the water bombers are brought back to Quebec City from the different bases were they have been in operation during summertime.

For other articles on aviation and photography, click on the following link: Aviation photography

Categories
Photos of Europe

Photography in Europe: Gruyères and the Moléson in Switzerland

Gruyères and the Moleson in the background, Switzerland 2013
Gruyères and the Moleson in the background, Switzerland 2013

The city of Gruyères is located in the Prealps, in the Friburg County in Switzerland. It is a very charming small medieval town where cars are forbidden (the white van shown in the picture above is only used for morning delivery). In the city, one can visit the Gruyères Castle (Château de Gruyères), the H.R.Giger Museum (creator of the “Alien” in the movie Alien), the Tibet Museum, a cheese factory and boutiques. There are also some restaurants.

In the picture above, shot with a Canon 5D MKII, it is possible to see the Moléson in the background, a mountain that rises only 512 metres above the surrounding terrain but is still at more than 2000 meters above sea level. It is a tourist attraction that should not be neglected since it is very well equipped for all types of visitors, with a funicular and cable car. The visitors also have access to very interesting walking paths, for all ages and experiences.

Moleson cable car, in the Gruyeres region, Switzerland 2013
Moleson cable car, in the Gruyeres region, Switzerland 2013

When you use a cable car and do not see where it is leading due to the presence of clouds, you have to trust human engineering. But we are in Switzerland, so it should be all right!

The Moleson cable car, Switzerland 2013
The Moleson cable car, Switzerland 2013

The Moléson summit offers superb views. The small cumuliform clouds visible in the morning around the mountain progressively lift up due to daytime heating and eventually become beautiful cumulus clouds that add life to any pictures.

Moleson summit in the clouds, Switzerland 2013
Moleson summit in the clouds, Switzerland 2013

Once on top of the Moléson, it is possible to use a modern metal stairway to gain even more height and access a platform allowing an unobstructed panoramic view. The picture above was taken with a Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8L II USM wide-angle zoom lens equipped with a polarizing filter.

Metal stairs leading to an observation post on top of the Moleson, Gruyeres region, Switzerland 2013
Metal stairs leading to an observation post on top of the Moleson, Gruyeres region, Switzerland 2013

When ready to go down the mountain, the visitor has two choices: travel with the cable car and funicular he used when coming up, or slowly walk along an easily accessible path through beautiful green landscapes. The more experienced trekkers might decide to walk along the crests of surrounding mountains. We chose to walk on paths covered with flowers.

Path on the Moleson, Switzerland 2013
Path on the Moleson, Switzerland 2013

Back to Gruyères, a visit of the Château de Gruyères and both museums is a must, as well as a tour of the cheese factory. You might want to spend some time in the boutiques too and try the local restaurants. It is also the moment to take a few pictures…

Inside the Gruyeres medieval city, Switzerland, 2013
Inside the Gruyeres medieval city, Switzerland, 2013

The old architecture of the buildings in Gruyères as well as the neighbouring countryside allow for very interesting photographic compositions. A well-known photography technique consists in using an opening in a building and using it as a second frame (a frame within a frame). I made sure that the background was clear enough to improve the visual effect. An aperture around 16 allowed for an appropriate depth-of-field.

Spiraling stairs in the Gruyeres Castle, Switzerland 2013
Spiraling stairs in the Gruyeres Castle, Switzerland 2013

The picture above shows a spiraling staircase inside the Château de Gruyères. I can barely imagine what the results would have been if I had had access to the new Canon 11-24mm wide-angle lens. But nonetheless, the Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8L II USM zoom lens did a good job.

The beauty of the full frame sensor mounted on the Canon 5D MKII DSLR is that a wide-angle shot taken at a 16mm focal will stay at 16mm while with a smaller sensor, like the APS-C, the photographer is facing a conversion factor of 1.5 or 1.6X, which transforms the 16-35mm wide-angle into a 24-52mm, in the best of cases. The APS-C sensor is interesting when used with a telephoto lens but a bit less when comes the time to take wide-angle shots.

The picture below presents the Château de Gruyères seen from a neighbouring field.

Gruyeres old architecture, Switzerland 2013
Gruyeres old architecture, Switzerland 2013

As the sun was setting down, I tried a shot from inside the castle. It was interesting to see the two little boys standing up alongside the wall and admiring the sunset. At the same time, it was possible to see the Moléson in the distance, its summit hidden in the clouds.

Due to the strong light contrasts, it was necessary to use a Hi-Tech ND graduated filter installed on my Canon 16-35mm wide-angle zoom lens. The Digital SLR Photography magazine, in one of its recent editions, made a comparison between ND grad filters and indicated that the Hi-Tech filter had a slight magenta coloration instead of a neutral grey. I think it is easily visible in the picture below. The photo could have been corrected with Photoshop but I thought of keeping it as it was since the scenery looked somewhat unreal already.

View from the Gruyeres Castle and the Moleson, Switzerland 2013
View from the Gruyeres Castle and the Moleson, Switzerland 2013

Once the sun was below the horizon, the more subtle colours gave a totally new look to the countryside. On the picture below, it is possible to see on the right a small path that a visitor can take to head down to the nearby village.

Gruyeres region in the sunset, Switzerland 2013
Gruyeres region in the sunset, Switzerland 2013

All the sceneries are not that easy to capture and it is sometimes necessary to use HDR photography to extend the dynamic range and take care of extreme light contrasts. The photo below needed five different exposures that were subsequently processed with the Photomatix image editing software. Useless to say, it was necessary to use the mirror lock-up function, a tripod and a remote control release.

View from the Gruyères Castle, Switzerland, in HDR 2013
View from the Gruyères Castle, Switzerland, in HDR 2013

Here is, as the final picture, an idea of what is waiting for you at the H.R. Giger Museum. If there is a strange but very interesting museum, it is this one.

Artwork in front of the H R Giger Museum, Gruyeres, Switzerland 2013
Artwork in front of the H R Giger Museum, Gruyeres, Switzerland 2013

Other pictures of Europe and around the world will be posted in the coming months…