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Photos of Quebec Ship photography

The Explora 1 cruise ship in Quebec City.

A "pilote du St-Laurent" leaves the Quebec harbour and heads towards the Explora 1 cruise ship in 2023.
A “pilote du St-Laurent” leaves the Quebec harbour and heads towards the Explora 1 cruise ship in 2023.

As the St. Lawrence River is a fairly difficult waterway to navigate, Canadian law obliges the captains of certain large vessels to accept local pilots, who are fully conversant with the particularities of the seaway, on board for the riskiest journeys.

Above, a Laurentian pilotage authority’s boat leaves the port of Québec to join the cruise ship Explora 1 before it enters the most demanding passages.

Once the Quebec pilot has helped the Explora 1 captain, the ship continues on its way to Quebec City, rounding the Île d’Orléans, as shown in the photo below. After playing its role as a sea cab, the little boat belonging to the St. Lawrence Pilots pulls away from the ship and returns to the Bassin Louise in the Port of Québec.

The Explora 1 cruise ship sails around île d'Orléans and a "pilote du Saint-Laurent" comes back to the Québec harbour in 2023.
The Explora 1 cruise ship sails around île d’Orléans and a “pilote du Saint-Laurent” comes back to the Québec harbour in 2023.
Returning to Quebec harbour after a change of pilot in the Explora 1 cruise ship. 2023.
Returning to Quebec harbour after a change of pilot in the Explora 1 cruise ship. 2023.

Serena Melani, “the first woman in the world to steer a cruise ship out of a shipyard“, ensures a smooth approach for the Explora 1 to Pier 30 in the Port of Québec. This brand-new vessel completed its sea trials in April 2023, and Quebec City is among the first destinations scheduled for 2023.

The Explora 1 approaching Quebec City with Mont St-Anne in the background 2023
The Explora 1 approaching Quebec City with Mont St-Anne in the background 2023

Every captain would love to dock at the popular Pier 22, as it offers a perfect view of the Château Frontenac. But on this fine October day, the Norwegian Sky is already occupying the spot.

The Norwegian Sky cruise ship docked in Quebec City.
The Norwegian Sky cruise ship docked in Quebec City.

Click on the link for more photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans   in autumn on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec Ship photography

The liner Mein Schiff 6 in Quebec City

The cruise ship Mein Schiff 6 docked in Quebec City in 2023.
The cruise ship Mein Schiff 6 docked in Quebec City in 2023.

Autumn in Quebec City heralds the arrival of cruise ships in large numbers. Some days see the arrival and departure of as many as five ships. All these passengers disembark by the thousands in Old Quebec   and delight the merchants. For the first time in Quebec City, the liner Mein Schiff 6 was recently seen moored at Quay 22 in the Port of Quebec.

The Mein Schiff 6 cruise ship docked in Quebec City in 2023.
The Mein Schiff 6 cruise ship docked in Quebec City in 2023.

The inscription “Mein Schiff” on the side means “my boat” in German. Note the obligatory capitalization of the common noun “Schiff” in this language. Common nouns are written in lower case in English. There’s also the word “Wohlfüllen” on the side, evoking something like “feeling of well-being“.

This cruise ship from Europe has 15 decks and can accommodate 2,517 passengers. More than 1,000 employees provide onboard service. For this trip to Quebec City, it carries mainly Germans. The company supplying the liner in Quebec City is called Hapag Lloyd. It has an international reputation and is also German-owned.

Hapag Lloyd and the Mein Schiff 6 in the Quebec harbour in 2023.
Hapag Lloyd and the Mein Schiff 6 in the Quebec harbour in 2023.

Hapag Lloyd also owns container ships and cargo planes. I was working in Iqaluit (airport code CYFB and formerly known as Frobisher Bay), Baffin Island, when I spotted a brand-new Boeing 737 in the company colors. It was arriving from Boeing Field (KBFI) and passing through Canada for customs clearance and fuel before continuing on to Germany.

Hapag Lloyd D-AHLO B737-4K5 in its delivery flight in 1989, from Boeing Field (KBFI) to Iqaluit, and then towards Germany. It is being refueled during difficult weather conditions. This type of aircraft did not experience much problem with the cold weather, but it was not the case with smaller business jets
Hapag Lloyd D-AHLO B737-4K5 in its delivery flight in 1989, from Boeing Field (KBFI) to Iqaluit, and then towards Germany. It is being refueled during difficult weather conditions. This type of aircraft did not experience much problem with the cold weather, but it was not the case with smaller business jets

The Mein Schiff 6’s next destination after leaving Quebec City is Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island.

Click on the link for more autumn photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans on my blog.

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Ship photography

The ship MSC Maria Pia in front of Quebec City.

The MSC Maria Pia vessel on the St.Lawrence Seaway by Quebec City.
The MSC Maria Pia vessel on the St.Lawrence Seaway by Quebec City.

Here is a last picture of the winter of 2022 before going into spring mode. We can see the MSC Maria Pia sailing through the ice on the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Lévis, with a temperature of -27C.

The container ship Maria Pia belongs to the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). It was built in 1997 and flies the Panama flag. The ship passed by the Quai des Cageux at just the right time, as the very soft light of a late afternoon winter day is always more conducive to photography.

Click on the link for more photos of ships on my blog.

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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

Cycling around L’Îsle-aux-Coudres

Bank of St-Joseph-de-la-Rive in Québec in 2021.
Bank of St-Joseph-de-la-Rive in Québec in 2021.

Cycling around L’Îsle-aux-Coudres is a good exercise and even a photography project for landscape photography enthusiasts. The following information will therefore help you both for the exercise and for planning a photography trip …

The ferry is taken at St-Joseph-de-la-Rive, just down the Côte des Éboulements. Transportation is free, but make sure you’re in the queue thirty minutes before departure: if you make it at the last minute, you’ll have to take the next ferry, an hour later. The trip only takes about 15 minutes to L’Îsle-aux-Coudres.

Once you have reached the island with the car, you drive up the hill (no other choice) to the first intersection and you immediately see a church on the left: this is where motorists carrying bicycles park, free of charge.

Man relaxing at L'Isle-aux-Coudres in 2021.
Man relaxing at L’Isle-aux-Coudres in 2021.

Cycling around L’Îsle-aux-Coudres is not really difficult, as the distance to be covered is only 23 kilometers. There are only a few hills to climb and they can be walked up alongside the bike if the challenge is too great. Along the route you will find rest stops, small craft shops and a few restaurants.

Bank of L'Îsle-aux-Coudres 2021.
Bank of L’Îsle-aux-Coudres 2021.

Driving around the island in the low season is ideal if you don’t enjoy driving in the presence of too many cars. I was there in September and really wasn’t bothered by traffic. The photo above shows the view in the fall, from the south side of the island. For several kilometers, the cyclist enjoys a perfect view of the St. Lawrence River and the road is directly on the edge of the banks.

The Îsle-aux-Coudres region in 2021.
The Îsle-aux-Coudres region in 2021.

There are some beautiful views along the way. Above, a view of the distant mountains that lie on the north shore of the St. Lawrence.

The MSC Annick vessel in front of l'Îsle-aux-Coudres in 2021.
The MSC Annick vessel in front of l’Îsle-aux-Coudres in 2021.

Wind is the main factor to consider when traveling around the island. In the photo above, the wind is strong enough for the smoke from the MSC Annick ship’s chimney to flow in the same direction as the boat, rather than gradually drifting astern.

This means that on days with high winds, there is a side of the island where you will have to put more effort as a cyclist, but you will then be rewarded with a good tail wind in the second portion of the journey.

Effect of the wind on the cirrus clouds over Baie St-Paul in 2021.
Effect of the wind on the cirrus clouds over Baie St-Paul in 2021.

One last photo taken on the return trip by ferry. Strong winds aloft visibly have an effect on cloud structure.

Have a good ride, and possibly a good photo shoot!

For other pictures of the province of Québec on my site: Québec, Québec City and Île d’Orléans in autumn, Québec City and Île d’Orléans in spring, Québec City and Île d’Orléans in summer, Québec City and Île d’Orléans in winter.

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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

The Quebec Bridge by Bike.

The Promenade Samuel-De Champlain seen from the Quebec Bridge in 2021.
The Promenade Samuel-De Champlain seen from the Quebec Bridge in 2021.

Crossing the Quebec Bridge by bike allows you to stop and admire the surroundings at will, while observing the maritime traffic up close.

In the photo above, part of the Promenade Samuel-De Champlain is visible from the bridge. As for the photographic composition (for those interested), part of the bridge is included in the photo’s foreground to add to the height effect. The path to the right of the promenade, with its pronounced curves, also helps to energize the scene. I think it was a prime location, but tastes are debatable!

The Federal Clyde and MSC Brianna vessels on the St.Lawrence Seaway near the Quebec Bridge in 2021.
The Federal Clyde and MSC Brianna vessels on the St.Lawrence Seaway near the Quebec Bridge in 2021.

At the time of passage of the Federal Clyde and MSC Brianna vessels under the Quebec Bridge, the sound of the large diesel engines was clearly perceptible and it was even possible to feel the vibrations of the engines retransmitted into the metal structure of the bridge.

Inspection of the Québec Bridge in 2021.
Inspection of the Québec Bridge in 2021.

Above, an employee inspects the structure of an aging Quebec Bridge. Good risk management in this case is to rely on a part of the bridge that has not aged prematurely.

Inspection of the Québec Bridge. July 29th 2021.
Inspection of the Québec Bridge. July 29th 2021.

The wide-angle lens of the Canon 5DSr gives a better idea of ​​the delicate position in which inspectors find themselves when they are evaluating the work to be carried out on the Quebec Bridge. It’s not a job for everyone …

Click on the link for other pictures of Québec City in summer on my blog.

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Aviation photography

The RCAF flies by Québec City

The Snowbirds passing by Québec City in June 2021.
The Snowbirds passing by Québec City in June 2021.

The Snowbirds flew over Quebec City in June 2021, followed by many other jets and canadian military transport planes and helicopters. Until the last minute, a layer of low clouds and occasional showers worried event organizers.

A ferry crosses the St.Lawrence Seaway in front of Lévis in June 2021.
A ferry crosses the St.Lawrence Seaway in front of Lévis in June 2021.

Low clouds are visible over Lévis in the picture above taken from the Dufferin terrace in Québec City. On the St. Lawrence Seaway, the ferry bound to Lévis is approaching its destination.

Three canadian CF-18 fly by Québec City in June 2021.
Three canadian CF-18 fly by Québec City in June 2021.

The CF-18s initially flew in a formation of three. For photography enthusiasts, the full frame camera used to capture those photos was a Canon 5DSr equipped with an EF 70-200mm f / 2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens. For the photo above, the shutter speed was set at 1/4000 and the focal length was 200mm. Given the CF-18’s fast fly-by, I opted for the AI ​​Servo autofocus which quickly adapts to changes in the position of the objects to be photographed. Since the original image size was 50.6 megapixels, this allowed me to crop it in order to enlarge the military jets without losing quality.

Four canadian CF-18 flying by Québec City in June 2021.
Four canadian CF-18 flying by Québec City in June 2021.

Above, four CF-18s were photographed with a shutter speed of 1/5000.

The bulk carrier Spar Taurus is arriving in the Québec City harbour in June 2021.
The bulk carrier Spar Taurus is arriving in the Québec City harbour in June 2021.

Between each fly-by of the various military jets, the maritime traffic continued as usual on the St. Lawrence River. Above, the Spar Taurus vessel , a bulk carrier built in 2005 and sailing under the flag of Norway, is heading towards the port of Quebec, accompanied by two Ocean company tugs. In the background, the Île d´Orléans bridge, which will be redone in a few years.

A canadian C-17 Globemaster III flies over the Dufferin terrace in Québec City in June 2021.
A canadian C-17 Globemaster III flies over the Dufferin terrace in Québec City in June 2021.

A C-17 Globemaster III, military transport aircraft built by McDonnell Douglas, flies over the Dufferin Terrace. Canada owns five of these aircrafts.

A canadian Bell CH-146 Griffon at Québec in June 2021
A canadian Bell CH-146 Griffon at Québec in June 2021

Above, a Canadian Bell CH-146 Griffon military helicopter , slowly flies near the Château Frontenac. A soldier seated behind takes a picture of the crowd gathered on the Dufferin Terrace. To photograph a helicopter, the shutter speed must be drastically reduced, so that the movement of the blades can be observed. For the photo above, I opted for 1/250, but I could have gone down to 1/125 without too much risk of the helicopter being out of focus.

There were other aircrafts that flew over the seaway, such as the CP-140 Aurora and the Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules, but the photos were not of sufficient quality to be published on the web.

Click on the link for other pictures of Québec City in summer on my blog.

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Ship photography

The oil tanker Nave Equinox in front of Lévis.

The Nave Equinox oil tanker with Lévis in the background during winter 2020.
The Nave Equinox oil tanker with Lévis in the background during winter 2020.

Last week, there was virtually no ice on the St.Lawrence Seaway near Quebec City. Since the beginning of the winter, very mild temperatures had allowed ships to travel the St.Lawrence without encountering any obstacles. For the past week however, more seasonal temperatures with some days between -15C and -22C have been changing the appearance of the seaway.


The photo above shows the oil tanker Nave Equinox, a ship built in 2007 approaching Quebec City. Even at -15C, the day was still ideal for photography because the cloud cover was fragmented allowing the diffuse light of the January sun.


The photo was taken from the Dufferin Terrace near Château Frontenac.The vessel was quite distant and a significant cropping was applied to bring the vessel closer. The photo was taken hand-held and the image sharpness was retained using a very fast 1/8000 sec shutter speed. Doing so limited vibrations.

 
The camera used was a Canon 5DSr with a Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM lens. A 50.6 megapixel sensor limited image pixelization when cropped.

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/products/details/cameras/eos-dslr-and-mirrorless-cameras/dslr/eos-5ds-r

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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec Ship photography

Container ships near Quebec City

The container ship Hapag_Lloyd Quebec Express and the container ship MSC Paola are sailing around Île d'Orléans near Quebec City.
The container ship Hapag_Lloyd Quebec Express and the container ship MSC Paola are sailing around Île d’Orléans near Quebec City.

Those two container ships that sailed near Quebec City in July 2019 reminded me of recent news regarding the Port of Quebec‘s installations and the will to receive always bigger container ships.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/port-of-quebec-announces-deal-with-hutchison-ports-and-cn-rail-to-develop-new-775-million-container-terminal-300857306.html

To take the picture, I waited that the Quebec Express had completed his turn west of Île d’Orléans. From that moment, the photographic distance between the two container ships started to diminish. The MSC Paola’s bow became an artificial frame that included part of the Quebec Express.

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Photos of Canada Ship photography

The MV Golden Princess in the Vancouver Harbour.

The Golden Princess cruise ship in the Vancouver Harbour in 2018.
The Golden Princess cruise ship in the Vancouver Harbour in 2018.

The cruise ship Golden Princess  leaves the Vancouver Harbour while, in the background, a few rain showers help making the scenery even more interesting. The MV Golden Princess can carry 2592 passengers. It was built in Italy by the Fincantieri shipbuilding company.

I took the picture from the balcony of a condo tower’s thirty second floor with a Canon 5DSR equipped with a Canon 70-200m f2.8L IS II USM. The focal length was adjusted to 200mm but, as I was really far away, it was necessary to seriously crop the picture in order to enlarge the cruise ship even more.

For more ship photos, click on the following link of my blog:

Ship photography

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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec Ship photography

The MS Zuiderdam in the port of Quebec.

Le navire Zuiderdam ancré dans le Port de Québec à l'automne 2018.
Le navire Zuiderdam ancré dans le Port de Québec à l’automne 2018.

During a beautiful autumn day in Quebec, it is worth making a detour by the “promenade des Gouverneurs”. This promenade is accessible through the Dufferin Terrace and the Battlefields Park. The staircase has a few hundred steps but it is worth the effort.

During this period of the year, several cruise ships, among them the MS Zuiderdam, are anchored in the Quebec harbour. This adds an additional interest for photographers.

The photographic composition of the picture above required a lot of attention since several essential elements had to be included in the picture, without the latter being overloaded.

The main obstacle was the huge difference in lighting between the background and the tree in the foreground. Using RAW files helped a lot when correcting the luminosity with Photoshop. The picture was taken with a Canon 5DSR camera.

The Zuiderdam cruise ship, property of Holland America Line, has a 1916 passenger capacity. It made its first cruise in 2002. The vessel is decorated with numerous artwork, among them a painting of Queen Beatrix (without surprise!) painted by Andy Warhol.

For other ship pictures, click on the following link of my blog:

Ship photography