Author: Stanley

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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

A quick outing in foggy weather in Quebec City

The Château Frontenac in the evening with low clouds during Spring 2026
The Château Frontenac in the evening with low clouds during Spring 2026

In Quebec City, we had several consecutive days of rain in April while there was still snow on the ground. The warm rain melts the snow quickly, saturating the air with moisture and leading to fog and low-hanging clouds. Night photography enthusiasts know that this is an opportunity not to be missed for capturing special effects.

In the photo above, you can see low-hanging clouds above the Château Frontenac in Old Quebec. Fortunately, the central tower remains clearly visible. This is the perfect moment to capture the light reflecting off the clouds and onto the street.

Photographic Composition

Train in foggy weather in Quebec City during Spring 2026.
Train in foggy weather in Quebec City during Spring 2026.

Tonight, the wind is blowing less strongly near Gilmour Hill than in the Port of Québec. A persistent fog covers this section of Champlain Boulevard.

For the composition, I use the stationary railcar as the focal point between the lit road on the left and the headland on the right. It serves as a link for an imaginary diagonal line that cuts the image in half, running from the lower left corner to the upper right corner of the frame.

The Boulevard Champlain in Quebec City in fog, April 2026
The Boulevard Champlain in Quebec City in fog, April 2026

The fog softens and unifies the elements of the scene above. The photographic composition takes into account the path that guides the eye toward the center of the photo. There, a strategically placed fir tree prevents the gaze from wandering off toward the horizon. On either side of the image are two contrasting elements, differing in height, color, and state (nature vs. industry).

Click the link for more photos of Quebec City on my blog.

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Ship photography

The Euronav Cap Pembroke oil tanker in the ice of the St. Lawrence River.

Oil tanker Cap Pembroke near Quebec City April 2026
Oil tanker Cap Pembroke near Quebec City April 2026

Sailing from Ingleside (US YIG) in the Gulf of Mexico, the Greek-flagged oil tanker Cap Pembroke is heading toward the Valero Energy facilities in Lévis (CA QUE). The crew leaves the Gulf of Mexico in T-shirts and arrives in the icy waters of the St. Lawrence River a few days later.

The tanker can be seen as it rounds Île d’Orléans at high tide, assisted by two tugboats from the Ocean Group.

At very low speeds, the steering efficiency of a ship like the Cap Pembroke is greatly reduced. Measuring 277 meters long and 48 meters wide, it relies on tugboats to avoid obstacles and navigate the tides and winds of the river near Quebec City.

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

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Photos of Quebec

Hyperrealism at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec.

Femme assise, an hyperrealist sculpture by Sam Jinks at the MNBAQ in 2026.
Femme assise, an hyperrealist sculpture by Sam Jinks at the MNBAQ in 2026.

The exhibition “Hyperrealism: This Is Not a Body,” on view in Quebec City at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ), runs through November 15, 2026. It is sure to become a major tourist attraction for the upcoming summer in Quebec City.

Some forty sculptures are on display for the public to view, including works by well-known artists such as Ron Mueck and Maurizio Cattelan.

An artist draws one of Marc Sijan's scuptures at thev MNBAQ.
An artist draws one of Marc Sijan’s scuptures at thev MNBAQ.

Above, a man who is clearly very talented took the time to pull out his sketchbook and draw a sketch of the sculpture “Mise au coin” by Marc Sijan.

Femme et enfant, a creation by Sam Jinks at the MNBAQ in 2026.
Femme et enfant, a creation by Sam Jinks at the MNBAQ in 2026.

Visitors experience a whole range of emotions. There’s something for everyone, from the simplest to the strangest, as in the photo below, where a young person (“The Comforter,” by Patricia Piccinini) is holding something—it’s hard to say exactly what—in her arms.

A work by Patricia Picinini that has everyone talking at the MNBAQ.
A work by Patricia Picinini that has everyone talking at the MNBAQ.

Click the link for more photos of Quebec City on my blog.

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Geopolitics Human behavior

Second excerpt from “L’heure des prédateurs” by Giuliano Da Empoli.

Cover of the book: "L'heure des prédateurs" from Giuliano Da Empoli
Cover of the book: “L’heure des prédateurs” from Giuliano Da Empoli

In his book “L’heure des prédateurs (The Hour of the Predator ),” Giuliano Da Empoli writes, “Three months before the invasion of Ukraine, Surkov, who had been dismissed by Putin some time before, published an article in which everything was already said. Every society, he wrote, is subject to the physical law of entropy. No matter how stable it may be, in the absence of external intervention, it eventually produces chaos within. Up to a certain point, it is possible to manage this, but the only way to solve the problem definitively is to export it. According to Surkov, the great empires of history regenerate themselves by shifting the chaos they produce beyond their borders. This was the case with the Romans in ancient times, and, according to the author, with the Americans in the 20th century. It is also the case with Russia, “for which constant expansion is not just an idea, but the very raison d’être of our history.”

And when exporting turmoil fails to reestablish stability to the country, the country’s leader is sent into retirement, one way or another. The writer adds: “When chaos exceeds a certain stage, the only way to restore order is to identify a scapegoat. And the leader, whoever he may be, is always a scapegoat waiting in the wings. Tolstoy compares him to ‘a ram fattened for the slaughterhouse”.” (Deepl translation)

Click on the link for more articles on geopolitics in my blog.

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Photos of Quebec Ship photography

A day of photography in extreme weather in Quebec City

Federal Trident sailing through the ice in front of Quebec City 2026
Federal Trident sailing through the ice in front of Quebec City 2026

Days with temperatures of -25 °C and below are becoming increasingly rare in Quebec City. With the wind chill factor, the temperature today feels like -36 °C. This is a golden opportunity to try to capture the sea smoke on the St. Lawrence River.

Photography technique

Sea mist between Île d'Orléans and Quebec City, winter 2026
Sea mist between Île d’Orléans and Quebec City, winter 2026

Night photography in these weather conditions remains difficult. The low light requires a tripod, which itself vibrates in the gusty wind. This means increasing the ISO and decreasing the depth of field to achieve a faster shutter speed, which slightly reduces image quality. In addition, using a 300 mm telephoto lens increases the risk of blurry photos. Photography is all about compromise!

Canadian Coastguard icebreaker Des Groseillers at work near Quebec City winter 2026
Canadian Coastguard icebreaker Des Groseillers at work near Quebec City winter 2026

Above is a photo of the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Des Groseillers at work. It is not surprising to see this type of vessel in the area, as the Seaway must remain ice-free in its centre to allow ships to navigate year-round. And this year, there is ice!

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

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Geopolitics Human behavior

Excerpts from the book “Apprivoiser son ombre” (Taming Your Shadow) by Jean Monbourquette.

Book "Apprivoiser son ombre" by Jean Monbourquette
Book “Apprivoiser son ombre” by Jean Monbourquette

“The more a nation isolates itself, the blinder it becomes to its own faults and shortcomings, and the more it will tend to project its fears, repugnance, and atavisms onto neighbouring nations. Only through regular contact with other peoples can a nation recognize its own shortcomings and flaws. Until people learn to know and appreciate foreign customs, they will harbour prejudices created by their own national shadow. Jokes about neighbouring peoples and racist nicknames are clear signs of projections of the national shadow.

In times of war, the collective shadow cast on “the enemy” is maintained and exacerbated by the media. Everything that is considered detestable and reprehensible at home is relentlessly sought out in the adversary. During the Second World War, the German people had every imaginable flaw. During the Cold War that followed, it was the Russians’ turn to be judged harshly. Black people have long been the target of projection by white people. Jews have similarly been the preferred victims of the collective shadow of several other peoples. Minorities, foreigners, and great minds always disturb others with their differences and originality. They are exposed to becoming scapegoats, bearers of all the malicious tendencies of the national shadow.

Are nations therefore condemned, as such, to constantly create enemies or scapegoats and to burden them with their collective shadow? Is it permissible to dream that one day all nations will look at each other in all truthfulness and that each will tame its shadow instead of projecting it onto another nation in an attempt to destroy it?

Click on the link for more articles on human behaviour or geopolitics on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

Quebec during the cold spell of January 2026.

Snow blower at work on Île d'Orléans in the winter of 2026
Snow blower at work on Île d’Orléans in the winter of 2026

On Île d’Orléans, snow blowers don’t stop clearing snow when a vehicle approaches from the opposite direction. They blow the snow across the road with enough force that you can quickly pass under the spray without getting too much debris on your car.

House on Île d'Orléans with Mont St. Anne in the background
House on Île d’Orléans with Mont St. Anne in the background

The sun hits the trees sideways in the late afternoon on Île d’Orléans. From the Sainte-Famille parish, you can capture the island’s houses with an interesting backdrop: the ski slopes of Mont St-Anne.

Protest in Quebec City against Iran's mullahs
Protest in Quebec City against Iran’s mullahs

Even in freezing temperatures, citizens of Iranian origin are demonstrating in Old Quebec against the dictatorial regime of the mullahs in Iran. All this at a time when an American fleet is positioning itself for a military intervention in Iran.

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

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Geopolitics

Excerpt from “L’heure des prédateurs” by Giuliano Da Empoli

Cover of the book: "L'heure des prédateurs" from Giuliano Da Empoli
Cover of the book: “L’heure des prédateurs” from Giuliano Da Empoli

The following excerpt is taken from Giuliano Da Empoli‘s book “L’heure des prédateurs”.

“Today, an aircraft carrier that cost the US government ten billion dollars can be sunk by two or three Chinese hypersonic missiles costing fifteen million. Conversely, to shoot down a $200 drone launched from southern Lebanon, Israel must use a Patriot missile worth $3 million each time. Not to mention a cyberattack capable of paralyzing an entire nation, the cost of which is virtually zero.

These days, attack costs less than defense. Much less. And the price continues to fall. In the future, some claim that a single individual will be able to declare war on the entire world and win. When you consider that a DNA synthesizer capable of creating new deadly pathogens costs around $20,000, or the price of a used car, this prospect does not seem so far-fetched.

According to the company that produces it, the latest ChatGPT model launched in fall 2024 has led to a significant increase in the risk of artificial intelligence being misused to create chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons. This risk is now classified at the highest level on the company’s scale, but that did not prevent OpenAI from putting the product on the market, without any regulatory authority finding fault with it.

Click on the link for more articles on geopolitics on my blog.

Categories
Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

The Canadian Coast Guard breaking the ice in front of Quebec City.

Canadian Coast Guard Amundsen icebreaker on the St.Lawrence river near Quebec City 2026
Canadian Coast Guard Amundsen icebreaker on the St.Lawrence river near Quebec City 2026

The freezing weather of winter 2025-2026 in Quebec requires frequent interventions by the Canadian Coast Guard to open passages on the St. Lawrence River. In the photo above, the icebreaker Amundsen, clears the way in front of Quebec City.

This ship occasionally works in the Canadian Arctic on research projects. It also ensures a Canadian presence in Canada’s northernmost territories.

Note the helicopter parked at the rear of the ship. Other larger icebreakers are under construction at various shipyards across the country, including the one in Lévis. Some of them are intended to strengthen Canadian territorial sovereignty in the Arctic.

Ferries at work in the ice in front of Quebec City winter 2026
Ferries at work in the ice in front of Quebec City winter 2026

Ferries make their way through the ice in January 2026. They ensure the crossing for pedestrians and vehicles between Quebec City and Lévis.

Ship moving through the ice on a winter night in front of Quebec City
Ship moving through the ice on a winter night in front of Quebec City

For this nighttime photograph, I used a Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM lens. It requires very little light and allows the photographer to take a picture of the Ocean tugboat and the merchant navy ship as they pass in front of Quebec City. I took the photo from the Dufferin Terrace and cropped it to enlarge the image.

Click on the link for more photos of Quebec and Canada on my blog.

Categories
Photos of Quebec

HDR Photography of the Château Frontenac at Christmas

HDR picture of the Château Frontenac at Christmas 2025 from Côte de la Montagne in Quebec City.
HDR picture of the Château Frontenac at Christmas 2025 from Côte de la Montagne in Quebec City.

During the holiday season, the Château Frontenac is decked out in red and green. For an interesting effect, try taking a picture of the castle’s main tower from Côte de la Montagne. To do this, you have to point the camera upward, but all the lines that are normally vertical become slanted.

Photographic Technique

To correct this effect and restore the architectural lines to near verticality, some computer work is necessary. In a few minutes, after cropping and changing the photographic plane, the photo regains the natural appearance that the eye observes when climbing Côte de la Montagne.

HDR photo of the Château Frontenac and surroundings in winter in Quebec City.
HDR photo of the Château Frontenac and surroundings in winter in Quebec City.

The photo above shows another beautiful view of the Château Frontenac. In the middle of the tourist season, passersby in Old Quebec are plentiful in front of the camera lens. Long exposure times mean that several “ghosts” will appear to be moving around when taking nighttime photographs.

How can you avoid these “ghosts” as much as possible? Timing is important. Once the blue hour has passed, complete darkness provides uniform lighting. This allows you to choose a moment when no one is passing by the camera when taking each shot to achieve the HDR effect. Five shots with different apertures will give you the desired HDR result. I use a tripod and a Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM wide-angle lens mounted on a Canon 5DSR full-frame camera.

There is only one person very close to the camera lens during the entire session. I remove her from the HDR photo. Since she was working with a tripod, she moved very little during my five shots, which allowed the correction tool in the digital processing software to teleport her to a parallel universe.

Click on the link for more photos of Quebec City on my blog.