Here’s a scene from Quebec City, specifically Old Quebec, captured in autumn. I rarely use the square format to present a photo, but this time it suited the photographic composition perfectly. Digital processing enhanced the effect of the clouds and lessened the impact of the setting sun in the west.
Click on the link for more autumn photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans on my blog.
Old meets new in this photo of Old Quebec. On the right, the headquarters of the Norplex group, real estate developer. This is the former Canadian Bank of Commerce building, designed in 1914 by architect V. D. Horsburgh. The rounded shape is reminiscent of the Bank of England’s Tivoli.
In the foreground, the sculpture-fountain La Vivrière, a more modern creation inaugurated in 1995 on Place de la FAO to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the founding of the FAO in Quebec City in 1945, under the aegis of Lester B. Pearson.
In terms of photographic composition, the sculpted waves in the foreground gradually direct the viewer’s eye towards the main building at the top right of the photo. The rounded columns are only straight thanks to the use of Canon’s ultra-wide-angle EF 11-24mm F/4L lens.
Above, a view of the newly restored Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville. In the distance, the tower of the Price building. Rotating spotlights create moving shadows for the couple in the foreground.
Above, a five-shot HDR photo of buildings in Old Quebec. In the foreground, a wall stands at the intersection of Port Dauphin and Côte-de-la-Montagne streets. In the middle ground, we see the shops and buildings on rue De Buade. In the background, the Price Building, the only skyscraper permitted in Old Quebec.
Click on the link for more photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in summer on my blog.
A biography generally tells the story of a person who has made an impact on his or her environment and society. Why, then, take the time to write a book about the existence of a completely unknown individual, who passes through life like a ghost?
Paul Reichstein, “l’homme en mouvement (the man in motion)”, is the enigmatic great-uncle of the author, journalist Patrick Straumann. The latter has carried out an extensive research to find out more about this “black sheep” of the family.
Why “black sheep”? Because Paul was born into a talented family, one of whose brothers, Tadeus (nicknamed Tajik), even won the Nobel Prize in collaboration with two Americans for having succeeded in isolating cortisone. His other brothers all went on to earn degrees that launched them into life. Except Paul, who is interested in everything, but quickly tires of one subject or one place.
Paul was born in Kiev in 1905 and spent his youth in Switzerland, specifically Zurich. He went everywhere, but only briefly. We find him in Russia, where he witnessed the return of the survivors of the Chelyuskin icebreaker . He worked in a tractor factory during the Stalin era and also became a mountaineering instructor where he climbed very high mountains for the glory of the Stalinist regime. (See also “Les alpinistes de Staline” on my blog).
He also joined the US Navy as a soldier. He managed to be expelled twice from Switzerland, did a stint in prison, sailed the Pacific Ocean working for the merchant navy, sold land and cabins in Anchorage, Alaska, and worked for several months in a mine in Chile, before making a detour to Australia.
He was hospitalized for accidents in Rochester, Oakland and Yokohama. We also follow him to San Francisco, Baltimore, Palm Springs, the banks of the Volga, Pusan, Seoul, China and the Philippines.
He died in 1995 and, having outlived all his brothers, there were only a dozen people at his funeral who didn’t know what to say about this elusive “man in motion”.
In 140 pages, the author succeeds in painting a generous, non-judgmental portrait of this great-uncle. Paul’s troubles and wanderings make this man very endearing.
Click on the link for more biographies on my blog.
Title: L’homme en mouvement
Author: Patrick Straumann
Publisher: Chandeigne, © 2024
ISBN: 978-2-36732-279-7
For this photo of rue Dauphine in Old Quebec, I chose a period when everything changes rapidly. The blue hour still allows us to make out the most significant details of this night photography session. Winter is just around the corner and the rain showers, momentarily halted, are trying to erase the snow that now lingers on the ground in early December.
The freshly fallen rain reflects the light from the streetlamps on rue Dauphine and from the windows of the former church, now the Maison de la littérature.
This kind of photo can only be taken with frequent visits to the old town, in all seasons and weather conditions. The photographer’s eye immediately catches sight of a scene around a bend in the road that needs to be captured.
Click on the link for more autumn photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans on my blog.
On an evening when isolated showers were continually changing the atmosphere in Quebec City, I visited the old part of the town, especially “rue du Trésor”. Today’s article features four photos of the same street captured from different angles. About three hours separates the shots.
Above, passers-by seem to be followed by an individual. I’ve maximized the effect of tension by taking advantage of a moment when the tourists in the background are in the light and the lone walker remains in shadow. To accentuate the discomfort, I opted for a cold tone and undersaturation in post-processing.
Below, two young people chat quietly at the entrance to rue du Trésor, while pedestrians go about their business. The tiles have had time to dry out a little since the last shower.
The photo is legal in Quebec because it’s not just about the two persons in the foreground. There’s a street setting where other passers-by are also present. This is always a factor to consider when publishing for non-commercial use. If the couple is alone in the scene and it’s a close-up, I can capture the scene, but under Quebec law, I don’t publish. For added precaution, it is sometimes better to wait a while between the moment the photo is taken and its distribution. Finally, I make sure that people are not portrayed in such a way as to damage their reputation. So, there are always multiple factors to consider before a photo is taken and distributed.
Above, a couple takes a walk immediately after a rain shower. I set up the camera a few inches off the ground, in front of a puddle to get a reflection.
The goal of the picture is the water reflection but, since I want to publish the photo, I have to think about the persons. The couple becomes possibly the main subject for some viewers. Using added precaution, I put an artificial obstacle in front of the man’s eyes to make him less recognizable. As for the woman, her head turned to one side makes identification impossible.
Below is a view of the Rue du Trésor during the “blue hour,” after the showers. The last tourists take the opportunity to choose a piece of art before the shopkeepers leave.
Click on the link for reference books about photography in Canada and Quebec on my blog. Also use the following link for more photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in summer on my blog.
Here’s a photo taken late autumn on Île d’Orléans. The sun shines through the cumuliform clouds, helping to create interesting contrasts of light and shadow on the mountains in the background. Towards noon, the more direct sunshine dissipates these clouds, and late in the afternoon, the new-found coolness helps to form a uniform stratocumulus ceiling over the region. The photo was taken around 10 am, at a time when there is still a mixture of clear skies and clouds, making the photo more dynamic.
Click on the link for more autumn photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans on my blog.
Above, a photo of the Château Frontenac in autumn with a cruise ship that has just docked at the Port of Québec. The photo was taken from Île d’Orléans. Also visible in the center of the photo is the Concorde Hotel’s revolving restaurant, “Ciel! Resto-bar”.
Click on the link for more photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans on my blog.
The photo shows the Battlefields Park in early autumn, as the trees begin to change color. In the distance on the right is the revolving restaurant “Ciel! Bistro-bar” and, on the left, the turret of Saint-Dominique church.
Click on the link for more photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in autumn on my blog.
Leg 10 of this round-the-world flight simulation trip takes place between Poland and Germany. Two very different aircraft will be used to complete the journey during this day of VFR flying: an old Junkers Ju 52/3m and a modern business helicopter, the Airbus H160.
Departure is from Lublin airport (EPLB) in Poland. The Junkers Ju 52/3m takes off without a hitch over a short distance. The big three-engine tailwheel is as predictable as the Cessna C-170B I used in real life to cross Canada in 1981. Above, one can see the cultivated fields of Poland.
It’s shaping up to be a beautiful morning, weather-wise. The first leg of the trip takes us over Moritzburg Castle (Schloss Moritzburg), northwest of Dresden. Built in 1542, it was originally the hunting lodge of the Duke of Saxony.
On the way to Halle is a large wind farm. Germany, like Europe, is rapidly developing its green energy. Russia’s recent attitude to Europe’s natural gas supply has drastically changed energy planning in neighboring countries.
Above, in the center of the photo, is a partial view of the National Museum of Prehistory in Halle (Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte Halle), not far from Leipzig. It is one of Central Europe’s leading archaeological museums.
Before reaching Calden airport to change aircraft, we gaze at the Kyffhaüser monument (Kyffhaüser Denkmal). Once in Calden, we jump into a modern Airbus-built H160 helicopter and head for Göttingen, more precisely over the Münchhausenstrasse.
We’ve obtained permission to fly over this thoroughfare at very low altitude, just long enough to say hello to an old acquaintance. This dubious authorization will probably cost Germany’s Minister of Transport his job.
A flyover of this Göttingen street is necessary to verify the extent of the traffic.
The descent is gradual between the buildings. We hover just above the cars. Pedestrians seem to wave at us, but we may misinterpret the gesture. Our friend is at the window and takes the time to stop his reading of an excellent comic strip to wave at us. We then continue on our way to Padderborn Lippstadt Airport (EDLP), our destination for today.
Still, there’s a fair amount of activity at the airport. Immediately after landing, we’ll start planning leg 11 of this round-the-world flight simulation and real weather trip.
Click on the link for more flight simulator flights around the world on my blog.
This photo was taken in autumn from the wooden tower at the eastern end of Île d’Orléans. Late in the season, there are fewer leaves left on the trees, but the sun hitting the vegetation from the side breathes new life into the landscape.
Click on the link for more photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in autumn on my blog.