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The Quebec Bridge is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2017

The Quebec Bridge, the longest cantilever type bridge in the world, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2017. For the occasion, several activities were organized in Quebec on  September 23rd 2017, culminating with fireworks near the bridge.

Reflections on the St. Lawrence Seaway. The 100th anniversary of the Quebec Bridge was celebrated with fireworks.
Reflections on the St. Lawrence Seaway. The 100th anniversary of the Quebec Bridge was celebrated with fireworks.

Several workers lost their live while attempting to build the bridge. A Wikipedia article resumes its history: The Quebec Bridge

In 2017, the safety issue was brought back in the news. This time it was about the lack of maintenance that favored an increasing amount of rust on the metallic structure.

The funds that would allow to paint the bridge on a regular basis seems hard to find. The bridge owner, the Canadian National Railway Company, and the different levels of government are attempting to find a solution that would be acceptable for all. This discussion has been going on for years. While the bridge holds on, everything is fine.

September 23rd 2017 celebration for the 100th anniversary of the Quebec Bridge.
September 23rd 2017 celebration for the 100th anniversary of the Quebec Bridge.

About the photography

During the fireworks several boats equipped with an additional lighting system approached the bridge.

It was impossible to get really sharp shots of the boats since they were constantly moving due to the strong current of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The fireworks lasted about thirty minutes and attracted a huge crowd, both along the St.Lawrence Seaway and on the higher grounds of both Lévis and Quebec City.

Fireworks for the 100th anniversary of the Quebec Bridge
Fireworks for the 100th anniversary of the Quebec Bridge

Frequent adjustments of the camera’s aperture and ISO were needed since it is always very demanding for a camera to deal with sudden burst of lights appearing in the darkness. It was necessary to limit the exposure time in order to avoid an accumulation of blurred light trails.

The Quebec Bridge is 100 years old in 2017
The Quebec Bridge is 100 years old in 2017

The pictures were taken with a Canon 5DSR full frame camera mounted on a tripod. A Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM was used to capture the fireworks.

Click on the link for other photos taken in Autumn on my blog.