Canon EF 300 mm f/2.8L IS II USM - Photography, aviation and flight simulation

Winter in Quebec City and the approach of Christmas.

On a beautiful day in December 2025, I spent a few hours in Old Quebec and its surroundings to take some pictures on the eve of the holidays.

Two pedestrians in Old Quebec during winter 2025.

At this time of year, the German market in Quebec City attracts residents from neighboring towns and tourists alike. Today, it’s -10°C and very windy, but people are still out and about.

Since photography requires the use of a tripod and often involves standing still, the priority is to dress as warmly as possible.

The photo below, showing part of a kiosk at the German market in Quebec City, was taken with a Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM fixed lens. Why use a 300mm lens in an area where nothing really needs to be zoomed in on?

A stand in the Quebec German market in Old Quebec 2025

I challenged myself to work only with a 300mm telephoto lens for part of the evening, in order to isolate scenes that my eye would not automatically see. This method sometimes leads to beautiful visual discoveries, such as the close-up of the kiosk above.

The Christmas German market of Quebec City and the Glühwein Bar 2025

In contrast to the previous photo, the above result cannot be achieved without the help of a wide-angle lens. A cell phone solved the problem of low light and captured this winter scene from the German market. It even allowed the “Glühwein Bar” to be included in the shot.

This year, the Alsace pavilion at the German market is still offering hot food and drinks, but like many businesses, it is ignoring official inflation and significantly exceeding it. Be sure to read the menu and associated costs carefully before ordering, or you may be in for a big surprise.

The Grande-Allée and some Christmas decorations in Quebec City 2025.

A final nighttime photograph shows a small section of Grande-Allée with some Christmas decorations, with the Le Concorde hotel highlighted in blue in the background. This part of Quebec City has received a lot of attention from retailers.

I will explore the city again in a few days to bring back more memories of this Christmas atmosphere before it’s too late.

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

A beautiful trip between Matane, Le Bic, and Berthier-sur-Mer.

Leaving Tadoussac, the road continues along the Côte-Nord (North Shore) and we pass through Forestville to reach Baie-Comeau and take the ferry to Matane, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River.

We arrive in Matane at dusk, just in time to set up the camera equipment on the beach. There’s no way I can take the photo above from the ferry, because a long exposure requires absolute stillness. I want to capture this beautiful September moon rising above the houses.

I miss a few shots by relying on autofocus. I quickly change my photography technique. Liveview (Live View) mode and manual focus will improve the sharpness.

Fishing boat at dusk in Matane, Quebec 2025

The next day, a boat leaves Matane just before nightfall for a fishing expedition off the St. Lawrence River. The relative calm of the waters offers interesting reflections. The low light and distance of the boat require the use of a high-quality lens, in this case the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM.

On the way back from Matane to Quebec City, a stop at Bic National Park allows us to take a few photos, including this fishing boat returning to port. The sailors’ departure time varies constantly depending on the river tides.

Fishing boat in the Parc national du Bic, Québec 2025

Another location well known for its beauty is the municipality of Sainte-Luce-sur-Mer. Below, the colorful houses along the beach attract the attention of tourists and contribute to the area’s reputation. I preferred to capture an overall effect by including vegetation in the foreground. The few small low cumulus clouds also add to the dynamic of the scene.

The village of Sainte-Luce-sur-Mer and its colorful houses.

One last photo shows the sunset in Berthier-sur-Mer. This area, along with the Kamouraska and Notre-Dame-du-Portage regions, regularly offers exceptional panoramas when the sun sets. So much so that some photos can look like they’ve been retouched.

I saw reds and purples so pronounced that it became obvious that the photographer would have been accused of oversaturating his shots.

After an excellent meal at the beach restaurant in Berthier-sur-Mer, we finally reach our final destination, the beautiful city of Quebec City.

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