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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
