Tag: photography

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Photography Photos of Quebec

A Canon lens avoids the garbage.

The Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Québec , April 28th 2023.
The Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Québec , April 28th 2023.

A sixteen year old Canon 14mm f/2.8 L lens that was narrowly saved from the garbage allowed me to take this wide angle photo of the Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral in Old Quebec.

The visit being improvised, I did not have a tripod. So, I put the full frame camera Canon 5DSr directly on the ground. However, the lens was pointing straight ahead, preventing me from capturing the architecture and colors of the vault. I put my wallet and the lens cap on the floor to provide support for the camera to point towards the ceiling. Considering the circumstances, the result could have been worse.

Two months earlier, this 2007 Canon 14mm lens broke and could not focus automatically or manually anymore. I had sent it to Canon in Toronto. The company had written back that the lens was beyond repair and that I would unfortunately have to get a new one, at an estimated cost of $2700.

With nothing left to lose, I took the chance to have it repaired in Quebec City in a small workshop that repairs just about everything. The technician only needed a few hours of work on the lens and I received a bill for $200 plus taxes.

It was explained to me that the big camera companies do not repair equipment that is fifteen years old or more: they declare it “irreparable” when a few hours are all it takes for an experienced and competent technician to do the job.

The breakdown came just in time as the technician retired within a few weeks…

Click on the link for more pictures of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in the Spring on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

A controversial mural in Quebec City.

Disagreement between two artists in Québec City.
Disagreement between two artists in Québec City.

In the St-Jean-Baptiste district of Quebec City, a muralist and a tagger each use their favorite art to express themselves in the same place. The expression ” Fuck tes murales anti-tag (Fuck your anti-tag murals) ” directly applied on the mural adds very little effort to the whole work, but hey, I’m not an art historian. Maybe a new way of communicating between artists has just appeared!

The photo was taken with a Canon 5DSr camera with a Canon 14mm f/2.8 L lens.

Click on the link for more pictures of the Quebec City and Orleans Island seasons on my blog.

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Photography Photos of Quebec

Old Quebec in winter.

Old Quebec, winter 2023.
Old Quebec, winter 2023.

The Old Quebec in winter is always exciting to photograph. The continually changing weather presents new opportunities that must be seized. Moreover, for the same weather system, each hour that passes also offers a different luminosity. The photographer is spoilt for choice.

For the picture above, taken with a Canon 5DSr, I positioned myself in a place that is normally off-limits during winter. That’s why you can only see my footprints in the snow. But hey! The risk was minimal and the angle of view perfect to capture the Château Frontenac.

The street lamp emits a light that needs to be corrected in the camera. Instead of “AWB”, select “tungsten”. This adjustment allows you to reflect exactly what you see, rather than ending up with tones that are too contrasty. HDR photography allows for some correction of large contrasts in brightness.

The lights on the roof of the Chateau Frontenac illuminate the snow falling around the building. This snow makes for interesting sky tones, even though the blue hour has long since passed.

In terms of the photographic composition, the low wall and fence serve as the entry point into the photo. The lamp post is located at a point respecting the rule of thirds. The building on the right blocks the view and invites the eye to continue its exploration to the left of the photo, which leads the viewer to the Chateau Frontenac.

The photo below, taken a few minutes later, uses the stairs as an entry point into the photo to quickly lead the eye to the Château Frontenac. In this case, a vertical format lends itself better to the scene.

The Château Frontenac, winter 2023.
The Château Frontenac, winter 2023.

The snow on the railings and steps adds an alternating black and white effect. Otherwise, everything would be quite dark and we would lose a little interest. A nearby street lamp provides enough ambient light to illuminate the scene; however, I was careful not to include the light source directly in the photo, as it distracts the viewer from the main subject.

In winter as well as in summer, I use a tripod to reduce camera shake and improve resolution in low light conditions.

Click on the link for more pictures of Quebec City in Winter on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

La Maison Smith Coffeehouse

Café La Maison Smith on l'Île d'Orléans and autumn colors
Café La Maison Smith on l’Île d’Orléans and autumn colors

Not yet ready to leave the beautiful colors of Fall? Here is one of the last pictures of this season in 2022: the “Café La Maison Smith” on Île d’Orléans. When you want to take a leisurely tour of the island, this is the first place you stop for a good coffee and a croissant to go.

As soon as the visitor enters the café, the relaxation begins. Then comes the ride around the island, the “42 milles de choses tranquilles (42 miles of quiet things) ”  of the singer Félix Leclerc. A few hours later, you leave the island fresh and relaxed!

Click on the link for more pictures of Quebec in Autumn on my blog.

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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

From Domaine Cataraqui to Old Quebec

Stairs of the Cataraqui Domain in HDR in autumn
Stairs of the Cataraqui Domain in HDR in autumn

Want to try an out-of-the-ordinary excursion in the Quebec City area? Here is an idea: if you have a car, start by parking (for free) in one of the spaces available at Domaine Cataraqui. The new staircase designed in 2022 in the forest behind the domain allows you to go from the heights of Sillery to the bottom of the cliff giving access to the Promenade Samuel-De Champlain (Note, however, that the Promenade is not maintained in winter). Walking from this point to the Petit-Champlain   district in Old Quebec takes two hours, without hurrying. If you do it in the Autumn, you may even be able to see the cruise ships.

A section of the Caribbean Princess cruise ship, docked in the Québec City harbour in 2022.
A section of the Caribbean Princess cruise ship, docked in the Québec City harbour in 2022.

The photo above shows a section of the Caribbean Princess cruise ship moored in the port of Quebec. When it comes to a floating hotel, this ship is a good example.

A section of the Château Frontenac, in Old Québec.
A section of the Château Frontenac, in Old Québec.
Price building and houses in Old Quebec 2022
Price building and houses in Old Quebec 2022

You now have the option of staying in Old Quebec for as long as you wish, and then take St. Jean Street and walk a few minutes to Place d’Youville to take bus #25 which will bring you back comfortably on St-Louis Street, at a stop very close to the place where you parked your car initially.

You will have had a great day that allowed you to exercise, see the St. Lawrence Seaway and the beauties of Old Quebec. All this for the price of a bus ticket ($4.00).

Have a good walk!

Click on the link for more pictures of Quebec City in Autumn on my blog.

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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

Cruise Ships in Quebec Harbour.

Cruise ships in the Port of Quebec in the fall of 2022
Cruise ships in the Port of Quebec in the fall of 2022

Another great time for Quebec City merchants begins with the arrival of multiple cruise ships each fall. Not only do the thousands of tourists pour into Old Quebec and its Petit-Champlain neighborhood, but the ships must also be restocked in anticipation of the continuing voyage. 

In terms of photography technique, the Promenade des Gouverneurs and its staircase act as an entry point to the center of the photo above. It is of course important to preserve some autumn colors, as they are so ephemeral. A wide-angle lens helps the photographic composition, but it certainly distorted the street lamps on the left of the photo, which had to be straightened with an image processing software. Finally, the rule of thirds worked perfectly here to highlight the magnificent view from the heights of Quebec City.

The Queen Mary 2 arrives in Québec City on September 29th 2022.
The Queen Mary 2 arrives in Québec City on September 29th 2022.
The Queen Mary 2 in the Quebec City harbour in 2022.
The Queen Mary 2 in the Quebec City harbour in 2022.

Click on the link for more pictures of Quebec City in Autumn on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

Mosaiculture of Québec City 2022

Giraffe in the Mosaïcultures de Québec 2022
Giraffe in the Mosaïcultures de Québec 2022

The exhibition of Mosaïculture of Québec City 2022, entitled “Once upon a time…the Earth“, ends in a few days, after having been a great success throughout the summer.

Two elephants at the Mosaïcultures de Québec 2022
Two elephants at the Mosaïcultures de Québec 2022

More than six million plants were used to build 200 animals and insects in the Bois-de-Coulonge, not to mention the flowers along the way to further enhance the tour.

Four zebras at the Mosaïcultures Québec 2022
Four zebras at the Mosaïcultures Québec 2022

In a few months, hundreds of thousands of visitors will have walked through the circuit of 90 minutes to visit the largest edition of mosaiculture since its creation in 2000 in Montreal. In Québec City, more than 80% of the works were exposed for the first time.

A beekeeper and his bees at the Mosaïcultures de Québec 2022
A beekeeper and his bees at the Mosaïcultures de Québec 2022

The site had to be prepared nine months in advance. As intensive watering became mandatory, Québec City temporarily modified its watering regulations, explaining that it was an exhibition and not a horticultural production.

The man who plants a tree at the Mosaïcultures de Québec 2022
The man who plants a tree at the Mosaïcultures de Québec 2022

Above, a shepherd plants a tree in a place that seems to be very unfertile, indicating at the same time the need not to give up when it comes to saving the planet.

These Québec 2022 mosaicultures will have been another major tourist attraction for Québec City, after a cascade of other summer events. In fact, there have been times when so many tourist activities overlapped at the same time, that residents and tourists had to make choices. A spectacular rebound from a pandemic that forced people to make sacrifices for two years!

Click on the link for more pictures of Québec City in Summer on my blog.

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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

The Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec 2022

Cyclists turning for côte Gilmour in Quebec City in 2022
Cyclists turning for côte Gilmour in Quebec City in 2022

An interesting vantage point to photograph the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec is at the intersection of Grande-Allée and the avenue leading to the famous Gilmour hill. The cyclists are riding at high speed and must brake hard before making a sharp left turn to begin the descent to the portion that will take them along the St. Lawrence River. There are no obstructions for the photographer at this point.

2022 Quebec City Grand Prix Cycliste
2022 Quebec City Grand Prix Cycliste

To capture the effect of the cyclists’ movement, the shutter speed must not be set too fast, preferably between 1/125 and 1/160. Otherwise, everything looks immobile, even the wheel spokes.

Quebec City Grand Prix Cycliste in 2022
Quebec City Grand Prix Cycliste in 2022

Positioning yourself immediately after the curve allows you to capture a long line of bicycles. You can focus on the cyclists on the right in the viewfinder and leave the line of cyclists around the curve out of focus. To do this, make sure that the chosen aperture will blur the background. It is also important to follow the movement of the cyclists with the camera. If you stand still, all the riders will be out of focus, as the shutter speed is too slow for the high speed of these riders.

Cyclists racing on Grande-Allée in Quebec City 2022
Cyclists racing on Grande-Allée in Quebec City 2022

An occasional close-up obtained through cropping allows us to see details that we would otherwise miss. In the case of the photo above, it is clear that not only is the rider in the front relaxed, but he has also recently crashed, with his right arm still in recovery. Sometimes we also see the result of deformities in the knees of cyclists following numerous surgeries.

Quebec City Grand Prix Cycliste 2022
Quebec City Grand Prix Cycliste 2022

The cyclists want to maintain their position in this tightly packed group that must maneuver in a small space. With a telephoto lens, one can see the facial expressions change as they approach the turn for the Gilmour hill. Note the concentration on the faces of the cyclists in the foreground…

Grand Prix Cycliste in Quebec City in 2022
Grand Prix Cycliste in Quebec City in 2022

Following moving cyclists with a camera remains a difficult art to master. Several pictures are taken before a successful one is achieved. Fortunately, film photography is behind us and we don’t worry as much about missed shots. The important thing is to have fun and try to get a little better with each photo session!

Click on the link for more pictures of Quebec City in Summer on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

Flower and Bee on Île d’Orléans

A bee approaches a flower on the beach in Île d'Orléans
A bee approaches a flower on the beach in Île d’Orléans

Near the Saint-Jean de l’île d’Orléans church, there is an easily accessible beach. One can observe mostly rocks with interesting colors and some plants beaten by the wind. If you look carefully, you may find tiny pink flowers at the end of the beach. As I was about to take a picture, a bee approached the flower.

To counteract the effect of the strong winds, I opted for a high shutter speed, which at the same time helped to freeze the moment when the insect suddenly appeared in the viewfinder. Because of the very small size of the flower, a lot of cropping was required to enlarge the details.

Click on the link for more pictures of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Summer on my blog.

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Street photography

Street photography: the delivery man.

On his knees he could have carried on more box in the grocery store.
On his knees he could have carried on more box in the grocery store.

The deliveryman above avoids unnecessary trips by carrying a stack of boxes so high that he can barely fit through the door of the St-Olivier grocery store in the St-Jean-Baptiste neighborhood in Quebec City. He could have added another box to the pile, but he would have had to enter the establishment on his knees. We don’t ask for that much…

Scenes like this feed street photography, which requires the photographer to be ready to capture ephemeral situations. The time allowed to camera settings is reduced to a minimum. Sometimes a photo is taken without looking through the viewfinder, hoping to have captured the essential.

This is the case of the scene above. I had just parked in the area and was getting out of the car with the camera still in the bottom of my backpack. Across the street, a delivery man was walking with a stack of boxes taller than him. In a few seconds he would be in the establishment, if the stack didn’t collapse after catching the top of the door frame.

To capture the scene and gain speed, I pulled the camera out of the bag with its preset settings adjusted for street photography and shoot without taking the time to make sure the subject was captured.

Just looking through the viewfinder to frame perfectly would have taken a few extra seconds and been enough to ruin the scene, as in the absence of the delivery man, only the man holding the door would have appeared in the photo. And it is obvious that he is not the main subject. He is very kind to hold the door (it’s the least he can do), but apart from the fact that he seems to have a white support stocking on his left leg (because of the sun), he was the secondary subject from the beginning…

Click on the link for more street photography on my blog.