A “pilote du St-Laurent” leaves the Quebec harbour and heads towards the Explora 1 cruise ship in 2023.
As the St. Lawrence River is a fairly difficult waterway to navigate, Canadian law obliges the captains of certain large vessels to accept local pilots, who are fully conversant with the particularities of the seaway, on board for the riskiest journeys.
Once the Quebec pilot has helped the Explora 1 captain, the ship continues on its way to Quebec City, rounding the Île d’Orléans, as shown in the photo below. After playing its role as a sea cab, the little boat belonging to the St. Lawrence Pilots pulls away from the ship and returns to the Bassin Louise in the Port of Québec.
The Explora 1 cruise ship sails around île d’Orléans and a “pilote du Saint-Laurent” comes back to the Québec harbour in 2023.
Returning to Quebec harbour after a change of pilot in the Explora 1 cruise ship. 2023.
Serena Melani, “the first woman in the world to steer a cruise ship out of a shipyard“, ensures a smooth approach for the Explora 1 to Pier 30 in the Port of Québec. This brand-new vessel completed its sea trials in April 2023, and Quebec City is among the first destinations scheduled for 2023.
The Explora 1 approaching Quebec City with Mont St-Anne in the background 2023
Every captain would love to dock at the popular Pier 22, as it offers a perfect view of the Château Frontenac. But on this fine October day, the Norwegian Sky is already occupying the spot.
The Norwegian Sky cruise ship docked in Quebec City.
The Norwegian Joy cruise ship docked at pier 22 in Quebec City in 2023.
The Norwegian Joy cruise ship, which weighs close to 168,000 tons, is one of the biggest ships to dock in Old Quebec in autumn.
Le navire de croisière Norwegian Joy amarré à Québec à l’automne 2023.
It can accommodate 3,852 passengers and, for onboard service, there are 1,851 crew members – almost one employee for every two holidaymakers. The ship was built in 2017. Despite its young age, it benefited from renovations in 2020.
Sliding down the tube on the Norwegian Joy cruise ship
In the photo above, you can see a transparent tube raised above the upper deck in the top left-hand corner. With an enlarged photo, you’ll see that people are sliding down this water slide upside down. The shot below will help you get a better look at the guy in the red and blue swimsuit speeding by. The camera’s shutter speed had to be set to 1/2000 to avoid motion blur.
Sliding down the tube on the Norwegian Joy cruise ship 2023
That day, I was only carrying a Canon EF 11-24 mm f/4 USM zoom lens. I had to crop the photo a little to enlarge it, but you can still see the scene quite well. Part of the tube gives the sportsman the impression of suddenly plunging to the ground, as the installation protrudes over the sides of the ship.
Looking for dangerous goods on the Norwegian Sky cruise ship in Quebec City
While people are enjoying themselves on the upper deck, a whole team is busy refueling the ship and ensuring its safety. In the photo above, a dog can even be seen going around the pallets to detect any dangerous or illicit products.
The Norwegian Joy cruise ship in Québec.
Here’s a final photo of the Norwegian Joy, taken from inside a recently built cedar gangway near Quay 22 in the Port of Quebec. The sun filtering through the rungs provides a beautiful play of light, all captured by a Canon EF 11-24 mm f/4 USM zoom lens set to 11 mm. The effect is further enhanced by the pseudo HDR mode offered by digital processing software.
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.
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.
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).
The container ship Hapag_Lloyd Quebec Express and the container ship MSC Paola are sailing around Île d’Orléans near Quebec City.
Those two container ships that sailed near Quebec City in July 2019 reminded me of recent news regarding the Port of Quebec‘s installations and the will to receive always bigger container ships.
To take the picture, I waited that the Quebec Express had completed his turn west of Île d’Orléans. From that moment, the photographic distance between the two container ships started to diminish. The MSC Paola’s bow became an artificial frame that included part of the Quebec Express.
The chilean vessel Esmeralda and its crew during the Tall Ships Regatta 2017 in Quebec City.
In July 2017, the four masted Chilean sailboatEsmeralda arrived in Quebec City for the Tall Ships Regatta 2017. The arrival was quite spectacular, as the whole crew sang together for several minutes for the people standing along the pier.
In order to avoid any distraction, the full frame picture has been taken in the portrait mode and the cropping was tight enough to bring forward the crew members standing up high away on the masts.
The picture below offers another point of view of the sailboat masts but this time the importance is given to the colored chairs directly installed in water, allowing the tourists to cool down during a particularly hot summer day. The wide angle lens used for the shot was a Canon 14mm f/2.8L. Two diagonal lines created by the pool in the foreground progressively meet with each other in the distance, in front of the sailboat.
The vessel Esmeralda during the Tall Ships Regatta 2017 in Quebec City.
When the Tall Ships Regatta 2017 ended, several small boats approached the Esmeralda and other sailboats to slowly travel with them from Quebec City until they cleared île d’Orléans. In the picture below, you can see the cruise shipMaasdam, which has been repositioned to a new pier in the Port of Quebec in order to accomodate the sailboats.
The ship Maasdam and the vessel Esmeralda during the Tall Ships Regatta 2017 in Quebec City.
In the picture below, the sailboat Esmeralda his heading towards the north of île d’Orléans as the final parade is completed. On the left, you can see the Château Frontenac and, directly behind, the Hotel Le Concorde Québec, with in its upper ring a revolving restaurant offering a superb view of Quebec City. The hand held photo was taken from île d’Orléans with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USMtelephoto lens. This lens is equipped with an integrated stabilizer.
It would nonetheless have been quite difficult to succeed with such an important cropping without the performance of the 50.6 megapixel full frame sensor used in the Canon 5DSR. Considering the great distance over water that is present between the camera and the sailboat, it is possible that you notice a mirage effect, even with the small picture presented here.
The vessel Esmeralda in Quebec City during the Tall Ships Regatta 2017. In the background, the Château Frontenac and the hotel Le Concorde.
I thought the crew would use all of the sailboat’s sails once passed île d’Orléans, but it was not the case. The picture below was taken from the top of a wooden tower installed at the north east extremity of île d’Orléans, while the Esmeralda is still navigating using its engine.
Even without the sails, the photographic composition benefited from a yellow field, a merchant ship and a lively horizon line showing the Appalachian mountains. No tripods were used for the shot as the wooden tower was constantly moving. The telephoto lens used was a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM and a slight cropping was necessary.
An approximative rule of thirds is behind the composition of the photo : you can imagine three fictive horizontal lines dividing the frame. The sailboat also finds itself on one of the rule of thirds vertical line on the right.
The vessel Esmeralda, from Chile, sailing on the St. Lawrence Seaway after its departure from the Tall Ships Regatta 2017 in Quebec.
For other pictures of ships on my website, click on the following link : Ship photography.
Here are a few recent photos taken during the month of May 2016 using a Canon 5DSR camera equipped with a Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II USMtelephoto lens. I was on île d’Orléans for the photo session, near the Horatio Walker promenade in Sainte-Pétronille.
The vessel Shelduck (Monrovia) in front of Quebec City in 2016. The photo was taken with a Canon 5DSR
The picture above shows the vessel Shelduck flying the Liberian flag. It just crossed the narrow channel between île d’Orléans and Levis. This ship, built in 2012, is a bulk carrier. In the background it is possible to see Quebec City, with the Château Frontenac and the Hotel Le Concorde Quebec.
The photo below shows the Silver Carla (Majuro), a tanker used to carry oil and chemical products. It is moored at the Quebec harbour installations. The ship was built in 2014 and sails using the Marshall Islands flag of convenience.
The vessel Silver Carla (Majuro) and some of the Quebec harbour installations in May 2016
In the picture below, the tanker Cap Jean, property of Euronav, is approaching île d’Orléans. This tanker was initially supposed to be named St. Jean but the name’s religious connotation could have caused problems in some parts of world. The name Cap Jean was thus chosen.
The vessel Cap Jean, property of Euronav, in front of Quebec City in 2016
The photo below, also taken from île d’Orléans, offers an interesting view of Quebec City just before nightime. The Hotel Le Concorde Quebec’s new lighting system is visible in the distance. In the foreground, you can see the ship Laurentia Desgagnés.
The vessel Laurentia Desgagnés moored in front of Quebec City during a May 2016 evening.
Below, the ship Nilufer Sultan is heading towards Quebec harbour. Built in 2008, this oil tanker also uses the Marshall Islands flag of convenience.
The vessel Nilufer Sultan in front of Quebec City in 2016. Also visible are the Château Frontenac and the Hôtel Le Concorde Quebec.
The photo below shows the tanker Sloman Herakles, normally based in St. John’s, Canada. It sails under the Antigua and Barbuda flag and is heading to Sarnia, Ontario.
The vessel Sloman Herakles (St. John’s) in front of Quebec City in 2016
The two photos below show the container shipToronto Express, property of the Hapag Lloyd Company. I chose to transform the first picture in black and white since the ship did not contrast enough with the background in the colored picture. It is actually slightly inclined since it is turning towards the right while approaching île d’Orléans. On the next picture, we can see in the background the smoking chimney of the Papiers White Birch Company, formerly called Daïshowa and later Stadacona.
Black and white photo of Hapag Lloyd’s Toronto Express in front of the Quebec harbour installations in May 2016The Vessel Hapag Lloyd Toronto Express near the Quebec City Harbour in 2016. Photo taken with a Canon 5DSR full-frame camera
Below is the chemical tankerMayaro (Japan) arriving near Quebec City in May 2016.
The vessel Mayaro (Tokyo) and Quebec Château Frontenac in the background. The picture was taken in 2016 with a Canon 5DSR
Taking pictures in the evening
Trying to take pictures of moving ships in the evening, using the smallest possible ISO, forces a photographer to use a tripod, a remote trigger and the camera’s mirror lock-up function to reduce vibrations. Ideally, it is best to find a spot where the tripod will be protected from the wind while ensuring that the camera’s strap is not moving at all. There is no need to use a polarizing filter at this time of the day: that would only be detrimental to the photo.
The Canon 5DSR DSLRfull frame camera allows the photographer to take a picture in two steps, reducing even more the possibility of secondary vibrations. First, the mirror is lifted up. Then, two seconds later, the photo is finally taken. For a sharper image, it is best to use the Liveview function with a 16X enlargement and do a manual focus adjustment.
Risks associated with photography!
On île d’Orléans, many visitors use the surroundings banks to let their dog roam freely. This can cause a problem as the animal sometimes perceives the photographer and his photographic equipment as a potential threat to a master that it must protect… You will have been advised!
For other ship photos posted on my website, click on the following link:
The container ship Maersk Pembroke under the Quebec Bridge, May 2016
Choosing what is important in a camera
Since there is actually no camera that has everything, whatever the brand, the buyer of a new camera must make choices: the type of sensor, the number of megapixels, the weight and size of the camera, the automatic focus’s speed and ability to follow a subject, the number of images per second, the performance under low light, the possibility to greatly enlarge a picture while maintaining its quality, advanced video functions, electronic communications with other devices, an extensive choice of lenses, etc. The list can be quite long…
The Canon 5DS(R): a specialized camera
A photographer happy with the Canon 5DS or 5DSR is one who needs a specialized camera offering both sharp images and the possibility of greatly enlarging the pictures it takes while maintaining the initial quality. This camera allows for more creativity as the possibility of extreme cropping beats, for now, everything that is on the market in the DSLR format.
Testing the potential of the Canon 5DSR when it comes to enlarging a picture
Here is an example of what this means: the photo below shows the yellow M of the McDonald’s restaurant photographed with a 50mm lens. Not easily visible…
Mc Donald’s restaurant’s yellow M captured with a 50 mm lens. Hard to see, of course!
Then the next photo was taken with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USMtelephoto lens set at a 200mm focal length.
Testing the Canon 5DSR: the Mc Donald’s restaurant’s yellow M enlarged through a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens. Focal length used: 200mm.
But the picture can be enlarged a lot more using the amazing resolution of the Canon 5DSR. The following picture shows the result after cropping the 200mm image: the yellow M now takes the whole vertical space available in the picture without any loss in quality.
The Mc Donald’s restaurant’s yellow M, after having been enlarged (focal 200mm) and cropped within the Canon 5DSR.
From my position on the hill, the yellow M was barely visible with the naked eye. By using a 200mm focal length, followed by serious cropping, I was able to obtain the result above. So it is possible to photograph a subject that is almost invisible without a telephoto lens and transform it into the principal subject of the picture without any loss in quality.
I chose the 5DSR because the anti-aliasing filter has been neutralized in the model R to offer even sharper images, although there is a risk of occasional moire effect when there are repetitive patterns in a scene. This is the compromise that Nikon users must also have to deal with.
Rethinking photography
The 50.6 megapixel full frame sensor in the Canon 5DS or 5DSR allows a new approach of photography for those who do not have access to a much more expensive and larger medium format camera that does not necessarily give really superior pictures.
When I go outside for a photo session, it seems to me that I now carry a huge telephoto lens without the weight and the cost. A lot of what seemed to be unavailable possibilities are now accessible.
Taking pictures of people in the street is now less complicated: there are no more suspicious looks, artificial poses or people hiding their face. This is an ideal camera to capture people acting naturally without disrupting their routine. Gone is the feeling that you are bothering them in any way.
Quartier Petit-Champlain Old Quebec May 2016
The photo below was taken while I was standing at least 300 meters from the scene, just after sunset. For those who are from Quebec City, I positioned the tripod on a high wall on the other side of Chemin St-Louis, near the St. Louis Gate. I had to slightly brighten up the picture to make the details more visible, risking at the same time to increase the digital noise. It was a May 2016 warm misty evening, which is clearly visible by the lack of details in the background as we look in the distance.
Quebecers defying gravity in Old Quebec, May 2016
But those are not the only possibilities of this camera. The Canon Company, in its promotional video, explains what exactly the camera was designed for:
How can someone maximize the use of a 50.6 megapixel full frame sensor
In order to bring a subject closer to you while fully benefiting from the Canon 5DSR 50.6 megapixel full frame sensor, it is obvious that there must be absolutely no vibrations. The photographer must therefore use a tripod, a remote control release and the mirror lock-up function. This allows for a very low ISO setting while avoiding a blurred picture.
The mirror lock-up function is very well thought through, with the possibility to choose a totally automatic processus according to a timing chosen by the photographer (between 0 and 2 seconds). The system eliminates any secondary micro vibrations.
In order to ensure an even better picture, the photographer must use Liveview and set it to the 16X enlargement available on that camera (versus 10X on my Canon 5D MKII) to manually adjust the focus. It is then possible to see the slightest vibrations caused by the wind. Doing so, I realized that my camera strap, lightly swaying in the wind, was causing some minimal vibrations. Every detail taken into consideration will improve the final result.
One must then ensure to immobilize the strap and even diminish the tripod height if possible when the wind is blowing. These steps will allow an incredible enlargement of a subject while maintaining the initial quality of the image offered by a full frame sensor.
Superior mirage effect (cold mirage)
The photo below shows a ship being helped by two Ocean tugboats on its way towards the Quebec Harbour. The ship was at a good distance from the harbour; it is then possible to witness the superior mirage effect (cold mirage) resulting from a temperature inversion immediately over the water. The boats are deformed but the important close-up has not lowered the image quality. It has instead allowed to increase the atmospheric phenomenon effect.
Superior mirage (cold mirage) effect. Vessel and two Ocean tugboats on the St-Lawrence seaway heading to the Quebec Harbour, May 2016.
Once closer to the Quebec Harbour, the cold mirage effect decreased, as shown on the picture below:
Quebec Harbour, May 2016
The Canon 5DS or 5DSR without the use of a tripod or mirror-lock
Obviously, a tripod is not necessary if you do not intend to use a lot of cropping to enlarge a photo. You will obtain excellent results with the hand-held camera providing that you remember that this Canon DSLR is a specialized tool.
So many megapixels on a sensor of that size require that the photographer adapts his technique. But, as you can see from the picture below, it is totally possible to capture an aircraft in movement, even at dusk (May 11, 19:49), when the camera’s parameters are correctly adjusted. A higher shutter speed than normal is, in this case, absolutely mandatory.
The photo below shows an Air Canada ExpressBombardierDHC-8-402NG (C-GSJZ) on final for runway 29 at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB).
Bombardier DHC-8-Q-402NG (C-GSJZ — Air Canada Express) on final for the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport, May 2016. Photo taken with a DSLR Canon 5DSR.
The Maersk Pembroke with the camera hand-held
The photo below shows the Maersk Pembroke container ship photographed with a hand-held camera using a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens during Spring 2016 near Quebec City. The focal length was only 140mm and the shutter speed 1/1000. The lens was equipped with a polarizing filter and the photo taken when the vessel was approaching the Quai des Cageux.
The Maersk Pembroke container ship on the St-Lawrence seaway near Quebec City, May 2016
The colours produced by the Canon 5DSR
The digital processing of the image and colours produced by the Canon 5DSR require different adjustments than what was necessary with the Canon 5D MKII. I am still learning how to handle the results produced by this camera so I will wait a bit before commenting.
View of Old Quebec from the St. Louis gate. Quebec City, May 2016
Night photography
Here are two photos taken during the evening in Quebec City. The photo below required a 200mm focal, an ISO set at 4000 and a shutter speed at 1/30 in order to obtain something else than trailing lights. Luckily, the traffic was moving slowly…
Night photography, Grande-Allée avenue, Quebec City, May 2016
The picture below, taken with a 200 mm focal, required an exposure time a bit longer that one second with the ISO set at 800. To take the photo, I took advantage of the fact that the cars were momentarily stopped at a red light, so that they would be clearly visible.
Night photography, Tourny fountain and Quebec lower town, May 2016
The images per second of the Canon 5DS(R)
The Canon 5DSR is so far quite an impressive camera. I would have appreciated that Canon offer a higher rate of images per second (7 instead of 5) to make it more versatile.
The camera allows taking pictures with smaller formats than 50.6 MP, the two other options being 28 MP and 12 MP. If the camera can deliver five images per second with 50.6 MP RAW files, we can deduct that it is able to offer more speed for smaller formats. But the camera is blocked at 5 IMS so that it, I suppose, does not compete with other existing Canon models of the same category…
Nonetheless, Canon says that the rapid sequence of shooting lasts longer if the photographer uses the smaller files provided. So it is not faster, but it keeps on firing for a longer period. My guess is that it would only require a new firmware version to improve this camera’s number of images per second.
For other night pictures, click on the following link to my site:
In order to give an impression of a very busy day in the Port of Quebec, during Spring 2015, I used a Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM. A zoom is very useful to achieve some special effect in photography.
The apparent chaos in the photo is created by numerous details: first of all, the viewer has to read numerous words that have very different impacts on him: POLICE, CANADA, OCEAN, Sécurité Maritime, Maritime Security, GRC, RCMP, MEGA, Sea Tel, and part of the word Coast.
Secondly, there are numerous vertical lines of all sizes that interfere with multiple horizontal lines. The BUNGE silos, in the background, are themselves vertical lines, but much larger than the others.
The compressed perspective obtained through the use of a zoom gives the viewer a feeling that all the objects are close to each other. We are left wondering how the captain can manoeuver his boat with such little space available.
What is really happening in the scene: it is a very quiet day, where almost everything is immobile. There is only one boat that has started to move and the captain has all the space needed to leave the Bassin Louise and head toward the St-Lawrence Seaway without being concerned with any serious obstacle.
For other boat or ship photos posted on my website, click on the following link:
Cumuliform clouds add energy to any photo. Even photos in black and white benefit from them largely, whether it is for a normal or an HDR photo.
Cumuliform clouds add dynamism to this Abbaye du Mont St-Michel scenery. France (1978)
Black and white HDR picture of lamp posts installed along the St-Lawrence, Quebec City 2012.
The stratiform clouds add to the tranquillity and the stability of a photo.
Daytona Beach under stratus clouds in 2011. The end of the afternoon allows the fresh air from the sea to move over the heated land, which helps create few cumulus fractus, visible near the buildings.
Clouds including a stratiform and cumuliform components (stratocumulus) produce an effect that is more energizing than the simple stratus, while avoiding the explosion of energy of the cumuliform clouds.
A stratocumulus adds to this otherwise peaceful scenery captured on board the Lyria train between Paris and Geneva in 2013.
The cold front
The approach of a cold front enhances the possibility of interesting photos. If it is a fast moving cold front of moist and unstable air, the photos will probably be more spectacular, as some thunderstorms will be associated with the system. A dew point of more than 15 C indicates the presence of a lot of water vapor which can be transformed into precipitation, thus releasing a lot of energy. When these conditions are combined with a really strong contrast between the new air mass which approaches and the one which goes away, the produced meteorological phenomena will certainly be intense.
In the photos below, the meteorological system approaching the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport also had to cross a small mountain range.
A roll arcus cloud in development ahead of a thunderstorm approaching the Quebec Jean-Lesage airport in 2012.
A roll arcus cloud in development ahead of a thunderstorm approaching the Quebec Jean-Lesage airport in 2012.
View under a developing arcus cloud at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (2012)
An arcus cloud ahead of a thunderstorm approaching the Quebec Jean-Lesage airport in 2012
A roll arcus cloud ahead of a thunderstorm heading for Quebec City in 2012
The morning fog
The morning fog offers many opportunities for interesting photos. You can choose an isolated tree and capture the combined effects of the morning sun and fog. Or you may choose a cluster of trees, for a completely different effect. Both photos below were taken in Domaine Cataraqui, Quebec City.
Trees in fog at Domaine Cataraqui, Quebec City 2009
Sun and fog provide for a special atmosphere at the Domaine Cataraqui, Quebec City 2009
A morning fog resulting from a cold cloudless night will persist for hours if there is no wind. The cold morning air, motionless over a slightly hotter stretch of water, creates a fog that will finally disappear just before noon, when the atmosphere has been heated enough. If there had been an overcast sky during the night, chances are that the air over the water would have remained at a higher temperature, preventing the formation of fog.
The opportunities for more interesting photos arise when you witness the first holes in the fog layer.
The Ocean tugboats during a dense fog in the Bassin Louise in Quebec (2012).
We can take into account the season to estimate the speed of the diurnal reheating of the lower atmosphere. A morning fog will need more time to dissipate from late autumn to early spring: that leaves more time for the photographer to prepare. The forecasts can announce the disappearance of fog while it will not be the case if, over your sector, there is an invading layer of stratocumulus preventing the morning sun from reaching the ground.
To determine if the fog is going to dissipate as expected or will remain and possibly intensify, watch the difference between the temperature and the dew point on the hourly meteorological observations issued by weather stations near your place of residence. If the temperature and dew point spread increases, the fog is going to lift. If the difference between those two decreases, the fog is going to persist and possibly intensify.
The mist
The mist can be qualified as such when the visibility is superior to ½ mile, but do not exceed 6 miles for an observer on the ground. If the visibility is of ½ mile or less, it is called fog. This photo of the Bic National Park, near Rimouski, shows the interesting effect that the mist adds to a beautiful landscape.
Mist in the Bic National Park, Province of Quebec (2009)
Hot and unstable air in winter
When there is a warm and unstable air advection (about 0 degrees) while winter has already settled, there are good opportunities for photos. A moderately developed cumulus produces significant snow showers and this snow sticks on all the surrounding objects. All that snow would have begun to melt on contact of objects if the latter had had a temperature superior to zero degree. But, the winter being already settled, the snow persists. It gives enough time to capture some souvenirs.
A Quebec City street after a snow shower
The local effects
A photographer might benefit from learning about the meteorological local effects influencing the regions he intends to visit. The local effects are often simple to understand and they repeat themselves regularly, according to wind and season changes. The knowledge of these effects allows the photographer to be ready and position himself even before the phenomenon occurs. It limits the comments like: “If I had known that it would occur, I would have settled down here one hour earlier!“
The local terrain as well as large size bodies of water produce predictable meteorological phenomenon that can be used by a well prepared photographer. It can consist of persistent fog, repetitive snowstorms over a small sector, strong winds, cumuliform clouds alongside the mountain summits, etc. By being positioned at the right place, at the right time, the desired photo can be realized.
A change in the wind direction
A change in the wind direction suddenly increases the opportunities of interesting photos. It might announce the approach of a cold front, a warm front, a sea or land breeze, etc. In the photo below, a bit of fresher air suddenly began crossing the St-Lawrence seaway at the end of the day, thanks to the approach of a weak cold front. The water was still relatively warm and the moisture which was present over the surface became visible due to the cool air supply. The conditions were now ideal for a short-term thin fog, as long as the wind speed would not increase. Just in time for a photo.
The new wood pellets silos in Anse au Foulon in Quebec City en 2014
Familiarization with weather radars
It can be useful to get acquainted with weather radars which, for the needs of photography, remain simple to interpret. Multiple echoes of small dimension with a steep gradient of various colors indicate precipitation resulting from cumuliform clouds. The showers associated with these clouds are often moderated or strong and will be the result of approaching towering cumulus or cumulonimbus (thunderstorms). A towering cumulus presents a dark base and a white summit to the photographer. At sunset, their vertical development can be used to emphasize the last rays of light.
The side of a towering cumulus (TCU) is benefiting from the remaining sunlight over Quebec
Large echo areas of similar colors of low intensity indicate a relatively stable air generally producing steady light rain or drizzle. This should be understood as a possibility of increased humidity limiting the visibility through mist or fog.
Hoar frost
Hoar frost is a short-term phenomenon. It is thus necessary to capture the scene before the sun melts everything. The photo below shows some small twigs on which hoar frost has settled. It was taken at the beginning of the seventies. Although the quality of the photo is not exceptional, the meteorological phenomenon is well demonstrated.
A combination of snow and hoar frost observed on a Quebec field in 1976.
Forest fires
Wishing to make photos of western Canada during summer 2014, I came up against a season where hundreds of forest fires were raging. The smoke was covering some parts of Alberta and British Columbia. Some fires were important enough to require the closure of the sole highway connecting Lake Louise to Jasper. I thus decided to include the effects of those fires in the holiday souvenirs.
A visibility reduced in forest fire smoke allows a photographer to obtain, without special editing, sunsets with interesting colors.
Sunset and smoke from forest fires in Kamloops in 2014
The smoke also produces an effect similar as fog, but a fog which would be impossible to obtain at the end of a summer afternoon while the sun shines and there is a 38 degrees Celsius temperature.
An area near Kamloops, Canada, that was touched by forest fires in 2014
At dusk, the residual smoke is visible near tree tops while the setting sun strikes the mountain side. The effect is of two horizontal lines of complementary colors, blue and orange.
Forest fire smoke and sunset combined in Lake Louise, Alberta en 2014
