Saint-Louis street - Photography, aviation and flight simulation

Old Quebec, photographed with Canon’s ultra-wide-angle lens.

St. Louis Street in Old Quebec in June 2026.

Here’s a photo of Saint-Louis Street in Old Quebec before the massive influx of tourists. Nothing blocks the view of the buildings across the street.

Photography Technique

Today, the area is beautifully lit, and the few clouds add dynamism to the sky. Rather than capturing the scene around noon, it’s better to wait until dinnertime. The light remains bright, and the sun’s angle at that hour creates some nice shadows.

I’m taking advantage of a clothing sale to add some life to the photo. By framing the shot with a Canon EF 11–24 mm f/4L USM zoom lens, I can include the little multicoloured dresses in the image. We use whatever we can to improve the final result of the photographic composition.

Canon’s high-performance zoom lens allows me to capture numerous buildings while preserving all the vertical lines, without distortion.

Above is an alley in Old Quebec, near Saint-Louis Street, but in a different context. This is a composite photo, meaning the sky is not the original one. I had some fun using digital editing software to search for clouds with precipitation that doesn’t reach the ground (virga).

The final result creates an interesting atmosphere, though it’s a bit gloomier than the first shot. The pronounced bluish tint on the building on the right comes from adjusting the vibrance. I moved the slider a little further to the right than usual.

So, we have two very different photos: an unaltered, authentic view of Rue Saint-Louis, and a composite alleyway.

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

Beautiful Old Quebec night reflections on Saint-Louis Street. Photo by François Ouellet, 2025.

Another perfect evening to photograph Old Quebec in winter! I consider myself very lucky to have daily access to this magical place. It is as you know a UNESCO jewel and one of Canada’s major tourist attractions.

Photography theory and technique

It’s all there: calm winds, light snow, acceptable temperature, low cloud ceiling. Here is a great opportunity to improve one’s photography technique. What’s more, Quebec City finds itself between two busy tourist periods. This means fewer blurred people during night photography.

The snow melts immediately upon reaching Saint-Louis Street. It creates multiple reflections, ideal for special effects.

The quality of the lighting is superb, even in the middle of the nighttime. The city’s glow mirrors off cloud bases and precipitation. This in turn illuminates the old buildings.

Now it’s a question of locating an unusual angle to capture rue Saint-Louis. I’m trying to avoid the over-rehearsed postcard frame!

The viewer’s eye must remain focused on the street and the architecture. It must travel towards the background to discover a section of the National Assembly structures in the distance. The photographic composition is easily achieved.

In order to reach the objective, the viewer’s attention must be captured. A nice object can serve as foreground. It can also remain partially hidden. The vase installed on the Monument Samuel-de-Champlain will be good enough. We’re not really interested in it, but it serves as an entrance to the scene.

Those are simple but efficient photographic tips for winter photography in Old Quebec!

Click on the link for more winter photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans on my blog.