If you search the web for images of the Palais des Congrès de Montréal, you will find lots of photographs of the multi-coloured wall of glass that was designed by Canadian architect, Hal Ingberg.

The 110 meter wall was part of a major renovation and expansion of the convention center between 1999 and 2003.

As light shines through the glass façade, blocks of blue, magenta, green, orange and yellow light are projected onto the floors, walls, staircases and escalators. The blocks of light continually change as the angle of the sun changes throughout the day. I’ve found mid-afternoon is often a good time to visit – on a sunny day that is 😉

Palais des Congrès de Montréal
ISO 100 – 18mm – f5.6 – 1/125 sec

Shadows and coloured light
ISO 100 – 28mm – f6.3 – 1/125 sec

Sunflare at the Palais des Congrès
ISO 100 – 34mm – f9 – 1/250 sec

The movement of light is something I would love to capture in a time lapse. In the meantime, I played with Topaz Lens Effects on one of my images to produce some selective motion blur with the idea of conveying the movement of light.

Light in motion
ISO 100 – 10mm – f6.3 – 1/125 sec

I photographed a few longer exposures as people walked by. I didn’t quite get the result I wanted, but a couple came close. Still, an excuse to try again until I get the shot I’m striving for.

Palais des Congrès de Montréal
ISO 100 – 24mm – f22 – 1/10 sec

Walking through the kaleidoscope of colour
ISO 100 – 24mm – f22 – 1/10 sec

The final picture is a collage of a number of overlapping images that I shot handheld and stitched together using PS Elements.

Palais des Congrès collage
ISO 100 – 18mm – f5.6 – 1/125 sec

For more pictures of the Palais des Congrès (including external shots), you can check some previous posts here and here.

On a side note. When I was passing by last week I was pleased to see that the renovation of La Joute fountain next to the convention center is complete and that the fountain is now (hopefully) back up and running after being fenced off for the last 2 years. I’ve been patiently waiting to re-photograph this beautiful fountain (that incorporates water, fire and smoke) by renowned artist, Jean-Paul Riopelle , since I last shot it in June 2012, just before it closed. Hopefully I will get down there one evening soon as I have an of experiment I’ve been waiting to try for 2 years.

Thanks for stopping by. Until next time.

– Martin

Montréal in Pictures

Your virtual guide in and around Montréal

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