Montreal In Pictures

Having left it to almost the last minute to shoot anything during week 5, I’m pretty glad I no longer have to find something to photograph every single day. Although having said that, I did miss a great opportunity last week when we had the huge flood downtown caused by another infamous Montreal water mains break.

This time (and the second in as many years) the break occurred next to the McTavish reservoir. If I’d still been doing the daily 365 project I would likely have been more focused on daily happenings and not missed the great photo ops this catastrophe provided…dam(n) it (pun intended) !

Instead I left it to one of the coldest days of the week to go up on Mount Royal just before sunset to get some shots around the Beaver Lake skating rink and the Kondiaronk Belvédère.

Ice skating on Mount Royal

Although Lac aux Castors (Beaver Lake) is still undergoing major renovation people can still skate on the refrigerated ice rink at the front of the pavilion. Being fairly cold and a late Monday afternoon there were only a few brave people out on the ice.

Ice skating on Mount Royal
ISO 100 – 11mm – f4.2 – 1/350 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

Ice skating on Mount Royal
ISO 100 – 20mm – f13 – 1/60 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

Ice skating on Mount Royal
ISO 100 – 19mm – f13 – 1/350 sec

Another great winter activity available on Mount Royal is tube sliding. Unfortunately it was closed on Monday, but during the weekends the multiple lanes can be a big attraction. I will try to get back one day when it’s open.

Inner-tube sliding lanes on Mount Royal
ISO 100 – 20mm – f5.6 – 1/180 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

With the sun setting behind me as I walked over to the Kondiaronk lookout I took a shot of the L’Ange de Pierre sculpture by Hungarian artist Pierre Székely. Last August I photographed this and the other sculptures that were part of the 1964 International Sculpture Symposium of North America. Today I only revisited L’Ange as the light was quickly fading on me.

L’Ange de Pierre sculpture by Pierre Székely
ISO 100 – 15mm – f5 – 1/180 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

There’s a magic moment just before sunset when the Ville Marie tower appears to glow golden as the final rays of sunlight hit it. You can just make it out at the right hand side of the Kondiaronk Chalet in the next image.

The Kondiaronk Chalet
ISO 100 – 16mm – f9.5 – 1/20 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

Dusk at the Kondiaronk Belvédère on Mount Royal

The Kondiaronk Belvédère provides one of the best viewing spots to look out across the downtown of Montreal and across to the south shore and the distant hills of Mont Saint Hilaire, Bromont and others.

I was fortunate in my timing as the lights on the lookout were just coming on.

Kondiaronk Belvédère at sunset
ISO 100 – 20mm – f11 – 1/20 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

View of Montreal from Mount Royal
ISO 100 – 14mm – f9.5 – 0.5 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

View of Montreal at sunset from Mount Royal
ISO 100 – 10mm – f5.6 – 1/6 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

Downtown Montreal from Mount Royal
ISO 100 – 34mm – f5.6 – 1/3 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

While I was waiting for the light to fade some more I decided to go down to photograph the small bridge just down on the right hand side of the lookout.

Bridge on Mount Royal
ISO 100 – 10mm – f11 – 4 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

When I returned to the terrace lookout it was almost dark and although the cold was starting to numb my senses, I took a few more quick shots of downtown.

Kondiaronk Belvedere at night
ISO 100 – 20mm – f6.7 – 1.5 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

Montreal skyline at night
ISO 100 – 35mm – f6.7 – 1 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)

I decided to take the easy route back via the path to the rue Peel entrance. Since it was rush hour I thought I would try to get a few long exposure shots to capture the car trail lights along Peel street that stretches right across the downtown core.