Montreal In Pictures

August 03 2012

I think I mentioned the other day that it seems like a new festival is starting every day at the moment….no kidding. Tonight (last night now) in the space of 3 hours I managed to squeeze in not 1, not 2, not even 3, but 4 separate events ranging from a fashion show where toilet paper was the fabric, a native american fused with an Electronic music festival, a gay rave and a firework display in tribute to the band Queen.

This all going on in addition to numerous other events, in particular the large and hugely popular Osheaga music Festival at Parc Jean Drapeau taking place over the weekend. Unfortunately entry isn’t free and they are pretty tight on not allowing DSLR’s at the festival 🙁

Anyway, back to last night…I decided the picture of the day should include an image from all 4 events in part to pay homage to Montréal being party City, but also it gave me an opportunity to play with the print layout settings in Lightroom, which I haven’t done too much of recently.

Montreal is in party mode

Festival Mode et Deign Montréal

If you tuned in the last couple of days you will know that the annual fashion and design festival is taking place on ave McGill College. One of the shows tonight was a celebration of Canada’s top fashion design talent. Designers from across the country designed and created garments and accessories from sheets of Cashmere Bathroom Tissue – yep just like in the ad. This was the 9th year for the annual White Cashmere Collection and probably a good job it wasn’t raining.

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 200mm – f6.3 – 1/400 sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 250mm – f5.6 – 1/250 sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 300mm – f5.6 – 1/250 sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 300mm – f9 – 1/250 sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 80mm – f9 – 1/100 sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 135mm – f9 – 1/125 sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 210mm – f5.3 – 1/640 sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 260mm – f5.6 – 1/320 sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 92mm – f5 – 1/320 sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 300mm – f5.6 – 1/400 sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 75mm – f5 – 1/125sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 180mm – f5 – 1/400 sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO1000 – 195mm – f5.3 – 1/400 sec

Cashmere toilet tissue dressed up at MFDM
ISO 1000 – 70mm – f6.3 – 1/160 sec

Just prior to the Cashmere show Midnight Romeo gave a high energy performance with their signature vintage video game and 80’s sounds. The lead singer is pretty cute I have to say…

Midnight Romeo
ISO 1000 – 112mm – f4.8 – 1/160 sec

Midnight Romeo
ISO 1000 – 180mm – f5.6 – 1/80 sec

The bass guitar player…not so cute, although his guitar was pink – I can imagine the store guy’s face when this guy walked in asking to buy a pinkguitar 😉

Midnight Romeo
ISO 1000 – 85mm – f4.5 – 1/80 sec

Montréal Electronique Groove meets Montréal First Peoples Festival

Following the fashon show on McGill, I headed over to Quartier des Spectacles to check out what was happening at the Montreal First Peoples’ Festival (Presénce Autochtone). I had read that the festival was merging with the Montreal Electronique Groove (MEG) Festival tonight for the Soirée Électro-Choc where 3 DJ’s would be spinning.

I wanted to catch A Tribe Called Red but guess they were performing later, so I just took a quick tour of the festival site and snapped a couple of pictures – it appeared most of the booths had already shut up for the night which was kind of strange being it was still pretty early. Guess I will go back during the day.

They were cooking a tasty looking goose over an open fire though.

Montreal First Peoples’ Festival
ISO 1000 – 70mm – f4.5 – 1/13 sec

Montreal First Peoples’ Festival
ISO 1000 – 70mm – f4.5 – 1/30 sec

Soirée Électro-Choc
ISO 1600 – 70mm – f4.5 – 1/50 sec

Festival Divers/Cité

The Gay and Lesbian Divers/Cité festival is celebrating its’ 20th year and for the first time is taking place on the Jacques Cartier Pier in the old port. The festival started July 30 and ends this Sunday. The festival (as the name suggests) features a divers selection of performances and presents a varied selection of arts (music, dance, theater, film etc)…tonight was rave time and under a full moon 🙂

Dancing under a full moon
ISO 6400 – 21mm – f3.8 – 1/15 sec

Divers/Cité Festival
ISO 100 – 70mm – f9 – 4 sec

Divers/Cité Festival
ISO 100 – 42mm – f11 – 8 sec

L’International des Feux Loto Québec Finale

Having seen every entry in this years annual firework festival I was intent on making sure I didn’t miss the finale which was a tributeto the rock band Queen. The pyrotechnic display was by Pierpaolo Serafino, an Italian family-owned fireworks company, and Paul Csukassy, Technical Director of L’International.

If you have seen the other 8 firework posts over the last month you will know I have tried different viewing locations. I was worried tonight that I may end up in a place I had already shot from, but luck was on my side. At the back of the Divers/Cité festival on Jacques Cartier Pier there was a pretty good viewing point and I was able to get a spot next to the railing.

Tribute to Queen fireworks
ISO 100 – 70mm – f16 – 2.5 sec

Tribute to Queen fireworks
ISO 100 – 70mm – f18 – 4 sec

Tribute to Queen fireworks
ISO 100 – 70mm – f16 – 5 sec

Tribute to Queen fireworks
ISO 100 – 70mm – f16 – 4 sec

Tribute to Queen fireworks
ISO 100 – 70mm – f16 – 3 sec

Tribute to Queen fireworks
ISO 100 – 70mm – f16 – 5 sec

Tribute to Queen fireworks
ISO 100 – 140mm – f16 – 2.5 sec

Tribute to Queen fireworks
ISO 100 – 210mm – f16 – 2.5 sec

Last night the winners of the competition (The Jupiter Awards) were also announced. The winners are decided by a 12 person jury recruited each spring from the general public with a common passion for fireworks….so, drum roll please…

And the winners for 2012 were:

Gold: United States

Silver: Portugal

Bronze: Italy

Not sure I agree with the results (I would have liked to see Greece on the podium), but I don’t count myself as a Pyrotechnic expert. I have enjoyed photographing them though and learnt quite a bit during the 9 shows and already looking forward to 2013 🙂

To view images in gallery format, simply click on one of the images below.