relax, you're in Montréal Photo

Photographer’s Note

several years ago Spain created a new advertising campaing to promote tourism with a motto "smile, you are in Spain!", and while in Montréal I kept thinking that this city could safely say "relax, you're in Montréal...". it's not often that big cities (there are about 1,6 million inhabintants in Montréal according to the 2006 census) are so relaxed. the day we were there the city had organized a day when visits to museums were free of charge with a cultural festival on top of that, the streets of the Old Montréal full of artists, food vendors, kids and their parents, but during the whole day we did not see a single police officer, for example. I hope the shot manages to convey the mood of a relaxed Sunday afternoon.

little about Montréal - there is archaeological evidence of various nomadic native peoples occupying the island of Montreal for at least 2,000 years before the arrival of Europeans. the French explorer Jacques Cartier, who visited the area in 1535, claiming the St. Lawrence Valley for France, estimated the population to be "over a thousand". seventy years later, French explorer Samuel de Champlain reported that the St. Lawrence Iroquoians and their settlements had disappeared altogether from the St. Lawrence valley, likely due to inter-tribal wars, European diseases and out-migration. Champlain established in 1611 a fur trading post on the Island of Montreal, and this post initially called Ville-Marie became a centre for the fur trade and a base for further French exploration in North America. it remained a French colony until 1760, when it was surrendered to Great Britain. following the name change, Montréal was incorporated as a city in 1832.

Montréal is now the second-largest city in Canada and the largest city in the province of Quebec. the official language of Montréal is French, and it is among the five largest French-speaking cities in the world. in 2007, Forbes Magazine ranked Montréal as the 10th cleanest city in the world.

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ISO 100, 27mm focal length, spot metering and auto white balance.
the photographer carefully examining the LCD screen of his camera on the far right is, of course, zmey.

amino, sonkai, cherryripe, fabio_ts, belido, cfreire, wishlist, BlueRaven, npecanhuk, asajernigan, Photo65Net, Waylim, JorgeCK, AROBN54, gunbud, zeca, Wandering_Dan, trekks, Elaine_Blath, zmey, Dpbours, azaf1, japiey, Vasa, AiresSantos, pboehringer, fulvio52, ricochet, InasiaJones, plimrn has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

flashpoint (3570) 2008-06-04 4:34

bonjour kristine,
bien vue...good relaxing

take a care sERGIO

cherryripe (19187) 2008-06-04 4:44

Hi Kristine
Having met André, I can understand the relaxed message despite never having been to Montreal. Your pov is excellent with good angles and lots of depth. The colours are nicely saturated and I love how the clouds animate the sky.
Regards
Nikki

fabio_ts (13674) 2008-06-04 4:54

Once again you have chosen the perfect POV for a superb result, light is also wonderful, a first class picture Kristine, all my compliments!!!

have a nice day,
Fabio.

sonkai (1017) 2008-06-04 4:57

Hi Kristine.
Today is the iron bridge picture ;),but your sunny(and windy?)day was generous...I have to say your skies are always perfect,no matter what kind of day it was,it's admirable..Superb colours and light.It seems so beautiful day..,it's hardly surprising people go out to the street en masse,even though Montreal was the relaxing place par excellence,I think this capacity to make the most in every moment is also a sign of relax.
Best regards,
Sonsoles.

Estelle (2319) 2008-06-04 4:58

Hello Kristine,
What a fantastic perpective on this park, the sky giving an extra dimension.
Lovely colours too
Estelle

belido (16899) 2008-06-04 5:06

Hi Kristine,

I'm completely relaxed seeing this photo. It comes with nice saturation, warm lights and superb clarity. Nothing more relaxing :) Very beautiful, full of life..light. Well done!
Regards,
Carlos

cfreire (11667) 2008-06-04 6:05

Hi Kristine,
It's a pleasure to review this beautiful city even that it is for picture, and especially for a picture so well captured as this here. You're right Montreal is a organized and safety city. The picture is splendid with an excellente POV and framing. Colors and contrasts are beautiful indeed. Well done. Regards from Brazil. Consuelo

wishlist (4133) 2008-06-04 6:49

This is beautiful Kristine,
the sky looks almost painted and the pola did a great job enhancing the wonderful colours and their contrast. The view is beautiful with the white tower on the right giving another focal point. The people enjoying the beautiful day relaxing on the grass gives a touch of life and the whole lot is just beautiful to look at. Wonderful the red spot of the flag against the blue sky.
Thank you for sharing it.
Regards,

Igor

npecanhuk (14756) 2008-06-04 8:22

Hi Kristine!
An your photo really gives us this kind of feeling: a nice big city where the inhabitants have a pleasant life - quiet, calm, relaxed...
Natural and beautiful colors, great sharpness and what a sky!!!!
TFS - Congratulations!
Greetings from Brazil,
Neyvan Peçanhuk

asajernigan (14304) 2008-06-04 9:42

Kristine,
Your POV is great using the waterways to create angles and lines for the shot. The lighting and colors are fine with good sharpness and DOF. The polarizer did a fine job here of bring out good color and eliminating glare. I agree with Forbes on the cleanliness of Montreal, it is a beautiful city and you have shown it well.
TFS,
Asa

Photo65Net (43096) 2008-06-04 10:30

Kristine,
Wow, great colors here !
I like a lot the deeply saturated tones and how you made perfect use of polarizer.
Regards,
JB.

nirvana73 (8848) 2008-06-04 10:37

Hi Kristine
What a fantastic shot
great colors here and sharpness
tfs
regards
Ozhan

Waylim (11159) 2008-06-04 12:09

Kristine,
We are posting image from the same country but different area. Beautiful city, I love to go there soon one day. Too many place to visit so little time. I like the big view of this image of people taking time off to relax, beautiful blue sky with nice cloud, the color is very rich in tone and light perhaps can be a little brighter or lighter. Great composition with all elements perfectly in place. Thank you for sharing and your very observant and nice comment on my photo.
Way

crckt (7100) 2008-06-04 13:58

Hi Kristine,
Excellent quality! the sky looks amazing. Good composition too.
Thanks for sharing,
Shaeri

JorgeCK (2600) 2008-06-04 14:02

Hi Kristine,
This is such a great picture with beautiful light and colors. I especially love the contrast between the fantastic blue tones of the sky and the rich green of the tree leafs. Wonderful relaxed scene.
Thank you for sharing the picture and the note.
Regards joRge

Greg1949 (8519) 2008-06-04 15:30

Kristine, very nice, looks like a great place. Color is great but the clouds you captured are magic. Even though it is so close, relatively speaking, it looks a lot more "relaxed" than down here, great presentation.

Greg

AROBN54 (10791) 2008-06-04 16:23

Beautiful shot, Kristine (although - it might have been made by a man or a woman..LOL). The light and contrast is perfect and those colors are delicious. I love the lines and angles in this and the tower is in a great spot. That is an absolutely wonderful sky, too. Lovely shot! Many thanks and warm wishes,
Shelly

gunbud (28165) 2008-06-04 18:07

Hi Kristine,
Wow you got your much desired vivid blue sky with wispy clouds that looks so intensely beautiful as it contrast with the lush green trees. The people relaxing in the park testifies to your theme for this grand city and the view towards the distant white clock tower bring marvelous depth to this lovely presentation.
Regards, Tom

zeca (20026) 2008-06-04 20:56

Hello Kristine!
I've been a little bit out of TE and... here are lots of new beautiful posts to see!
This one has great lights, amazing sharpness and... what a beautiful sky!!!
Regards,
Zeca

Wandering_Dan (3297) 2008-06-04 20:59

Hi, Kristine -

This is not my image of Montreal, but then I haven't been there in many years. And I was too busy running around to relax. (Story of my life...)

We are relaxing now in the Olympic Peninsula (the B&B even has a hot tub!), so I am catching up on a bit of TE. And a very nice capture here, with the cloud lines paralleling the river lines, and people everywhere clearly relaxing!

Best,
Dan

bracasha75 (22413) 2008-06-05 0:25

Hi Kristine
This is realy place for relaxing and again great shot from you
TFS
Cheers,Braca

trekks (14334) 2008-06-05 3:00

hi Kristine

I have to be honest, this may be one of your best landscape shot I have seen, very sharp and strong colorful contrast. Very nicely captured crispy white clouds in blue sky and well composed view. Perhaps I would like the see the right end of that bridge, but then that is another view which I may wish to try.

tfs, bill

Elaine_Blath (6170) 2008-06-05 5:09

Hi Kristine,

perfectly composed photo, clean compostion, and you were lucky to capture such sky...the polarization worked well here, good job!

Take care, Ivana

zmey (7282) 2008-06-05 7:18

hey there

nice curves observed on both sides of the horizon. love the light on the trees and the blindingly radiant roof of the structure in the background. my compliments and, of course, HUGS :))

k.

ElAprendiz (7370) 2008-06-05 7:28

Hi Kristine:

It is certainly a beautiful landscape. The great depth of field that occurs, stresses greatly with that intense blue sky and clouds that game capricious.

Has taken advantage of good lighting, to capture an atmosphere very pleasant, full of beautiful shades.

John

Dpbours (220) 2008-06-05 7:46

Hello Kristine,

Yes, that does look nicely mellow. I more often hear good stories about Montreal. It's a pity that it is rather expensive to fly there from Europe. Otherwise I'd have gone there already once. Well, aways good to have something to look forward to!
Thanks for sharing.

Greetings,
Dennis

rodgerg (25079) 2008-06-05 11:39

Hello Kristine,

A very pleasant composition, a perfect technique. I like very much effect of the wind in the trees and on the flag above the building.
Regards of Belgium,
Roger

azaf1 (15547) 2008-06-06 2:03

Hi Kristine
This is just lovely. Wonderful sky and cloud formations, sharp details and a great atmosphere for a stroll.
My compliments
Argiris

japiey (9521) 2008-06-06 3:04

Hi Kristine,

Superb !!
The clarity is excellent.
Admirable composition.
With admirations,

jp

mikeo (12117) 2008-06-06 3:05

Kristine, you bad woman:P
Again you took all the best clouds together with sun there:) Now the reason of bad weather in Europe is solved! You always steal the best features:))))

Ok, let's be serious...Canada was always for me a clear, well developed, safe country...now I know also it is relaxed place;) Your photo perfectly ilustrate my imagination - lovely place, relaxing people, beautiful sky, sun shining...

You have chosen superb POV, colours are superb, framing well thought over and like always very good quality. Good job!!!

Greez,
Mikeo

Vasa (6373) 2008-06-06 4:01

Bonjour Kristine,

encore une promenade dans ta galerie et nouveau plaisir pour les yeux. Tes photos panoramiques sont la perfection technique, realisees dans les moments choisis avec le rafinement et le gout. Desfois dans les conditions de lumiere exceptionnelles comme celle-ci de Montreal. J'aime bien et suis recconnaissant de ton partage. Amities et meilleurs voeux de Belgrade,

Branko

AiresSantos (42964) 2008-06-08 23:16

Wonderful sky in this very nice composition, dear Kristine !
I like your POV and details. Excellent vivid colours and sharpness
Thanks for sharing
Greetings
Aires

archimatica (13344) 2008-06-09 7:34

Fantastic shot, thick and deep.
My english is too much poor to describe efficaciously this compo... so, I say: "Kristine, you are great!"
Ciao
Renzo

pboehringer (770) 2008-06-09 12:00

Kristine,
that is certainly a photograph to sit there and relay. The saturation of colors, the contrasts and the crispness of the entire image are simply fantastic. Most of the impact of this shot comes from the deep blue sky and great clouds.
Peter

sacavem (8525) 2008-06-09 18:21

Olá Kristine,

Attractive urban shot image of the Montreal.I like a lot. Beautiful light and colours. Very good job
Well done.
Regards,
Filipe

marietom (32084) 2008-06-10 3:36

Hello Kristine,

Nice point of view, and nice composition. J'aime la couleur du ciel, et la ville semble verte et agréable.
Bonne soirée
Marie

Flavia (10202) 2008-06-15 3:05

Hi Kristine,

Beautiful picture of Old Montreal Port, it bring me good memories of this city I've lived in for 4 years. The mood is there, the spring celebration. Its really amazing how this city and its people transforms at this period of the year. It really is a big celebration that continues during the whole summer with the many streets festivals around the city.

Regards,

Flavia

fulvio52 (8314) 2008-06-15 4:47

Hi Kristine,
perfect presentation, great point of view, light + color and definition are simply superb.
And the guy examining the LCD screen on the far right looked familiar to me even before reading your note, he he!
Top notch!
Have a nice sunday, I'll see ya soon.
Fulvio.

ricochet (4818) 2008-06-17 15:57

Bonjour kristine
Une très belle composition encore que tu as trouvé là avec un cadrage rigoureux, une très belle lumière et j'adore la forme des nuages qui donnent une belle dimension à l'ensemble, bravo à toi!
Amicalement
Eric

InasiaJones (20705) 2008-06-25 1:19

Hi Kristine,

Being a true Montrealer, it's always interesting to see and read how my city is perceived from the eyes of visitors.

I have seen your photo previously, and this weekend, I was mentioning your comment to a friend. It's true that my city is pretty relax and there's not a lot of police presence, but during the hockey final this spring, it was actually a problem because some punks decided to break shop windows and almost caused a riot by putting police cars on fire... :-(

During the next game, there was police officers every 12 inches on Sainte-Catherine street, plus cops in helicopters, motorbikes, horses, rollerblades, bikes and on foot. If you have visited us at this moment, you would have thought it was the ultimate police state!!!... :-P)

I really like your point of view on this one, because I know exactly where you were standing and its not an usual angle. From there, you were able to catch a nice patch of water as a forefront, then the green space where people enjoy a walk or a sunbath, plus two of our icons, the Clock Tower and the Jacques-Cartier bridge. You were also lucky to get this blue sky over your head.

Great note!

André

jmdias (19935) 2008-06-25 17:38

kristine

beautiful image with a very nice light and colors. I liked the sky and the far buildings and the green area full of people

hugs

jorge

plimrn (19740) 2009-08-10 9:43

Hi Kristine,
Since we're on the ferry to Vancouver Island, I couldn't resist this lovely Canada shot. Too bad the sky isn't the stunning blue and white cloudscape of your day, (it's a flat grey.)

The perfect detail of each tiny person and tree is exquisite while the two towers provide nice balance.
HLJ, Pat

Photo Information

Copyright: Kristine KM (avene) (11140)
Genre: Places
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-05-25
Categories: Daily Life, Architecture
Camera: Nikon D 200, Nikkor 18-200 3.5-5.6G IF-ED AF-S DX VR, Nikon CircPolar II 72mm
Exposure: f/9.5, 1/30 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-06-04 4:28