Thursday, June 12, 2014

Streets of Montreal

One more post from my recent trip to Montreal before I (hopefully) return to desert photography! One thing about the city that impressed me was the number of bicycle riders you see everywhere, and the easy availability of rental bikes no matter where you go. Just swipe your credit card and you're off!
Some of the streets are very narrow and congested with traffic. At times, bikes seemed to be the fastest way to get around the city.
Even when it rains, bikes are out in number. With all these bikers, it was a great opportunity to practice "panning" (following the bike with the camera in order to show motion). Ideally, you want your subject (in this example, the guy on the bike) in focus while the background is blurred. The shot below was my favorite out of about 10 attempts.
There are other transportation options as well...
Not to mention Montreal is a great walking city...
With interesting people...
Beautiful people...
Old cobblestone steets...
Weird and interesting tourist shops...
Great old architecture...
And, if you are lucky, great skies...
I hope you enjoyed this tour of Montreal! Linking with Skywatch Friday. Thanks to our hosts, Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy!

32 comments:

  1. Wow! I walked those very same streets too. Lovely to see it all again. It is a beautiful city. Glad you got to visit it and see it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That will be a great experience to bike there.
    Environment friendly too.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That's an interesting tour, quite the variety.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great post - great city!



    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    =^..^= <3

    ReplyDelete
  5. Not a piece of trash anywhere to be seen. Beautiful city and great photos.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh what a beautiful city. Someday I hope fate would bring me there.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love the first three bike shots - just lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wonderful serie, I specially love your third photo, it's a great panning shot.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Nice reportage and good to see that the bicycle is gaining terrain all over the world.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow, the bike shots are cool. It is a pretty city. Wonderful series! Have a happy weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  11. loved your post. Lots of great images showing details of teh city. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great photos. I love your panning shot.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love the photo of the two ladies, they were definitely having a good time! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Excellent and creative photography of Montreal all ~ great blue sky capture for SWF ~ Happy Weekend to you ~ xoxo

    artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)

    ReplyDelete
  15. These are great; really showing off the city well. You nailed it on the panning shot. Well done. I like the B&W bicycle shot and cobblestone street images. Great POVs.

    ReplyDelete
  16. yes, thank you, i enjoyed my tour very much!! that's a super cool shot of the biker!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Having a walkable city is such a great thing. They are trying to develop downtown Baton Rouge that way, but I'm sure it will be years before it comes to pass. Love the idea of renting a bike with the swipe of a card. LOVED the panning shot of the biker in motion.

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a very wonderful tour in Montreal. Thanks. I love all these lovely photos.
    Greetings from Finland.

    ReplyDelete
  19. It has been over 20 years since I spent a week in Montreal at a business convention. Beautiful city and people!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Nice pictures. We have a similar bike hire scheme in Melbourne - but the hire does not include a bike helmet and its illegal to ride a bike without one! Another well thought out solution!

    Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

    ReplyDelete
  21. Awesome!!! What a wonderful tour you've shared with us. And your narration brought a great, personal, view!!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. We've talked about visiting Montreal City, as we've heard it's about as close to a European city experience as you can get without the expense and hassle of flying to an actual European city! Never a fan of enslaving horses to pull tourists around in carriages, but love the fact it's a great city for people-powered transport - I love any place that is conducive to walking (my favorite form of getting around) and that encourages biking (my second favorite), especially with the something like those easy bike rentals! Perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  23. for some time now I have wanted to go montreal...mostly to take photos of the old buildings. it looks so like such a unique city with character and charm that really isn't that far away. I also heard they have a great food scene. some day.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Those are wonderful shots. I LOVE the shot of the biker! I was in Montreal about 10 years ago. It's a lovely city. Thanks for refreshing my memory - and for stopping by at my SWF.

    ReplyDelete
  25. A wonderful series of photographs. Congrats on that panning shot. Very well done.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Great street shots! Love the third bike shot.

    ReplyDelete
  27. great trip,
    i also love my trip to Montreal
    awesome

    ReplyDelete
  28. Fantastic photos, and you nailed that one of the bike! You are making me want to go to Montreal!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Beautiful city indeed. I have a niece who lives there; we need to go visit don't you think!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Thanks for sharing interesting shots of Montreal. I enjoyed the tour. Love the couple with the dog.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Judging by you photos you had no trouble finding the best parts of the city.

    ReplyDelete