From Songhees Point

As I was downtown after dark on the weekend I thought a few night shots of the Inner Harbour might make a nice break from all those delightful mushrooms we've been seeing recently on our forest walks.

A Little Later...

...in the evening after the photo posted yesterday.

After Dark - Chinatown

Victoria's Chinatown is the oldest in Canada and though it's not very extensive it has a very distinctive character. Next week we'll have a look at what it's like after dark.

Causeway Christmas

Here's Victoria's Inner Harbour Causeway with the Legislature's special Christmas lights. The rain spots on the lens in the upper left corner appeared almost immediately since it began to rain, and then sleet, as soon as I opened my camera bag and I fled for home after a few quick clicks of the shutter. (Compare with THIS.)

A Little Later

Yesterday's Inner Harbour photo was taken just after sunset. Here's the Causeway a little later when night has fallen.

After Dark

The Inner Harbour Causeway is pretty busy during the daytime at this time of year. It's quieter after the sun goes down (around 9:30 - 10) but perhaps even more magical.

Winter Night

Though I prefer my trees leafy and green the naked tracery of branches against the winter night sky is undeniably attractive.

The Real Victoria?

Regular visitor JoJo yesterday asked an interesting question about whether those of us who live here consider the Inner Harbour to be the "real Victoria" because of its summer tourist focus. I think it's as real as any other aspect of the city. To be really literal, the Empress and the Legislative Assembly Buildings are not imitations of some other famous buildings. They are the original buildings that were erected here (i.e. not fakes). Likewise the Causeway - it's not an imitation of something else. And while the rest of Victoria may not be as striking or attractive as the Inner Harbour, Victoria doesn't have any huge simmering slums or ethnic ghettos hidden away in remote parts of the city. Like any city, Victoria has its share of social problems such as homeless people and drug addiction. That such problems are not very extreme here seems to me to be mostly a matter of luck rather than an enlightened citizenry or government. But for whatever reasons, for most of its residents this city is a pretty good place to live.

In any case, as my tip of the hat to reality-mongers I offer this photo from my archives (July 2010). Unlike most of the photos I publish here, it is completely unedited. Aside from re-sizing it for the web there has been no re-touching or photoshopping. This is the way it came out of the camera. It's a pretty nice place, real or not.

Floating Palace

I decided that one thing I can do to see things freshly is go out at different times of day. This photo was taken just after sunset, by which time I am normally at home and settled into a film or a book before bed. The subject is not new - this is the cruise ship Celebrity Infinity, which I have photographed during some of its earlier visits. To me these cruise ships always look beautiful but at dusk they look even better.

Dawn

Yesterday's photo taken during twilight reminded me that I have been meaning to follow advice I've read from several expert photographers to get out and take pictures before sunrise. So while the rest of you were still fast asleep I was out taking some dawn photos. The one above is actually a little before the sunrise. It's Victoria's Inner Harbour with the condos along the Westsong walkway on the left.

Calm Harbour

Victoria has the warmest climate in Canada. That doesn't mean it's particularly warm. It's only warm compared to the rest of Canada, a notoriously cold country. We seldom have warm nights since most of the city is close to the water and the Pacific Ocean is cold and tends to deliver a cold breeze most evenings, even in mid-summer. This July, however, we have had a few genuinely warm evenings, even close to the shore and some nights, such as pictured here, there has been only the merest breath of a breeze. Though most Victorians are groaning about the excessive heat, I love it since it means I can roam about at night and take photos like this without feeling like a martyr.

...And at Night

This is the same view of the Inner Harbour Causeway as I posted yesterday but this view was taken at night. There were quite a few people strolling at 10:00 pm too, though not as many as earlier in the day. However, with long time exposures the strollers tend to disappear from the photo and it looks deserted.

Snow Light

Something I've never noticed before is how the light changes when it snows. This photo was taken around ten at night during quite a heavy snowfall. You can't see the flakes falling because of the long exposure (30 seconds) but what is remarkable is that one can see anything at all under heavy cloud at that time of night. Yet the yard was nearly as bright as if it were under moonlight. My only explanation is that it is the city lights reflecting off the low clouds and the snow as it is falling and also bouncing back off the white snow below. Whatever the reason, it's a lovely soft light.

The photo above is my back yard. Even in the photo below, taken shortly afterwards out front, the snow seems to soften the normally harsh street lighting.

Inner Harbor after Sunset

More night photography. It's been warm enough the last few days to tempt me out at night and it is fascinating how the same old scenes look new and different when the sun goes down. Here's a shot of Victoria's Inner Harbor that I took about an hour ago.

Night Photography

Victoria's Legislative Assembly Buildings are lit at night so I thought they would make a good subject for my first attempt at night photography, although they've been photographed like this about a million times.