Saturday, December 31, 2022

Twilight Descends Again Upon Another Year

 It is my habit to mark New Year's Eve with twilight shots taken over the last few months. Such is the case this year, starting with this evening shot in July taken downtown, with moody skies and the very last light of day.


Later in July, I was at Lansdowne Park around dusk and took these two shots at the east end of the property. The first included the north stands with the Aberdeen Pavilion; the second featured the Pavilion with the twilight sky.


In early August, I caught this view over Centretown.


This was late in August, with the same general perspective as in my first shot.


While this was in September. Again, the same location.


And this was late in the day on a November afternoon. Same street, just a hundred metres further east.


I took these last ones a few days ago. I went up to Parliament Hill at end of day and took this first shot of Centre Block, with the Centennial Flame in the foreground.


I moved westward, taking this perspective of the West Block.


On my side of the roadway is a slope with two statues up above. The first is Queen Victoria, silhouetted against the twilight.


The second is Prime Minister Lester Pearson.


Beyond, the road turns, and I got this shot looking out over the Ottawa River, with the Supreme Court in the distance.


A short walk beyond gave me another perspective of the last light of day.


And my last twilight shot of the year, taken a few metres on, includes another statue, Prime Minister Robert Borden, with the Confederation and Justice Blocks off to the west. Farewell, 2022.

Friday, December 30, 2022

The Centre Block In Dazzling Colours

I have more today from this winter show on Parliament Hill. If you'd like to see a video of the finale, click right here, though it's a four minute clip, so you may want to skim through towards the end.

Thus ends my Christmas series. Tomorrow we close out the year with sunsets.

Thursday, December 29, 2022

Winter Lights Upon Parliament Hill

 A holiday tradition for many years now has been a projected multimedia show onto Centre Block on Parliament Hill. This is continuing regardless of the work going on inside the building for the next few years. This one is a counterpart to the summer Northern Lights show, which I really need to photograph again next year. Strictly speaking, it's more of a winter theme than a Christmas concept, as the show is more about the land, animals, and life in Canada. It runs into the first week of January, and starts each night at five thirty, going for six hours, repeating every fifteen minutes. 

Wednesday, December 28, 2022

The Capital In Christmas Lights

 I went out one evening, before a significant snowfall, to photograph Christmas lights. I start with the grounds at Ottawa City Hall, where trees had lights strung up and a large wreath was hung near the main entrance. The skating rink at left was in use.


Across the street lies Confederation Park. The lighting here is different, with coloured lights projected onto the trunks of the trees, and snowglobes hanging from some of them.


Just up the street at the National Arts Centre, I took these two shots, with the government conference centre in the background of the first. The statue is Alexander Hamilton Gault, a businessman, politician, and traveller who organized and led the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Regiment in the First World War.


And across the street is the National War Memorial, surrounded this time of year with Christmas lights.


I headed to Parliament Hill for something I'll be showing you over the next couple of posts. For today, I leave off with this view across the street at the only Parliamentary block not officially on the Hill, since the Parliamentary district is deemed to be on the north side of Wellington Street. This houses the offices of the prime minister and his staff.