One Viewpoint Through Different Seasons

It is my tradition twice a month to come out to the Portage Bridge, where it crosses the Ottawa River from Ottawa into Gatineau, and from Ontario into Quebec. My purpose is to photograph this view downstream through changing seasons. Landmarks featured here include the Alexandra Bridge, Nepean Point, the National Gallery, Parliament Hill, the Supreme Court, and Victoria Island. 

I start today with a view taken early last September on a sunny day.

Usually when I come out this way it's midday, or afternoon. One day in the second half of September I was by early in the morning on a mostly cloudy day. The effect of the sun pushing through the cloud deck and silhouetting the landmarks was remarkable.

In mid-October things looked different.

And by the end of October, the fall colours were mostly gone.

Just a few days later in early November, here's what things looked like.

Later in the month, I passed by on a moody day.

In the first half of December, I came by on a snowy day. Parliament Hill was barely visible in the falling snow.

In the second half of December leading up to Christmas, we had a clear day.

This was taken around mid-January. The river here is too swift and churned up by the Chaudiere Falls upstream to freeze over, but what's below Parliament Hill does freeze up.

And this was from late January on a snowy day.

On Valentine's Day I stopped here again. In February, the ice is at its maximum point for the winter.

Finally, this was taken late last week. Tomorrow we're downstream from here for another look through the seasons.