Photo expedition to Quebec. Worth it?

Dave Krueger · Mar 14, 2016

I am US citizen and have been planning a photo expedition to Montreal and Quebec City. The Canadian dollar is depressed so prices are low making such a trip attractive. I shoot only for enjoyment, putting the pictures on Flickr and on my website. I don't rule out exhibiting or selling fine are prints. My pictures have been published by media outlets, but only rarely.

While I am not a street photographer in the sense of specifically targeting pedestrians, street scenes and even architecture will often (usually?) include people in the pictures. My understanding is that Quebec has laws that discourage street photography. As such, I am seriously rethinking my plans to go to Quebec. I will be shooting with "professional looking" equipment which, in the eyes of some, seems to automatically brand photographers as profiting at someone else's expense.

I am looking to hear from photographers who have traveled to or live in Quebec who can relate their own experiences. If I have to fear a lawsuit because of the inadvertent inclusion of a person in a picture, I won't go. And it is no consolation that I would win the suit in the end.

Ko.Fe. · Mar 14, 2016

Expedition would be to Quebec tundra

I took many street pictures in Montreal over years with all kind of cameras. Including 4x5 Graflex in 2015. As long as you respect people and acting with charm here is no problems.
Quebec City is tourist city, if you'll take cityscapes with people in it, nobody will put you in jail. I was photographing whatever and whom I want acting naturally as tourist.

CropDusterMan · Mar 14, 2016

Montreal is incredible...literally like having a Europe right next door. I've spent some time there growing up in Ontario, and love the place, it's people and it's architecture. The food is fantastic and although the official language is French, Montreal has a great mix of English and French population. Quebec City is also beautiful...sometimes, you'll swear you're in Paris.

Canada is a free Country, and you're a tourist...and as you're shooting film, nobody can see your images
anyway. Generally, Canadians are less "in your face", and much gentler people...and nowadays, everyone has a "professional looking" camera. DOn't over-think it, and by the way, Canadians aren't sue-happy like
they are here in the U.S...go there, you'll see. It's a different world in Canada.

MattKing · Mar 14, 2016

Quebec has laws that make difficult any publication or commercial use of street photography. In essence, there are enhanced privacy rights in the legislation.

There is an important case which was (IIRC) initiated by a person who was photographed sitting in public view on a front step, where that photograph was then used on the front of a catalogue or magazine.

If you have the desire to publish or make commercial use of your photos, and that might include photo contests, you may be restricted in use of any photos where individuals are recognizable. Or you could get releases (in nboth official languages) signed.

It isn't hugely different from other jurisdictions, but it is different.

You certainly won't get into trouble for taking the photos.

Dave Krueger · Mar 14, 2016

Thanks for the comments. Taking the photos is what worries me in the near term, so I gather cops aren't out there challenging photographers using criminal statutes. I will be on vacation for pleasure, after all.

It's often impractical to get releases from everyone who appears in picture that could end up coming into public view. If there's a risk of a lawsuit for including bystanders in pictures taken in public and exhibited publicly, then I'd say that differs drastically from laws in the rest of North America. As I understand it, there doesn't even need to be a profit motive.

The bottom line seems to be:

1. It's unlikely that anyone will harass me while taking the pictures.
2. It's unlikely that anyone in the pictures will ever see them and want to sue.

In other words, yes, there's a risk that my pictures could arguably (in court) violate someone's rights, but I probably won't get caught. Not the most reassuring argument, but I tend to avoid having recognizable people in my pictures anyway.

I'm glad to hear that others have been shooting without incident in Quebec and the European flavor of Montreal which is where I plan to spend most of my time.

I guess my next question will be whether there are areas of the two cities that are best avoided. I didn't experience that when I went to Toronto, but I've wandered into dangerous parts of town in some American cities, so I'd rather know about them in advance.

CropDusterMan · Mar 14, 2016

Jesus Christ.

frank · Mar 14, 2016

Since your original post states you shoot only for enjoyment (and not for publication) there is no problem. Welcome to Canada!

CropDusterMan · Mar 14, 2016

frank said:
Since your original post states you shoot only for enjoyment (and not for publication) there is no problem. Welcome to Canada!

+1.

cowanw · Mar 14, 2016

My wife and I were in Montreal and we were photographed by one man in particular and of course by many other tourist types as well as taking my own pictures. after he took the pictures he approached my wife, explained who he was and asked for permission to publish for a particular purpose. If she did not sign he would not publish. She signed an contract app by scrib on his cell phone. Feel free to take pictures of anything from anywhere you can stand in public just don't publish without a consent.

Dave Krueger · Mar 14, 2016

frank said:
Since your original post states you shoot only for enjoyment (and not for publication) there is no problem. Welcome to Canada!

Thanks, Frank.

As I said in my original post, "I shoot only for enjoyment, putting the pictures on Flickr and on my website. I don't rule out exhibiting or selling fine are prints. My pictures have been published by media outlets, but only rarely."

Most of that statement is about public exhibition of my work, which means it could potentially be a problem if someone in one of the pictures sees it and is unhappy. As CropDusterMan suggested, I may be over-thinking it, but this is probably going to be my last big trip in this lifetime, so I don't want to make any mistakes.

Sirius Glass · Mar 14, 2016

How about this? Do not post photographs of people from the trip to Canada.

Dave Krueger · Mar 14, 2016

cowanw said:
My wife and I were in Montreal and we were photographed by one man in particular and of course by many other tourist types as well as taking my own pictures. after he took the pictures he approached my wife, explained who he was and asked for permission to publish for a particular purpose. If she did not sign he would not publish. She signed an contract app by scrib on his cell phone. Feel free to take pictures of anything from anywhere you can stand in public just don't publish without a consent.

Unfortunately, merely posting the pictures on a website (including this forum) constitutes publication for legal purposes. While I don't actively pursue any sales and don't do any work for hire, I do publicly exhibit my work on the web and as fine art prints.

Dave Krueger · Mar 14, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
How about this? Do not post photographs of people from the trip to Canada.

Yes, I think that may be where this is headed which is why I asked.

CropDusterMan · Mar 14, 2016

Dying a slow painful death here. Someone finish me off...a quick blow to the head.

DAVE! Do yourself a favor and go to Montreal...you won't regret it. As far as areas to avoid,
my golden rule was this...once you see signs for pawn shops, a strip club is not far away, and
Montreal has the finest, or so I've heard. (God bless them).
Once you see a car on fire, you've gone a block to far.

MattKing · Mar 14, 2016

CropDusterMan said:
Dying a slow painful death here. Someone finish me off...a quick blow to the head.

Why?

If you are a resident of Quebec, you have an enhanced right to privacy, when it comes to publication and distribution of your image.

There are recognized "news" exceptions, but otherwise your consent is needed for that publication and distribution.

That right has been enacted by the duly elected representatives of the people of Quebec. If the people of Quebec want it changed, they can lobby their elected representatives to do so.

It doesn't benefit any powerful governmental or corporate entities - it is seen as benefiting individuals.

The Supreme Court case that is most important to consider when considering that right includes an analysis of the sometimes conflicting rights of photographers and the individuals that end up in their photographs and found that the proper balance of those rights, given the statutory law, was to permit the photography but limit its use.

spijker · Mar 15, 2016

Dave, don't sweat it. Montreal and Quebec city are pretty relaxed places. If you use your common sense, don't be sneaky with the camera and behave like a tourist, you'll be just fine. I often go to Montreal and although I'm not really into street photography, I do occasionally take photos of people on the street. If it is just a street scene, I don't bother with asking permission. Never had any complaints or requests to delete a photo. Not in Canada or any other country and I've traveled quite a bit. I'm quite tall and hard to miss when putting a camera to my eye. Places to avoid are the suburbs as they're just as boring as anywhere else.

But if this will be your "last big trip in this lifetime", I'd say go somewhere OUTSIDE North-America. Go to the real Europe (Paris, Barcelona, Prague etc) not the "North-American Europe", go to Asia, Central or South-America. Experience a non-North-American culture. You'll be surprised how different things are in the rest of the world. The US dollar is currently strong against most foreign currencies. Wherever you go; don't worry, be happy, enjoy the trip.

Menno

CropDusterMan · Mar 15, 2016

Dave. Live the life man. Go out and rip it and don't think about g'dammed lawyers, rights usage crap
etc. Travel, have fun and enjoy it. If this is your last hurrah, I'd think bigger than Quebec. Head to Europe...
go to Paris, Milan, Rome, Brugge, Netherlands, Berlin, Moscow, Warsaw.

I'm out.

MattKing · Mar 15, 2016

FWIW, that Supreme Court of Canada case that I referred to resulted in an award of just $2,000.00 to the plaintiff, and even the Supreme Court Justices thought that was high (but not high enough to overturn).

If the publication had been in a wide circulation magazine it would have probably been higher.

More importantly though, I'll agree with the above posters who suggest that you enjoy Montreal and don't hesitate to photograph there.

Dave Krueger · Mar 15, 2016

Ok, thanks to all those who commented. I was considering going to Vancouver instead, but you guys talked me out of it. I also looked at Dead Link Removed and realized that I rarely even have any people in my pictures.

If anyone wants to offer any further suggestions, please feel free. The 8-day trip will be in late May and we will be walking (no car rental). We're planning to stay downtown, but haven't picked a hotel yet. I'm assuming we'll want to stay near a Metro station. The plan is to take the train to Quebec City and spend a say or two there. Not sure if reservations are required for that or if we can make that trip on the fly.

Thanks again for all the discussion and advice.

removed account4 · Mar 15, 2016

hi dave:

i have been to quebec a few times ( most recently last summer ) and montreal a few times ( not for 20 years )
both beautiful cities, both have freindly people and fun to photograph there. i'd just go and enjoy yourself.
btw, if you like mines, there are a bunch of them in quebec.

skorpiius · Mar 15, 2016

Dave Krueger said:
Ok, thanks to all those who commented. I was considering going to Vancouver instead, but you guys talked me out of it. I also looked at Dead Link Removed and realized that I rarely even have any people in my pictures.

If anyone wants to offer any further suggestions, please feel free. The 8-day trip will be in late May and we will be walking (no car rental). We're planning to stay downtown, but haven't picked a hotel yet. I'm assuming we'll want to stay near a Metro station. The plan is to take the train to Quebec City and spend a say or two there. Not sure if reservations are required for that or if we can make that trip on the fly.

Thanks again for all the discussion and advice.

Nice pics of TO!

cowanw · Mar 15, 2016

If you are historically minded you might find Quebec City worth more time. You can take a ferry across the river (or drive) and see a less citified experience. Montreal has the McCord museum with the Notman collection, a Canadian photographer of the later half of the 19th century.
http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/scri...=4&tablename=department&elementid=00016__true

Dave Krueger · Mar 15, 2016

jnanian said:
hi dave:

i have been to quebec a few times ( most recently last summer ) and montreal a few times ( not for 20 years )
both beautiful cities, both have freindly people and fun to photograph there. i'd just go and enjoy yourself.
btw, if you like mines, there are a bunch of them in quebec.

Thanks for the encouragement, John.

Dave Krueger · Mar 15, 2016

cowanw said:
If you are historically minded you might find Quebec City worth more time. You can take a ferry across the river (or drive) and see a less citified experience. Montreal has the McCord museum with the Notman collection, a Canadian photographer of the later half of the 19th century.
http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/scri...=4&tablename=department&elementid=00016__true

Thanks. I added the McCord to my trip notes.
We will be playing it by ear as to how long we stay in Quebec City. I abhor fixed schedules, so we can stay longer if need be.

Dave Krueger · Mar 15, 2016

skorpiius said:
Nice pics of TO!

Thanks, skorpiius!

Photo expedition to Quebec. Worth it?

Dave Krueger

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Photo expedition to Quebec. Worth it?

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