I’ve spent the last 25 years living in Montreal and Vancouver (currently). In June I’m making the trek back to Montreal to live there for a third time.
Montreal has always been a great city of photography and photographers. I have fond memories of learning in the darkroom and photolab at Dawson College in 2000-2001. And Unsplash – one the internet’s best ‘free (do whatever you want) hi-res photo’ repositories – has their main headquarters located in the heart of the city.
I’ve previously written about a better way to do Instagram. All of the photographers that you’ll find below embody this. I love seeing my once and future city through their eyes.
I reached out to each photographer through email and DM on Instagram for more commentary on their art and their relationship to the city itself.
And please – if you follow (or happen to be) an awesome Montreal photographer that’s not on this list – drop their/your Instagram profile into the comments.
Nicolas Abou @conspicuousnicolas
“Montreal has been my home for over five years, and I have had the chance to discover it with eyes of a newcomer. I came here as a student and now work here. I believe Montreal is a truly unique city in how it makes you feel at home so fast.
I started to take pictures of Montreal in order to have memories of all the great moments I have in this city and by doing so, I discovered a great passion for photography. I strive to capture a particular emotion or highlight the city with a twist to infuse my personality into the photographs.” – Nicolas
Adam Cumas @mtlperspective
“I chose to start my photography account @MtlPerspective because I really think that more people need to appreciate the true beauty of our city. Montreal is so diverse with its cultures, and I just wanted to share my love of it with not only other people in Montreal but the world!
Locations like China Town and the Old port are influenced by other places in the world and Montreal finds a way to bring all of these cultures together! I started a video production company @deeprockproductions which helps local artists and small business show off their talent within the city!
Montreal needs to be more known around the world because there is so much talent and beauty that needs to be spread and shared. In the end, I am really just proud to be from Montreal and hope that more people appreciate this amazing city the same way I do!” – Adam
Cédric Servay @cservay
‘I started photography because I loved my city, but photography opened my eyes and made me love it even more. You learn some good spots that are accessible to the public but relatively unknown. You also have the chance to discover places that are not accessible to the public.
You also learn to look. It sounds stupid, but a lot of people (And in that I include the old me), simply don’t know how to look. Or maybe more appreciate what they are looking at? I try to put the emphasis on those things in my pictures. The beautiful ignored things. ‘ – C. Servay
Polygon Forest – @polygon_forest
Montrealiste @montrealiste
Alex Jodoin @ajshotz
“I do street, and urban photography and Montreal has a lot to offer on that level. I’m hugely inspired by 80’s sci-fi movies like Terminator, Blade Runner, They Live and Escape from NYC. I always loved the way the film makers of that era were able to convey the mood, anonymity, and dystopia of big cities, especially at night and in a sense, this is what I’m trying to reproduce.” – Alex
Jason Chan @jason.can
“My escapades into photography first materialized when I ventured to Hong Kong in 2010. The imposing architecture was such a sight that it inspired a spark within me. My style is street, with a dash of portraiture. My best shots are candid – to truly capture the moment. Now, allow me to use photography to share my story.” – Jason
Keon Lai – @redpanorama
FM2Mag @fm2mag
An endless artistic exploration by a content creation collective
www.fm2mag.com
Eric Branover @ericbranover
“Freelance photographer, born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. I have poutine, bagels and the Montreal Canadiens running through my blood. Living in a city that has a blend of European and modern architecture, festivals that run all year long, and is a multicultural hub for the culinary arts, it’s no wonder I carry a camera around my neck.
My parents taught me early on about the joys and pleasures of traveling, history and culture, and how to simply appreciate my surroundings. My passion for capturing moments might as well be attributed to these valuable lessons. Through my photography, my goal is to immortalize images that are captivating, timeless and tell a story.” – Eric
Jonathan Gaudreau @jo_f0o
“Pour moi, Montréal est une ville de découvertes. Lorsque j’étais plus jeune, elle représentait le nouveau, le différent, les possibilités. En vieillissant, elle m’inspire toujours la même chose. Il y a sans cesse des lieux à arpenter, à explorer. Je suis perpétuellement à la recherche de visages uniques et de la diversité culturelle qui habite Montréal ; c’est d’ailleurs ce qui vient me chercher quand je fais des photographies. Cette ville est le centre de ma créativité, car elle m’a permis, dès le commencement, de grandir à travers mon art.” – Jonathan
[Roughly translated]
For me, Montréal is a city of discovery. When I was younger, she represented the new, the different, the possibilities. As she gets older, she always inspires me the same. There are always places to be surveyed, to be explored. I am perpetually looking for unique faces and the cultural diversity that lives in Montreal; This is what comes to me when I make photographs. This city is the center of my creativity, because it allowed me, from the beginning, to grow through my art.
Nicolas Gagnon – @nicolas_gagnon_
Réalisateur/Monteur/Directeur Photo À la quête de tableaux du quotidien. Montréal, QC Filmmaker/Editor/Cinematographer Seeking daily life scenery
Felix Bouchard Tremblay @felixbouchardtremblay
Cast.one @cast.one
guimz.visuals (Alexandre) @guimz.visuals
Jason Thibault @jaythibs
OK – I’m not quite living in Montreal yet – but I’ll be there soon. And I’ve posted quite a few Montreal photos in 2015 and 2016. Hopefully you like what you see.
And I’ve been slowly posting photos from my stockpile of old 35mm black and whites taken during 2000-2001.
Further Reading
Why Street Photography Matters in 2017
https://petapixel.com/2017/02/10/street-photography-matters-2017/
Storytelling in Street Photography
https://petapixel.com/2017/02/24/storytelling-street-photography/
