09/06/2026
As an architectural photographer, I’m always looking for opportunities to wander around impressive buildings and take pictures. That’s not possible in most public buildings, but I’ve found that cathedrals and basilicas in major cities are usually open to the public and not terribly busy. That’s why I photograph churches wherever I go (pretty much the only time I go to church!)
I got a very pleasant surprise in Cheticamp, a relatively small town that has a huge, beautiful church. Built in the late 1800’s from sandstone quarried on Cheticamp Island and hauled over an ice road to the mainland by the inhabitants, Eglise Saint Pierre is a testament to the resilience of the Acadian people. Kicked out of the Maritimes by the British during the Great Upheaval of 1755, over 10,000 Acadians were sent to France or the States (becoming the Cajuns of Louisiana), with a small number hiding out in the Maritimes. Today, the Acadian culture is alive and well in Nova Scotia. You’ll notice small Acadian flags - red, blue, and white with a gold star - adorning the pews as well as the altar.
The best part of photographing this church? It’s the first church I’ve been in with an upper gallery that is accessible to the public. I finally got to take a photo I’ve been wanting to take for a long time - the whole church from an elevated perspective. The things that make a photographer happy!
