REAL + IMAGINED
LANDSCAPES WINTER 2017/18
I AM SPREADING CREATIVITY
I AM THE NEW D5600. Creativity runs through every frame, every angle and every detail in me. I make sharing happen automatically and effortlessly using Bluetooth® and the Nikon SnapBridge app. The sharp, high-quality images transfer as you take them to your compatible smart devices*. My optical viewfinder, vari-angle screen and AF with 39 focus points encourage you to keep shooting and sharing. Play around with my enriching filters and jaw-dropping time-lapse movies. The wide selection of NIKKOR lenses will help you elevate your creations even further. I AM SPREADING CREATIVITY. nikon.ca This camera’s built-in Bluetooth® capability can only be used with compatible smart devices. The Nikon SnapBridge application must be installed on the device before it can be used with this camera. For compatibility and to download the SnapBridge * application, please visit Google Play® and App Store. The BLUETOOTH® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and Google Play® is a trademark of Google Inc.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Photo by www.margaretmulligan.com
HELLO!
THE HORIZON IS BOTH A PHYSICAL VANTAGE POINT AND A METAPHORIC DESTINATION. As soon as it was possible, photographers around the world were taking their cameras outdoors in a quest to document and share landscape views. This classic tradition has come to include a wide variety of subgenres. From leading us to dream about travel destinations to taking us to imaginary places, I believe the term “landscape” is about exploring and sharing views on horizons.
Whether you’re an outdoor adventurer this winter or an indoor cat watching our free movie recommendations, this issue has something to inspire everyone.
In this issue, we wanted to explore the ways in which Canadian photographers interpret Canadian horizons. This topic naturally attracts conversations about political boundaries, how we treat our landscapes in Canada, how we enjoy our landscapes in Canada, and how we appreciate our landscapes in Canada.
Your editor,
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Rita Godlevskis rita@photoed.ca
Isabelle Hayeur’s work poetically describes the damage we’re causing to the land, while Alex McLeod’s work takes us away to another planet. Desirée Patterson’s images seem abstract, but clearly depict the dichotomy we live in.
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MAGAZINE
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PhotoED Magazine is published 3x/year, SPRING, FALL & WINTER See www.photoed.ca for subscription and advertising information. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40634032 PhotoED Magazine 2100 Bloor St. West, Suite 6218 Toronto ON M6S 5A5 PhotoED Magazine is made possible with the support of the OMDC.
WINTER 2017 ISSUE #51 ISSN 1708-282X
EDITOR/PUBLISHER
ART DIRECTOR
Rita Godlevskis / rita@photoed.ca Ruth Alves
Christopher Blanchette Joshua Cameron Briar Deacon André Gallant Pat Kane Lianne Marie Leda Charlie Dani Lefrancois Derek Leung Peppa Martin Chris Ratzlaff Adisa Sadaf Rawi
Deborah Cooper-Bullock
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
COPY EDITOR
SOCIAL MEDIA ASSISTANT
Joshua Cameron
“Enraciné i” by Desirée Patterson
COVER IMAGE
Nikon D850 with AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.4G lens Nikon AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.4G lens Profoto Soft Bounce for A1 Cecilia Challaypu Alpaca Wool Strap Profoto A1 for Nikon
Cameron T310 Ball Head Tripod (Henry’s Exclusive) Peak Design Everyday Messenger Bag in Charcoal Freehand Photo Gloves Nikon AF-S Nikkor 85mm f/1.8G lens Nikon MB-D18 Multi-Power Battery Pack
For more kit ideas visit HENRYS.COM/KITS
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WHAT YOU’LL LOVE IN THIS ISSUE: 7 CANADIAN MOVIES THAT STAR: THE LANDSCAPE 8 ISABELLE HAYEUR’S DISORIENTATION by Christopher Blanchette and Joshua Cameron 12 DESIRÉE PATTERSON’S ENRACINÉ by Peppa Martin 15 HOW-TO: MAKE FROZEN BUBBLES by Chris Ratzlaff Photo by WILLIAM ORSUA
16 DANI LEFRANÇOIS
BEHIND THE SHOT: William Orsua is a Vancouver family man, hospital healthcare worker, and passionate landscape photographer. “My photography infatuation started with landscape and nature shoots as a form of stress relief. Winter is my favourite season to go out because I love the unique light, ambiance, and snow and ice formations. Every winter I visit the Canadian Rockies. This image was taken at Abraham Lake, near Nordegg, Alberta, in January. The ice bubbles are a naturally occurring methane phenomenon. Winter photography involves additional preparation. Abraham Lake is notorious for extreme cold and strong winds. When I took this shot it was probably -18˚C with a windchill of -30˚C. One key piece of equipment for me has been a tripod with spikes for the ice.” See more work by William on his website: www.soulmateproductions.ca/landscapes
18 ALEX MCLEOD: ENDLESS CONNECTIVITY by Briar Deacon 30 PAT KANE: THE LAND UP NORTH
“Not all those who wander are lost” — J.R.R. Tolkien
36 H OW-TO: TIPS FOR WINTER PHOTOGRAPHY by Derek Leung 38 WE ASKED... for some professional opinions 40 ADISA SADAF RAWI: NEW WORLDS 42 THE READERS GALLERY Submissions by our readers
WWW.FUJIFILM.CA/EDUCATIONPROGRAM
3 CANADIAN MOVIES THAT STAR THE LANDSCAPE When the weather outside is frightful… fire up the movie watching technology. This issue of PhotoED is aimed at appreciating our land. For some of us, this may mean gearing up for outdoor adventures, for others it’s indoor screen season. In searching for movie picks to recommend to you dear readers, we came across the work of director Charles Wilkinson. We found a source that streams his amazing films online across Canada. So you can enjoy fine Canadian filmmaking starring the outdoors, all without leaving your front door.
Haida Gwaii: On the Edge of the World
Oil Sands Karaoke
Vancouver: No Fixed Address
Fort McMurray is at the centre of a new gold rush. Thousands of men and women have been drawn to the northern boomtown with the promise of high-paying jobs in one of the most controversial industries in the world the oil sands. They work hard for the money: under arduous physical conditions, for long hours and extended periods, knowing that a lot of people object strenuously to what they do for a living. But when they need to let loose, there’s always karaoke.
From Toronto to Sydney and from San Francisco to London, the cost of housing in cities around the world is skyrocketing. Vancouver: No Fixed Address takes an uncompromising look at the drama unfolding in one such city, where multiethnic citizens fight to preserve homes as living spaces instead of global financial commodities. It is a story about the very idea of home, what promotes or destroys one’s sense of belonging, and struggling to cope with the strange and often threatening economic and social forces at the start of the 21st century.
www.knowledge.ca/program/ oil-sands-karaoke
www.knowledge.ca/program/ vancouver-no-fixed-address
The story of Haida Gwaii is one of a place and a people who have experienced the ravages of unsustainable exploitation. They’ve fought back, reclaimed control of their lands, and have begun the process of rebuilding both their natural world and a sustainable modern community; a community free from corporate control, one where whole food is accessible to everyone, a community with no shopping malls. But wouldn’t you know it - all of that is now under the threat of daily fossil-fuel laden super-tanker traffic wanting to pass through their treacherous waters. The film features insights from former Haida Nation president Guujaaw, activist Severn Suzuki, Haida carver Jaalen Edenshaw, International Rediscovery founder Thom ‘Huck’ Henley, Haida Chief Allan Wilson, ex-loggers, business and cultural leaders, troublemakers, biologists, curmudgeons, scientists, and alternative energy experts.
www.knowledge.ca/program/ haida-gwaii-edge-world photo ED 7
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ISABELLE HAYEUR’S DISORIENTATION
BY CHRISTOPHER BLANCHETTE AND JOSHUA CAMERON
ISABELLE HAYEUR is a Quebec-based fine artist whose work critically examines environmental issues around urban development and social conditions. She is particularly interested in exploring, documenting, and echoing the feelings of alienation and disenchantment that result from environmental changes. As an image-based artist, she is internationally known for her photographs and experimental videos. Since the late 1990s, Isabelle has documented altered landscapes, industrial areas, tourist sites, abandoned places, urban fringes, and underprivileged regions. An integral concern of hers is the evolution of land and communities.
Isabelle’s work documents how humans take possession of territories and adapt them to our needs, the process and results of which are not always for the better. We asked her a few questions about her practice. Why is it important for you to document the relationship between humans and nature? I think this relationship is fundamental. Earth is our only home and the conflict between the natural and the man-made has completely transformed the world. Massive urbanization and
industrialization has resulted in impoverished biodiversity and poses a risk to human health. Ecological disasters like the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the garbage slates forming on the oceans are becoming more common. How have you seen this relationship improve or decline over the course of your art practice? I have seen awareness improve a lot, but sadly, further environmental decline has accompanied the understanding. People now pay more attention to environmental issues and the fact that we are facing an ecological crisis. In my early twenties, I worked for Greenpeace, and very few people were aware of environmental problems at that time. Climate change was not a well-acknowledged issue. I think people are now more concerned.
Still, I have met climate change deniers and people who think everything will be all right. Last year I was working in New Orleans and I spoke with some people who believed we should never sacrifice jobs or the economy for environmental concerns. As long as people think that the economy is more important than everything else, we will face enivonmental problems.
“Invasion 02”. From The Underworlds series. photo ED 9
Top left: “Grand River,” 2012. From the Underworlds series. Collection of the Kitchener Waterloo Art Gallery Bottom, left: “Ma cabane au Canada.” From the Dépayser (Territoires et citoyens sous haute-tension) series. Bottom, right: “Luc.” From the Dépayser (Territoires et citoyens sous hautetension) series. Opposite page: “Route 337 (Rawdon).” From the Dépayser (Territoires et citoyens sous haute-tension) series.
Have environmental issues affected you personally? My childhood in the Montreal suburb of Bois-des-Filion had a lasting impact on my art. As in many peripheral towns in Quebec, its landscape is constantly transforming. For over 20 years, I have lived by the shores of a river, and it has become very polluted. I have observed this stream transform over time. Its ecosystem has changed and some of the animals that used to live in it have disappeared.
During a stay in southern Florida in 2008, I took some pictures with a small submersible camera. Leaving crystal-clear waters to vacationers, I preferred to capture the dirty waters of navigation canals. Since then, I have acquired a watertight tank that allows me to photograph underwater environments of all kinds, helping me to develop my ongoing series Underworlds. For these images, I dive into troubled waters of dubious, uncertain origin. Underwater worlds are fascinating and spellbinding. Instead of depicting classically seductive images of tropical seas, I want to show something altogether different. My work plays on the sense
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of wonder that is usually associated with underwater shooting. The aquatic landscapes I photograph have been considerably altered by human development. I have documented dying ecosystems near New Jersey’s Chemical Coast and the marine cemetery of Rossville (Staten Island), Lake Ontario, the Grand River (Ontario), Lake Champlain, and many other bodies of water in Canada. Tell us more about your most recent project. I am working on a project titled Dépayser (Territoires et citoyens sous haute tension), or Strange Land (Territories and Citizens under High Tension). It critically examines how hydroelectric power has transformed Quebec’s landscape. Using photographs taken all over the province, this work testifies to the struggles of citizens confronted with the development of that industry. It pays attention to how citizens have rallied to defend their regions and to demand better protection for their environments. It is a political project that looks at the ways we occupy and manage the land.
“Dépayser” means literally to take someone out of a country and make her/him inhabit another one; it also means to cause disorientation so that a person does not know where she/he is anymore. The people whose lands have been invaded by electric towers or submerged to create reservoirs for dams are living this. It is a bizarre feeling: that of being at home but in an environment that has become estranged. Losses of familiar landmarks have become constant in these days of accelerated development. Hydroelectric power has extensively moulded (and disfigured) the landscape of Quebec. That industry was nationalized at the beginning of the 1960s for the common good, but today HydroQuébec manages its resources more like a private corporation. Currently, several citizens groups are meeting to courageously denounce that situation. These people — farmers, livestock producers, vacationers, leftist politicians, public personalities, and so on — come from different backgrounds. One goal unites them and it is to stop new high voltage transmission lines on their land and in their localities. These expansion projects are often
unnecessary or geared toward the exportation of electricity and do not benefit the community. In a political climate that sees public institutions dismantled, the task of defending land befalls to groups of citizens abandoned by a government obsessed with economic development. I photograph landscapes across Quebec that include high voltage lines. These landscapes often go unnoticed, perhaps because they have occupied our territory for such a long time, but when one knows how to capture it, their incongruity is astonishing. I’m also photographing the people at home and in the affected areas of their communities. Isabelle Hayeur’s art is both political and poetic, a documentation and a creative statement. Her images are not always beautiful in a traditional way, but always intrigue and provoke questions from the viewer. In these moments of curiosity and quiet reflection, Isabelle’s message about mindfully considering human activity’s influence on land and water is clear. ISABELLE-HAYEUR.COM photo ED 11
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DESIRÉE PATTERSON’S
ENRACINE BY PEPPA MARTIN
VANCOUVER’S DESIRÉE PATTERSON INVERTS URBAN SCENES WITH NATURE-INSPIRED IMAGERY TO REVEAL A COMPLEX EVOLUTION. THE GENESIS OF ENRACINÉ was more an existential epiphany than an artistic concept for Vancouverbased photographic artist Desirée Patterson. The series of photographs began after she had a powerful inspiration to create personal, rather than commercial, work. Desirée revealed that her discovery of an overwhelming “sense of the profound miraculousness of the universe” spurred a newfound pursuit of an authentic voice, a desire to advocate for environmental sustainability, and to “create work that spoke to my concerns.”
Born in Langley, British Columbia, in 1982, Desirée grew up in the bucolic Fraser Valley, a two-hour drive from Vancouver. Outdoor recreation with her father was a regular feature of her childhood, which she fondly recalls. With that seasoned experience, she later became a divemaster and a rock climbing instructor. Her continued exposure to the raw landscape helped her discover an important personal connection to the awe-inspiring beauty of B.C.’s coastal environment, and nurtured her awareness of the wonder and perfection of nature.
“Enraciné i”
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“ OUR INTERACTION WITH THE ENVIRONMENT IS A PRECARIOUS BALANCE, AND BEING A VISUAL ARTIST IS THE LOUDEST VOICE I HAVE TO RAISE AWARENESS OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAINTAIN THAT BALANCE.” Top image: “Enraciné ii” Bottom: “Enraciné iv”
Years spent pursuing mountain sports in Whistler, B.C., informed her sense of the delicate balance between humans and the environment, a concept she would later contemplate through meditation and art. Within the digital photo collage in her Enraciné series, Desirée combines inverted urban compositions with rugged landscapes to represent human consciousness as rooted in the industrialized world. “Our interaction with the environment is a precarious balance,” she explained, “and being a visual artist is the loudest voice I have to raise awareness of our responsibility to maintain that balance.” Compelled to spread sustainability awareness and to promote effective stewardship, Desirée relies on an Albert Einstein quote, “No problem can be solved by the same kind of thinking that created it”— as well as the law of attraction. “Positive attracts positive,” she believes, and “encourages curiosity and seeks 14 photo ED
underlying beauty.” With these motivators, her search for solutions to urgent global environmental issues challenges her thought process and produces new aesthetic forms expressed in her photography. Currently, she is focused on sea pollution and its grave threat to marine life. On reflection, Desirée provides this caution to photographic artists: “Be careful of your sense of validation, or what you perceive to be forms of validation. Don’t let social media consume you or your practice. Know what you want – there will always be ‘wants’ – but accomplishments, setbacks, and rejections need to be equally welcomed. They are all part of the journey. Be authentic, and it will define you as an artist.”
desireepatterson.com
Patience and re sa warm clothe ject. ro p key to this IT’S COLD OUT THERE!
TRY THIS AT HOME:
MAKE FROZEN BUBBLES! Embrace our Canadian winter with this fun project. BY CHRIS RATZLAFF
AT -25˚C/-13˚F, when it gets this cold, I can often be found outside my house, bubble blower in one hand and camera in the other (I think my neighbours have gotten used to this sort of behaviour by now).
Soap bubble mixtures freeze faster than they pop, making for some fascinating effects. However, frozen bubbles are still very fragile creatures, so I’ve experimented to create a more durable bubble soap recipe that won’t pop in the slightest breeze. I let the mixture chill in the freezer to help speed up the freezing once outside, and use a straw to blow bubbles with, rather than a store-bought dipstick, for more control.
FROZEN BUBBLE RECIPE 200 ml warm water 35 ml corn syrup 35 ml dish soap 2 tbsp sugar TIP: If you blow the bubble onto a smooth surface (such as ice) it will be less likely to pop before it can freeze.
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DANI LEFRANÇOIS Dani Lefrançois is a photographer driven by her passion for Canadian landscapes. MY JOURNEY and eventual obsession with photography first started with our annual family road trips around Canada. The enjoyment grew when I took a photography class in high school, and got to experiment in the darkroom. I was hooked! After high school I filled my time with anything and everything photography related. I shot weddings and portraits, I did events and dabbled in baby photography, but my real passion and inspiration has always been with landscape photography, specifically the Canadian Landscape.
One thing you learn when shooting landscape photography is that it can be risky. The most dramatic photos usually happen during bad weather and when most people are inside staying warm and dry. I am driven by the challenge of being outdoors and capturing the elements at work to craft a perfect photograph. I have contended with -45C while shooting ice cracks, dangled over the edge of a cliff looking down to bird colonies above the Atlantic Ocean, and successfully avoided getting run over by vehicles on a road while trying to take a self portrait with the northern lights. A few years ago, I took the plunge towards really living my passion and moved to the Canadian Rockies. I wanted to be inspired by the scenery around me, and work within it. I contemplated what “job” I wanted to do in the landscape photography field: write for magazines, sell prints, do commercial work, or teach. I always enjoyed helping others with their photography, so teaching was a natural progression. For the last five years, I have been teaching and guiding visitors around Banff National Park through my own photo tour business. It hasn’t always been easy, and not everything always goes to plan, but my passion for creating images and sharing the joy of the experience has been worth the risk.
WWW.DANILEFRANCOIS.COM
Left: “Ice Cracks,” Abraham Lake, Alberta.
Right 2nd top: “Northern Lights,” Banff, Alberta
Right top: “Into the Sea,” Cape St. Mary’s, Newfoundland
Right 2nd bottom: “Under the Bridge,” Yolo National Park, British Columbia
Right bottom: “Stars Over Banff,” Banff National Park, Alberta.
ALEX MCLEOD:
END LESS CON NECT IVITY
ALEX MCLEOD’S WORK REMINDS US THAT OUR REAL AND IMAGINED PERCEPTIONS OF THE WORLD ALWAYS CONNECT BACK TO SOMEONE OR SOMETHING WITH WHOM WE SHARE A PART OF OURSELVES. BY BRIAR DEACON
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THE MARK OF TRULY TALENTED ARTISTS IS THEIR ABILITY TO TRANSPORT THEIR AUDIENCES TO NEW PLACES. ALEX MCLEOD does just that. His images and video works take viewers on a journey into fictional worlds, yet they still manage to appear so real. His digitally rendered landscapes are filled with whimsical shapes, bright colours, and ready-to-touch textures that create spaces for viewers to get lost in.
Alex’s passion for nature, along with his desire to explore themes of connectivity, drive him to create these elaborate visions that turn a view of the sea, a desert from above, or even the pattern of tree branches from a certain species of eucalyptus tree, into ethereal visions. Alex says he is inspired by “everything.” Pop culture certainly influences his art, but so do the people he meets and the places he visits. Northern Ontario is particularly meaningful for him, as he camped there as a child with his father. The signature trees of this area often
appear in his images, and it is these elements of nature that ground his work in reality. Alex’s work holds a mysterious “otherworldly” quality, but it also has an air of familiarity. While some images seem to reference real places, as though based on a trip to a local lake or the Swiss Alps, others seem like miniature scenes created in school dioramas. Although some appear to have been created by photographing clay trees and tiny toy train tracks, all of the components in his images have been crafted via computer software, Cinema 4D, a mix of polygon modelling, and modification of existing opensource objects. When speaking about his creative process, Alex revealed that the final image is sometimes very different from his original intention. For example, when he planned to create a snowy,
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“ I THINK THE BEST THING THAT PEOPLE CAN WALK AWAY WITH IS A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF REALITY, WHICH IS A REMINDER OF THE ENDLESS CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD.”
all-white Arctic-inspired piece, it turned out as a leafy green forest instead. Alex’s willingness to be flexible during his art-making process has allowed his imagination to take us all to new places. After obtaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts at OCAD University and a Master of Digital Media at Ryerson University, Alex worked in advertising, adding commercial products to his fictional background image creations. This allowed him to have a job, without straying too far from his artistic passion. Alex credits the opportunities he had as a student for developing his understanding of what, exactly, an artist is. When working as an assistant to Kent Monkman, he learned that becoming a successful artist with a focused career takes dedication and perseverance.
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Although it is a career that often requires lessthan-exciting administrative work, for Alex, the payoff has been worth it. Although he has been working as an artist for over 10 years, he recalls what helped him in those early days as a student. Besides his assistant gig, he landed a job as a gallery attendant at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Toronto. This experience put him “at the forefront,” meeting curators, consultants, and other artists. In his own words: “even though it was a job where I had to be the annoying person who told you not to touch the works, it definitely had value.” He advises that emerging artists be open to any opportunities that come their way, but also be cautious about showing work too quickly; you get only one chance to make a
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first impression. He highly recommends artists find a like-minded community to help support and critique their art, noting that working in isolation can be detrimental to the process of making and disseminating art. Now, Alex uses social media to build his creative network. His interest in internet culture and his active Instagram account (@alex_mcleod_) have facilitated many of his in-person connections. In fact, many of his recent exhibitions have developed through Instagram. His account serves as a portfolio, while his website functions as an archive.
Digital connectivity fascinates him and is a theme he both explores and shares in his work. Alex wants his viewers to consider the intricacies of the endless connectivity between all beings and spaces in our world. His images remind us that our real and imagined perceptions of the world always connect back to someone or something with whom we share a part of ourselves.
WWW.ALXCLUB.COM
THE LAND UP NORTH
PAT KANE:
Pat Kane is a Yellowknife-based photographer documenting people, culture, and life in Canada’s North. His work has been shown in galleries and in media publications across Canada, including Canadian Geographic, Maclean’s, Reader’s Digest, The Globe and Mail, among many others. We wanted to know more about how he works, so we asked him a few questions...
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Opposite page: Lloyd Chicot, Chief of the Kakisa Dene First Nation looks for moose on the shore of Tathlina Lake, NWT.
How did you end up, up north? I went to Humber College for photography and journalism and one of my classmates got a job as an editor for a magazine based out of Yellowknife. They were looking for a photo editor at the time so he recommended me and I was hired. The next day, I bought a used SUV, drove across the country to Yellowknife, settled into my job, and fell in love with the place. A popular saying is “I came for a year and stayed for a lifetime.” That pretty much describes me too. I came in 2005 and I’ve been here ever since. What’s the best thing about living there? The people, hands down. Yellowknife, and by extension most of Northern Canada, attracts folks with a sense of adventure.
Below: The first snowfall at a bush camp near Tathlina Lake, NWT.
It’s also home to a colourful collection of characters (miners, prospectors, pilots, filmmakers, journalists, musicians, artists) and many Indigenous people with rich, diverse cultures, and strong connections to the land. Everyone here is doing something interesting, and we have a LOT of fun doing it. How do you think your work/photographic process has changed since living there? When I started out, I did a little bit of everything: portrait, landscape, photojournalism, still-life, you name it. I had to be a jack-of-all-genres because I was covering a lot of diverse topics for the magazine. But since I went freelance in 2012, I’ve been focusing on long-term documentary projects for conservation photo ED 31
Top photo: The Canadian Icebreaker Henry Larsen and naval frigates dock near the community of Pond Inlet, Nunavut. Centre left: Benny Doctor, a member of the Canadian Rangers, leads cadets from Tulita, NWT, in exercises.
Right: A woman drives her quad past the Distant Early Warning site in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut. Below, left: George Simba sits alone by the fire at a hunting camp south of Kakisa, NWT. Right: Anita Chicot cuts wood outside of a cabin near Kakisa, NWT.
organizations, and various First Nations. I’m telling visual stories of northern issues and people. I feel like my work has a better sense of purpose now, and for me, telling underreported stories in a respectful way is much more important than simply taking nice pictures. The North has taught me to slow down, listen to people, and be open-minded and empathetic, which I hope shows in my work.
I pitched the project as a way to help Tides gather documentation of a program that helps indigenous communities practice traditional activities in areas they want protected. Many of these areas are culturally significant and sources for food. The photos and videos we made are used to show big industry and government that these areas are extremely important and fragile to the people who use them.
We suspect you’re pretty reliant on the Internet to work with clients and to share your work. Tell us about how that informs what you do. I didn’t have a mentor or anyone who really influenced me when I came to the North. I was more or less on my own. So what I started to do, and still do, is follow the work of a lot of photographers that I admire online. Instagram has been awesome and it’s my favourite platform for sharing my work and learning from others. I’ve curated my Instagram feed so that I only follow photographers and photo editors. They are a great source of inspiration. I’ve definitely gotten work because someone has seen my photos on Instagram. The one drawback of living in the North and being a photographer (if there is a drawback!), is that I’m out of sight and out of mind a lot of the time. I have to constantly pitch stories and ideas to clients in Southern Canada by email. I’d prefer to meet with people face to face but this is all I have, so my online presence and communication is key. I’ve actually never met some of my clients in person, but we work well together despite that.
My first trip was to Tathlina Lake, just south of the community of Kakisa, Northwest Territories, which has a population of roughly 50 people. I was tagging along on their fall harvest, where they hunt moose, gather berries, and generally just reconnect with one another on their ancestral land.
Tell us a little bit about the gear you use – what gear is crucial for northern conditions? I shoot with a Nikon D810 and have a few lenses. I like shooting wide and getting really close so my lenses range from 17mm to 200mm max. For shooting in the North, people think you need all these special cases and protective coverings so that your gear doesn’t freeze, but honestly, in the winter I just dress warm and stick my camera inside my parka! It’s not as if anyone is spending hours and hours outside in the freezing cold without electricity. We don’t live in igloos or travel by dog team here! So if you find yourself outside at -40ºC with no shelter, I’d say you have more important things to worry about than your camera. You shoot in a wide variety of conditions. How do you stay prepared? I pack light: one bag for clothes and one camera bag. (Mostly because I hate carrying things when I travel!) I’ve amassed a good collection of outdoor gear over the years so I pretty much have all I need and I carry only what I need. I can hop on a bush plane, boat, or snowmobile and be totally comfortable, and more importantly, not have to fumble around with a million lights or tripods. Tell us about On the Land. On the Land is a collaboration with Tides Canada, a conservation organization that focuses on Indigenous people and issues.
One night I was sleeping in a tent and heard something outside, sniffing around. There was moose meat hanging all over the place and we were right in the heart of bear country. After a few minutes, I ran into the cabin where the chief, his wife, and a few of the kids were sleeping. I woke them up, standing in just my underwear and a parka. They went to have a look but didn’t see anything, so they offered to let me sleep in the cabin. The next morning I checked around my tent and found bunny tracks. Needless to say, everyone had a good laugh. I left the camp a few days later with some great friendships and great photos. The funding for the project wrapped up in April 2017, but there is always room to continue. I think it will be an ongoing project because people are really seeing the value in documenting initiatives like this. Many of your projects seem to take a long time to produce. How do you plan, execute, and deliver your projects? I always try to work with organizations that do important, ethical work and those that value photography and see the importance of visual documentation. I’ve been lucky to work with groups such as Tides Canada, TNC Canada, and the International Boreal Conservation Campaign, among others. More often than not, it starts out with a pitch or a meeting with someone from an organization and then we make a plan, create a budget, and try to get funding for me to do the work. A lot of the time, the work involves several trips to remote communities for a few days at a time, so we slowly chip away at it. Some projects take a few months, others a year or more. It really depends on what the budget is and where I need to travel, which is figured out ahead of time in the first few meetings. Every time I cover a certain aspect of the project, I send in my edits and the client slowly builds a library that it can use for all kinds of purposes: marketing, websites, social media, presentations, etc. At the end of a project, I try to always have an exhibit — to raise awareness of the project and the issues surrounding it. A lot of the time magazines, newspapers, or online publications will publish my work, which also helps to bring the story to a larger audience. photo ED 33
Top left: A close-up of the murky water and pink rocks of the Canadian Shield near Behchoko, NWT. Left below: A Siberian husky sled dog in Carmacks, Yukon, during the 2015 Yukon Quest.
Based on your photos, you seem to be great with all kinds of people. Any tips for photographers just starting out interested in documenting people that who aren’t necessarily used to being photographed? As photographers, our first instinct is to immediately take pictures of everything when we visit a new place. I don’t do that. In fact, you’d be surprised at how little I use my camera when I’m on assignment, especially on the first day. I try to meet as many people as I can, shake their hands, introduce myself, and talk with them. Most importantly, I listen to people. It’s all about giving respect and earning trust. By listening and getting to know people, I’ve been rewarded with incredible access to some very special moments. Can you tell us about your editing process? I don’t do a lot of post-processing to my photos: maybe some colour correction and cropping but that’s it. I don’t have the patience to sit and edit one photo for hours. I’m more interested 34 photo ED
Top right: Angel Betthale at a youth and elders camp at Ekali Lake, NWT. Opposite page: Alina Enggist and Itoah Scott-Enns on a boat ride on the Mackenzie River, while little Kite Ellis enjoys the sunset behind them.
in choosing a collection of photos that help to tell a story or convey a feeling about a place. For me, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Much of your work is about people connecting with the land or how people have affected the land. Can you tell us about why documenting this is important to you? I’ve always been fascinated with people and the places they live. In the North, a lot of people rely on nature for survival. It’s also culturally important to people. The land and the water are vital parts of our lives, so I want to tell stories of those who are fighting to protect it. You run a mentorship program. How does it work? This is my first year doing a mentorship program, which is open to anyone in the Northwest Territories. I’m doing the program because I didn’t have a mentor when I came to the North, and I would have absolutely loved feedback, challenges, criticism, and
inspiration from someone in my own community. Hopefully I can pass along some knowledge to a young photographer here in the North. I think people would be completely surprised by the amount of talent here. Do you have any advice for emerging photographers, especially for those in the North or in rural parts of Canada? If I have one piece of advice for an emerging photographer in a small town, it’s that the best stories are often found in your own backyard. You don’t have to go to the big city to “make it.” Take the road less travelled, photograph places that nobody sees, and be patient. You’ve had a long career in photography. What do you find to be the hardest part of the job? The hardest part of my job is having a steady income (I got bills!), but it always seems to balance out in the end. It helps that I have a very supportive wife and encouraging friends. I’m constantly
pitching ideas, getting rejected, and every so often some great opportunities fall in my lap. I’ve been fortunate enough to have travelled to places very few people get to see. I’ve also met some incredible people. I’ve been doing this professionally for about 13 years but I feel like my career is just starting to take off. Can you share any upcoming things you are working on or excited about? I’m hoping to connect with some organizations to tell a longform story about food, nutrition, diet, and health in the North. There are a lot of challenges to eating healthfully — high food costs, restrictions on traditional subsistence harvesting — but there are also some great programs and new ideas on how to access nutrition. Food security is a complicated topic and I think tackling this issue in the form of a photo essay could really help people understand both the challenges and solutions Northerners face when it comes to healthy eating.
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ADJUSTING FOR THE COLD AND SNOW: TIPS FOR WINTER PHOTOGRAPHY From blossoming flowers to a fresh blanket of snow on the ground, every season has its own unique charm and beauty. With the change of weather, we must adapt to the environment around us. Here are a few tips and techniques that will help you to capture amazing photos, and to prepare your camera for the winter months. BY DEREK LEUNG
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Photo by Neil Austen , GTA Photography Classes Instructor
1. USE FAST SHUTTER SPEEDS TO CAPTURE MOVING SNOW When you take a photo while it is snowing, adjust your settings so you can shoot with a faster shutter speed. The falling snow can actually help to create a very interesting depth of field as snow falls into the foreground or background around your main subject. A shutter speed of 1/250 is recommended as a starting point. Higher shutter speeds will produce more unique results.
2. BATTERIES DRAIN FAST IN THE COLD Try your best to keep your batteries warm when you’re in the snow, as cold batteries lose their charge fairly quickly. By putting batteries in your inside jacket pockets, or even in the front pocket of your pants, your body heat will keep the batteries warm so they last a little longer. As always, no matter what or where you’re shooting, BRING EXTRA BATTERIES!
FACTORS SUCH AS THE SUN, SNOW, AND UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER DURING THE WINTER MONTHS MAKE SETTING YOUR ISO, SHUTTER, AND APERTURE TRICKY. THE “SUNNY 16 RULE,” PROVIDES US WITH A GREAT STARTING POINT.
3. RAISE YOUR EXPOSURE COMPENSATION If you use Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or Program Mode, be sure to raise your exposure compensation because your meter may be tricked by the snow. When shooting snowy scenes, your camera’s sensor might think your shot is too bright due to the white, strong highlights from the snow. Your camera will automatically attempt to adjust to darken the scene, making snow look grey, instead of white. By increasing your exposure compensation to between +0.3EV and +0.7EV, you’ll be able to capture the pure whiteness of your scene more effectively as it helps compensate for the brightness that is lost in the camera’s metering process. Be sure to test your shots a few times to find the right exposure compensation value. If you are shooting in full manual mode, you won’t be able to adjust your exposure compensation, however, be sure to readjust your settings so your photo is a little overexposed for the best results.
4. PROTECT YOUR GEAR FROM SNOW AND MOISTURE When you’re outdoors, dry, powdered snow won’t damage your camera, but be sure to wipe it off with your glove, sleeve, or a small towel. Don’t use your hands. Your hands will melt the snow, creating a possibility that water will seep into your camera. In general, cold weather won’t affect your camera, but keep in mind the change in humidity when you’re heading indoors. You may notice that your lens fogs up with condensation when entering a warm place. Although you can wipe it off of your lens, condensation builds up inside your camera as well! This could potentially harm the internal mechanics of your camera and lens. The best solution for this is to put your camera into an airtight bag or container before heading indoors. This will protect your camera from the change in temperature and humidity. If there’s a small condensation buildup, don’t try to wipe it, as the moisture may seep into other parts of your camera. Instead, let your camera sit on a towel and let it warm up!
5. SUNNY 16 RULE Factors such as the sun, snow, and unpredictable weather during the winter months make setting your ISO, shutter, and aperture tricky. The “Sunny 16 Rule,” also known as the “Sunny F/16 Rule,” provides us with a great starting point to capture perfectly exposed images. During a very sunny and bright day, set your camera’s ISO to 100, shutter speed to 1/100, and aperture to f/16. If you need to set a faster shutter speed to capture some fast-moving action, simply adjust the ISO to 200 and the shutter speed to 1/200 with the aperture remaining at f/16, and so on. This may sound easy, but this rule may change for winter landscapes depending on the natural lighting and the amount of snow. When you are shooting a subject or scene that is very bright and has a lot of snow, try this rule with a faster shutter speed as the snow reflects a large amount of light. Starting with an ISO of 100, shutter speed of 1/200, and aperture of f/16 is recommended.
6. MAKE USE OF LEADING LINES Leading lines may be a simple concept to many photographers, but when you’re trying to capture a beautiful winter landscape, leading lines become very important. Your winter photo may contain a lot of white, compositionally creating more negative space than you may want. To make things interesting, you can find either sloped lines that move diagonally across your scene (such as mountain tops) or a vanishing point (a point where two lines converge, such as a walking path). Both of these techniques will help you add depth to your photo and a point for viewers to focus on.
7. USE A ZOOM LENS Even though a prime lens may get you a great shot, it doesn’t offer the flexibility you need when shooting outdoors. You may need to take a macro shot of a snowflake, and then a landscape shot immediately after. We don’t recommend switching lenses and equipment too often when you’re outdoors, as the inner parts of your camera and other equipment will be exposed to the elements.
8. LATER SUNRISES, EARLIER SUNSETS The golden hours (one hour after sunrise and one hour before sunset) are the best times to shoot, especially for landscapes. A great thing about winter is that you do not have to get up by 4 a.m. to capture the sunrise. Keep in mind that golden hours in winter occur later in the morning and much earlier in the evening. Be sure to check your local weather report the day before to see the times for the sunrise and sunset.
9. ADD CONTRAST TO YOUR PHOTOS With all the white from the snow, your photos may need a little kick when editing, as the colours and contrast may seem dull. Simply increase and adjust your blacks, contrast, saturation, and shadows to bring life back into your photo when you’re back at home editing.
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WE ASKED... THE experts in Canadian photo history to share an image they felt was important to the Canadian landscape. Here is what they replied with...
Photographic Historical Society of Canada Niagara Falls has been one of the most photographed Canadian landmarks since rail service opened the Niagara region in the nineteenth century. But what might have caused the Falls to become important for Canada unfolds far from her borders. The 1800s saw an explosion of geographical expeditions, new areas of science, and fossil excavations, especially by the British. Combined excitement over the discovery of exotic locations and an interest in 38 photo ED
dinosaurs spawned a host of illustrations by artists throughout Europe, imagining the earth in deep time. Waterfalls were characteristic in evoking a world before history, and possessed an even stronger association with a biblical Eden, an ancient Greek Arcadia or a Roman pastoral. As painters and engravers invented these images, they compelled people to experience the real thing. Niagara offered visitors such a coveted chance, while enterprising photographers captured the memories.
The Falls quickly became a destination for all, but this Victorian-era ambrotype illustrates that early tourists were those who could afford the trip. The carriage is one designed for show; its occupants are impeccably dressed. Though the American Falls are the backdrop, the carriage and the photographer stand on Canadian soil. Niagara Falls, half-plate ambrotype in case. Unknown photographer, 15x12 cm, circa 1859-1861. Collection of Lewko Hryhorijiw.
WE ALSO ASKED
some experts in creative photography from across Canada to share an image from their collections they felt spoke to their own connection with OUR LAND. These were the responses…
Lianne Marie Leda Charlie Tagé Cho Hudän, Yukon Big River People
Chu | Water. she is water | we are water. water is flowing from her | water is flowing from us. water is moving through her | water is moving through us. When asked to select an image of my work, I chose this one as it depicts well the relationship between my People and our ancestral land and water. The image is a digital collage and drawing made with fragments of photographs I have taken throughout the Yukon and British Columbia. I call it “Chu,” which means water in Northern Tutchone, the language
spoken by Indigenous Peoples in south central Yukon. Land and water is of incredible importance to our way of life. Colonialism continues to shape Canada’s relationship with Indigenous Peoples, lands and waters. As such, our lands, and waters are under constant threat from resource extraction, encroachment, and capitalist expansion. Under such conditions, it is difficult to protect and live our ancestral connection. Recreating a relationship with Canada will require Canada to recreate its relationship with our Indigenous land and water. Lianne Marie Leda Charlie is an artist, educator, and mother. You can find more of her artwork on Instagram: @littlesalmonwoman
André Gallant
Saint John, New Brunswick
Peppa Martin
Vancouver, British Columbia Selected: Matthew Vogt’s - Winter Is Never “Winter Is Never” transports and deposits the viewer into a frost-tinged, swampy, Canadian boreal forest. The bluish transitional light enveloping the raw landscape heightens the senses, creating an immersive, vulnerable experience. Peppa is a professional photographer and lensbased artist, gallerist, curator, art consultant, and independent writer on art and culture. She owns and operates Truth and Beauty Studio and Gallery.
“Over the course of my 40-year career in photography, this is my favourite image. Taken on a very cold February morning in Niagara Falls in 2004, I was on assignment illustrating the book, Winter, for the famous Canadian media personality, Pierre Berton. After all these years it still resonates with me. The scene captured has a contemplative feel to it. When we think of Niagara Falls, this is not the image that comes to mind. It is a moment where the
timing was right with light, colour and mist coming together. For me, it illustrates one of Berton’s quotes, “There is only one season in Canada, winter’. ” André Gallant is an expert in expressive photography. He wrote, Photography for the Joy of It, and teaches workshops with Freeman Patterson, with whom he co-wrote Photo Impressionism and the Subjective Image. He lectures and has been published in magazines internationally. photo ED 39
ADISA SADAF RAWI / NEW WORLDS
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I WAS BORN in Pakistan and have an Afghan background. My family moved to Canada when war made living in Pakistan impossible. After moving to safety in Canada, my parents’ expectations for academic achievement was high . Although my family is filled with doctors, engineers, businessmen, and math majors, pursuing the arts and photography was my career choice. Conceptual photography has become the perfect visual outlet for me to express my personal struggles and experiences.
“...A WORLD TRANSFORMED INTO A SURREAL ENVIRONMENT FILLED WITH CURIOSITIES.” The New Worlds series echos a part of my personality and personal experience. I aim to illustrate the idea of isolation: a feeling of seclusion from the world, but a world transformed into a surreal environment filled with curiosities. In these worlds, imagined shapes added to existing places create a feeling of wonder. My colour palette reflects institutional structure: white, clean, simple, yet complex. My conservative background is portrayed through mood using colour, and the curious shapes and architectural elements reflect my experiences exploring Canada. The composition in each image in this series intends for viewers to experience wonder, as well as tension. I wanted to share my own experience visually, the struggle of adapting and understanding: a feeling of living in a box, yet being exposed to the outside world. www.adisasadaf.com
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THE READERS
GALLERY Submissions by our readers
1. THIBAUT KETTERER Wood, Water, & Rock thibautketterer.com @t_ketterer 42 photo ED
2. MACKENZIE CALARCO Jรถkulsรกrlรณn, Iceland in September 2017 maccalarco.tumblr.com 43 photo ED photo ED 43
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3. WILLIAM D. ORSUA Abraham Lake, near Nordegg, Alberta, in January soulmateproductions.ca
4. ALICIA NARAIN Kitchener, Ontario in September
5. SAMANTHA VESSIOS Lake of Bays, Ontario in 2013 @vessios vessiosphoto.com 6. CECE SCOTT Tranquil Tonquin Beach, Tofino, British Columbia cecescott.com
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7. (next page) DILLON ANTHONY Cabin, Sørøya - Norway dillonanthony.com photo ED 45
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8. RANCES PATELLA “Spectrum” High Park Controlled Burn, Chasing a Rainbow wwwfrancespatella.com
9. DAVID BRANDY Grey County, Ontario in 2017 davidbrandyphotography.com
10. RAILENE HOOPER “Evening Glow”, Lake Louise Cabin at Sunset @rai_hoop
11. CHRIS RATZLAFF Alberta Storm from the Top of Sunnyslope
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12, 16 (next page) MARTHA MacGILLIVRAY One-ness Tides of Time @marthamacphotos
13. ROBERT HAYNES On top of Cape Spencer in Saint John, NB. RobertHaynesPhotography.com @RobertHaynesPhotography 14. RICHARD MATIOWSKI Minto Manitoba on Highway #10, in 2016
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15. PHIL WEBER Sea to Sky Highway in beautiful British Columbia, 2016.
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17. TENILLE CAMPBELL The Falls, Northern Saskatchewan The Falls, Northern Saskatchewan. “This is an important image for me, as it depicts a place of traditional hunting and trapping knowledge. Families in our community used to portage here across the falls when the water was low. Our community still uses this land to teach traditional knowledge, even though it’s not on any official treaty paperwork. My daughter sits at the Falls, as many of her ancestors have done, time and time again”. teaandbannock.com 19. LINDA BRISKIN Winter White
18. EPIPHANIE GUILLERME Synaesthesia epiphanieguillerme.com @epiphanieguillerme
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20, 21. LOUISE QUINBY Chroma: Seascapes artpresence.ca
22, 23. STEPH HUNTER Cut Copy stephhunterphotography.com @snaps.by.steph
24 (next page). MARIA MERHEB Canadian Winter Landscapes from an Emigrant's Eyes, #4 mariamerhebca.wixsite.com/website @mariamerheb1
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