Looking behind the lens: Our photo shoot at SPAO

Here at LTO, I think we’ve clearly demonstrated our love for local photography - and particularly – for some of the work that has been coming out of the School of Photographic Arts: Ottawa.

After a great Q&A with photographer Olivia Johnston, she was kind enough to invite us in to get a glimpse of the space, as well as snap a couple of photos of us – professional head shots and a few in her signature style.

Check it out:

LTO

LTO founders Amy and Jessey (Photo Credit: Olivia Johnston)

Photographer Olivia Johnston

We had a lot of fun - Olivia produces great photos, for sure, but we also saw first hand how a lot more goes into portrait photography than just having a good eye. As neither of us had ever really had our photo professionally taken, Olivia had to do a significant amount of work to help us get comfortable (read: not look ridiculous).

This led us to have a few more questions about her craft.

Describe to us the most difficult subject you ever had.

I wouldn’t say I’ve had one most difficult subject, but my most difficult subjects have always been the people closest to me. They have a much harder time seeing you as a photographer or artist and not the person they’ve known all their life, and so they question your direction much more. I think they also are more uncomfortable with the idea of posing – it’s quite a foreign concept to a lot of people, but it’s probably easier when you don’t know the artist.

How do you get a subject out of his/her shell?

Usually when I’m doing a portrait sitting, I’ll take some time to have a conversation with the subject beforehand – it calms people down, and helps them to get into the atmosphere of the studio. The atmosphere is huge for me – I find when I’m not in the right mood, I won’t get the right mood from my subject; they give to me what I project to them.

Why do you think it is difficult for some, but not for others?

I think some people are just more comfortable and relaxed in front of a camera – they know their “angles”, so to speak. I also find that portrait sittings also tend to go better if the subject has no expectations; this probably explains why the people close to me have a harder time posing for me – if they are close to me, they want to “perform well” behind the camera.

Thanks for giving us a personal tour of SPAO – it is a very cool place. Can you talk a bit about how SPAO is a “transformable space?”

SPAO is a really interesting space – there are about five “classrooms”, all of which are transformable in their own way. For example, during the day, the studio becomes a classroom space – computers, desks, chairs, the like. When it’s not being used as a classroom, more often than not someone will be shooting in there. At the end of the year we remove almost everything from it, repaint it, and it becomes a gallery. The other rooms are similar; for example, during our Open House event in November, the digital lab – where we usually do photoshop and inkjet printmaking – becomes a digital gallery with all of our work featured in slideshows on our laptops. It’s really important for us that the space is so transformable; we would need a lot more rooms if it wasn’t. It also allows the students to really own the space – it becomes what they need it to.

How do you feel about the SPAO as an art space?

I think SPAO is a fantastic art space. I think it’s truly showcasing some of the most interesting photo-based artwork emerging out of Ottawa right now. It’s also a huge range of work; there’s such a range of people that there has to be a huge range of styles, and so there really is something for everyone at our end of year exhibition. One of our recent exhibitions, Exhibition No. 6 in April, featured anywhere from a photo documentary essay on the Amish in upper New York State (Caroline Tallmadge) to a series of the mayoral candidates of Ottawa in this past October’s election (Kathy Roussel) to a study of Ottawa and its environs – underground (Cory Shepherdson), as well as many others. My own project was a series on women who had recovered from eating disorders, which sounds very different from all of the above projects, but they all fit extraordinarily well together on the wall.

Thanks for having us to SPAO and teaching us more about your craft Olivia! Do you want to drop by? The Red Wall Gallery is currently featuring a show called “Fish Permutations” by Joseph Jeremie Roy. To visit Olivia’s website please click here.

Ottawa in (f)lux: four local photographers unveil their very first show

Born and raised in Ottawa, Marc-André Cossette has traveled extensively, but has so far always come back home. He is now preparing to present his photographs to the public for the very first time, along with three other local photographers.

Marc-André Cossette

(f)lux opens on May 15, at the Philip K. Wood Gallery in Almonte. What’s it all about?

It’s a group exhibition that will feature my own photographs as well as those of Lorraine Fernando, Lindsay Graham and Katie Lévesque.

Although our photographs are very different in terms of content, we found that we were all in some way or another dealing with the idea of transformation or transition. With photography being our medium of choice, it wasn’t long before the Latin word for “light” (lux) found its way into our title. In the end, it stuck… and here we are!

 The whole show is about unseen spaces in Ottawa – what kinds of photos can visitors expect?

 Actually, I don’t think it’s so much about the “unseen” as it is about looking at everyday spaces more attentively or purposefully.

 For my own photographs, I went back to Orléans where I grew up, trying to capture the tremendous amount of development that’s going on over there.

"Field (I)" Photo by Marc-André Cossette

Lorraine’s photographs deal with something entirely different: reflections that bewilder and maybe even temporarily suspend our perception of reality.

"Continuum" Photo by Lorraine G. Fernando

Katie is the one who gets closest to showing us some of those “unseen” spaces you mentioned, mixed in with photos of more everyday scenes.

"Tranquility" Photo by Katie Lévesque

Finally, Lindsay produced a set of abstract shots of an old, boarded-up schoolhouse that is now enjoying a second life as an impromptu art installation.

"Blue Abstract" Photo by Lindsay Graham

Why did you take this approach to your project?

All the images were produced as part of a course we took at the School of Photographic Arts: Ottawa (SPAO). So apart from a few shots taken in Montreal, we had no choice but to shoot in Ottawa! That said, I think there’s something refreshing about focusing on your home city. I know that for the longest time, I only ever took out my camera when traveling, so this was a way of forcing myself out of that habit.

Heirloom Café and Philip K. Wood Gallery, 79 Mill Street, Almonte

Why are you holding it all the way out in Almonte?

To be perfectly honest, I knew very little about Almonte before preparing for this exhibition. It was actually our instructor, John Hewett Hallum, who found us this great space us at the Philip K. Wood Gallery.

The gallery is located on the upper floor inside the old Victoria Woolen Mill, overlooking the Heirloom Café below. The café will actually be putting on an evening of music to accompany dinner following our vernissage, so if our photographs aren’t enough to bring you out, the café’s food offerings definitely should!

SPAO brought you together: can you talk a bit about The Art of Photography course?

Although this isn’t a SPAO-curated exhibition, it will show the work that we produced as part of The Art of Photography course offered last summer. The goal there was to examine the relationship between photography and other forms of art, and then draw on that knowledge to produce a body of work for the course. John had always planned to have the course culminate in an exhibition. Given that our pictures often never make it to print, it really has been a terrific learning experience for all of us.

You’ve never participated in an exhibition: are you nervous?

I think the apprehension has more or less subsided at this point (ask me again on Sunday, though!) More than anything, I think we’re excited to finally see it all come together. There has been a lot of work put into this over the past few months and we’re thrilled with how it’s turned out.

What did you learn about Ottawa by doing this project?

Just how fantastic the photography community is in this city. There are so many talented photographers out there, producing beautiful and inspiring work. It really is a great community to be a part of.

Thanks so much for sharing your photography and letting us know about this great event! Do you have a favourite space in Ottawa to photograph? Tell us about it in the comments below!

SPAO unveils Exhibition No. 6

Exhibition No. 6 starts this weekend at SPAO

Olivia Johnston has been involved in the local arts scene for almost her whole life. A long-lasting involvement in the music community led her to another artistic passion: photography. Olivia is currently in her second year of the portfolio program at the School of the Photographic Arts: Ottawa (SPAO).

Today is the culminating point of my two years at SPAO.

Celebrating our sixth academic year, we are constantly growing and changing, and that’s one of the things that makes SPAO so amazing. The work coming out of the school is always honest, individualistic, and surprising. We are all incredibly passionate about our work, thinking about it day in and day out, and this show reflects that passion.

Photo by Kathy Roussel. Click the image to read more about this photographer.

The work we’ll be showing on Friday (from 3 to 9 p.m.) and for the following week (’til May 6^th) is on the wall in separate installations, but will also be represented in at least one portfolio book per student, often two. The work of first year students represents a year of foundation learning, including darkroom work (most of their pieces are black and white); the second year work represents our year of portfolio development, much of it colour work, but much of it black and white as well.

Photos by Olivia Johnston. Click the image to read more about this photographer.

This show is incredibly diverse. My show consists of a series of portraits of girls and women who have recovered from eating disorders, but my friend and colleague Whitney Lewis-Smith’s work is a glass plate negative series of taxidermied animals.

Photo by Whitney Lewis-Smith

Cory Shepherdson’s work is an exploration of the underground of cities (literally, he explores drains and photographs them) and Caroline Tallmadge documented the presence of the Amish in upstate New York.

Self portrait by Vera Saltzman. To read more about this photographer click the image.

There will truly be something for everyone at this show, and you can even take something of it home for yourself: we will have a catalogue of the show for sale, as well copies of our annual magazine, Push//Pull.

Photographs by Andrew Carson. To read more about Andrew, click the image.

Exhibition No. 6 will be open on these dates:

• Friday, April 29^th: 3 to 9 p.m.
• Saturday, April 30^th: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Sunday, May 1^st : 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Monday, May 2^nd : 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Tuesday, May 3^rd : 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 4^th : 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Thursday, May 5^th : 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Friday, May 6^th : 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Hope to see you there!

It’s the weekend, Ottawa! What are YOU doing?

Photo Credit: NCC

With springtime in the air, it’s bound to be a busy weekend in Ottawa.

While we at LTOttawa have been very busy this week, we’re looking forward to Friday night and beyond to get us out and about in the city.

Here’s some ideas to get you going:

• Eco-Jest-Us (read it slowly) is taking place on Saturday at the Arts Court. This pre-Earth Day event brings together all sorts of arts elements, including poetry, spoken word, visual art, improv and music.

• The very awesome Victoire boutique, in the Byward Market, is holding a vintage dress show — featuring frocks from the ’50s and ’60s — on Saturday, from 10 am to 9 pm. That’s a full day of shopping! (And check out the garb during a preview night on Friday.)

• The Canadian Science and Technology Museum has a special family-focused workshop Friday about Living on Mars. See what’s needed to live on the Red Planet.

• The NAC show, Broadway’s Leading Men, kicked off tonight — but runs until Saturday, featuring the “glitz and glam” in a music-filled tribute. Think West Side Story, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and more.

• The always-popular charity yoga session (pay a donation, in increments of $5) at Preston Street’s Moksha Yoga takes place EVERY Friday night at 7:30 pm. (Register right away … They fill up very early.)

• For a little costlier $19 drop-in rate, you can check out Moksha’s 3 pm class on Sunday — it often features hauntingly beautiful music to aid in your practice.

• The School of the Photographic Arts (SPAO) — which has allowed us to feature many of its photographers — is hosting a launch party for their 3rd issue of their magazine, Push/Pull, on Friday night at Patrick Gordon Framing.

• The 4th Annual (who knew?) Ottawa Opry brings talent to the stage at the National Archives on Friday night. A benefit for Amnesty International, thing get underway at 8 pm.

• The Cottage & Big Backyard Show rolls into Lansdowne, starting Friday and running until Sunday. If you really want to get summer underway, why not start early by planning out your ideas for outdoor living.

• As national Vimy Day sees events sweep the country, Ottawa will have morning and evening ceremonies at the Tomb of the Unknown Solider on Saturday.
  

Any other things happening? Tell us about them by leaving a comment below!

Q&A with Ottawa photographer Kathy Roussel

This Is A Standoff, Ottawa 2010

Kathy Roussel was born in Riviere-Du-Loup, Quebec, but being raised by a military family fostered her moves across the country throughout her childhood. She eventually settled in North Bay, Ontario where her parents still reside, until her move to Ottawa in 2006. After studying for three years at Carleton University, Kathy enrolled at the School of the Photographic Arts: Ottawa, where she is currently in her second year of studies.

Kathy Roussel

When did your passion for photography begin?

I have always been passionate about photography in general, but I didn’t start getting seriously passionate about the idea of myself as a photographer until late in high school. In my final year or two, I attended as many local music shows as I could and that’s when I really discovered that there was more to photography in me than being interested in other people’s images.

 

Craig Cardiff; Singer/Songwriter, Ottawa 2010

Being in that environment and beginning to photograph live bands made me see that I wanted to blend my passions of photography and music together to create great images myself. I would buy various music magazines and just think that if I worked hard enough, one day that could be my photographs in there.

Music-related photography is not my only interest, but it’s definitely what got the ball rolling. I wish I still had all the band T-shirts I had collected.

What brought you to SPAO? How has the school changed your photography, if at all?

Despite my great interest in photography, after high school I decided to enroll at Carleton University, where my goal was to become a journalist (ideally music-related). I ended up not making it past the first year of journalism, but I stuck the university life out for another two years in a different program because I felt it was important, even if only for myself, to get a degree.

Eric Stone; Bassist (Today I Caught The Plague), Ottawa 2011

At the beginning of my third year, I made the decision that I wanted to pursue my dream of photography full time — my original plan was to apply to a few colleges, and go from there, until an at-the-time acquaintance told me about SPAO and the unique program that it offered.

The school has definitely changed the way I approach photography. The instructors there have taught me the importance of slowing down and shooting with intent, and over the last two years they have truly guided me into creating a body of work which I am proud of. At SPAO you are aided and guided by the amazing teachers and professionals who are there to help you grow — and being only just over twenty students in the entire school, we get a ton of one on one instruction. I now view photography in a whole new way, and how I approach it has definitely changed.

Dan Mangan; Singer/Songwriter, Ottawa 2010

Your love of portraiture is quite evident from your portfolio. What attracts you to that style?

I find portraiture fascinating. The camera has this ability to connect people, to create a relationship between a photographer and a subject even with a short amount of time. Most often, my subjects are able to give me a good amount of time to shoot them, but I have photographed a few people whom I only had ten to twenty minutes with — a short amount of time connect with a subject and get a great image.

Either way, it’s always a thrill, and that connection is something that I am so interested in. The connection is different with each sitter, and after each shoot I have an image to always remember that connection by – an image that was created by our experience. I just find that idea so interesting.

You’ve done a lot of work photographing musicians . . . but not necessarily on stage. How do you capture their essence away from their natural “scene”?

Depending on the band or singer/songwriter, it can sometimes involve some research, most of which will consist of spending a lot of time listening to the band to get a feel for them. Their sound will be the main influence on how I will approach the shoot with regard to setting, posing, lighting, etc.

As much as I also enjoy live music photography, you really do not get the same experience that you do when taking an artist’s portrait. I always feel privileged after a band or an artist has given me the chance to photograph them. I really value the time they give me. I have photographed a small number of bands/artists who were only in town for one day, and they gave me that time. I am so thankful for that.

 

Hunter City Madness, Ottawa 2010

 

Who is the most interesting local talent you’ve shot to date?

I’m not entirely sure I could just pick one. But for the sake of continuing with this thread on musicians, I was beyond honoured to get the chance to photograph local band Today I Caught The Plague last fall. 

Today I Caught The Plague, Ottawa 2010

 

They are largely influenced by hardcore and metal, but I had never heard a sound quite like theirs. I had also never met them prior to photographing them, but they are honestly six of the most incredibly kind dudes I have ever met — I can never say enough good about them. They are actually in the studio right now recording and I’m really looking forward to hearing the final mixes.

I have also photographed two of the band’s six members — drummer Mike Ieradi and bassist Eric Stone — as single portraits, and it’s always an amazing experience. They are down for whatever I have planned and really understand my process, so it’s really nice. I’m really hoping I get more opportunities to photograph them in the future. 

Dinosaur Bones, Ottawa 2011

 

Where’s your favourite place to shoot in Ottawa?

I have to admit — this past year I did not do much work outside of SPAO’s studio, so that would be my answer. I have really grown to enjoy the connection you can develop with a person in that kind of environment and I was really lucky to be able to take advantage of that space while I was given the opportunity to use it. I’m hoping that this summer I’ll get the chance to use photography to explore the city further, and possibly find some new favourite places to shoot.

Beyond the camera, how else do you enjoy exploring the city?

I love going out for tea with friends — Bridgehead or Ideal Coffee is often where I end up. But I love being introduced to new coffee or tea shops. I also try and explore as much of Ottawa’s music scene as I can.

This city holds some great local bands, and we have some awesome venues (whether it be smaller cafes like Raw Sugar Cafe on Somerset or something bigger like the downtown located Mavericks or Ritual). We are quite lucky.

Thanks Kathy!

Q&A with Ottawa photographer Andrew Carson

Self-portrait, Andrew Carson

Andrew Carson is the artist and photographer that you hear making a bunch of noise in front of house on garbage night while he digs around in your trash only to toss your discarded televisions into his trunk. He is also the artist and photographer whose landlord wants to strangle him for filling his backyard full of dismantled TVs.

Tell us about how you found your passion for photography.

Passion. I wouldn’t say that I really have a passion for it. I like it and it’s very interesting but for me camera is nothing more then a tool. My passion is creating things with my hands. Photography happens to be a very good way of showing people the things I have done and the ideas that I have. What I found instead, was SPAO. I don’t know of another place that permits the sort of learning (to use the word loosely) that occurs in the that building. You can learn anything you want at SPAO as long as you photograph it in the process. I want to be clear though – its not a cakewalk and this isn’t a plug for SPAO – you’ve been warned.

You’ve lived in Ottawa since you were 16, what’s your favourite space in the city to photograph?

I don’t have one because I don’t go out and photograph places or things specifically. The photographs occur in my mind first and then go out to find the pieces that satisfy the requirements of the idea. Of course I need to make some concessions along the way but I guess that’s normal.

Ottawa is really a beautiful city to live in and damn it, that sure makes it difficult to create cold and uncomfortable imagery!

The River, Andrew Carson

You’ve had a diverse career – how has that informed your photographic style?

Retail, lot jockey, building maintenance, student, tour manager, truck driver, parts installer, brick layer, triathlete, snow removal, insurance broker, lighting designer, contractor…I have worn and continue to wear many hats.

I guess a lot of them have involved building things so that has definitely played into the way I create. Being an insurance broker for nine months changed me irreversibly – I wanted to stab myself with a fountain pen while I was doing that. So, desk jobs are out the question for me. I don’t really have much of a choice – I need to create. Everything I’ve done has affected my “-style” – both photographic and life.

Tell us about the work you’ve done with SPAO so far.

When I first started going to SPAO I moved from the Alta-Vista area and into VERY SMALL bachelor apartment in the ByWard Market. I think my place is 20 feet deep by eight feet wide… anyway, I decided that I wasn’t going to pay for the internet or cable because, well – I couldn’t afford it.

So, one day I was in my tiny apartment and out the corner of my eye I spotted the white cable that we have all come to know as the conduit through which hours of entertainment and information arrive on our TV screens. I thought to myself “I wonder if it works?” So, I grabbed my television dusted it off (who am I kidding, I didn’t dust it off) and plugged the cable in. I flicked the TV on and much to my surprise – 37 channels of basic cable being paid for by God knows who and coming from God knows where. I became a zombie. The TV was keeping me from many precious hours of sleep and it while it seemed free it was costing me productivity – and for what? It’s all crap! Junk, junk and more junk.

One small cable piping all the visual pollution of the world directly into my eyeballs. So, I cut it off. I disconnected the TV once and for all and made a decision that if I was going to spend inordinate amounts of time watching TV it was only going to be on the ground glass of my camera.

The rest of the story is told through the photographs I have made during my time at SPAO.

The Pile, Andrew Carson

What do you plan to do with photography in the future?

I wish I could say that I have a plan but I don’t. It doesn’t bother me though. I am just going to keep creating and doing the things I am doing. I haven’t made any really horrible decisions so far and don’t think I am going to start screwing up left right and center anytime soon. I have managed to convert my life into a succession of projects and creative activities. I am also a lighting designer so that keeps me busy part of the time and the rest of my time is dedicated to eating, sleeping and making art. At the risk of sounding ridiculously cheesy – I have never been more broke in my life, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.

How would you spend your perfect day in Ottawa?

I would wake up at around 10:30 a.m – it’s Monday.

It would be a sunny day in July and about 28 degrees. I would say hi to the cats and walk next door and get a coffee. While sitting outside and enjoying my coffee I would read the latest copy of Standard Issue Magazine. Lunch would be along shortly and a Club Sandwich would fit the bill.

The rest of the afternoon would be spent biking around checking out record stores like Vertigo Records and Compact Music as well as meeting up with friends.

After some BBQ’d Chicken I would head up to Bluesfest to see Tool play a show on the main stage. After the show I would ride home and relax on the deck with friends and some cold beers.

That sounds about right.

Thanks Andrew!

Q&A with Ottawa photographer Olivia Johnston

Olivia Johnston

Born and raised in Ottawa, Olivia Johnston has been involved in the local arts scene for almost her whole life. A long-lasting involvement in the music community led her to another artistic passion: photography. Olivia is currently in her second year of the portfolio program at the School of the Photographic Arts: Ottawa.

You mentioned that you started taking photographs at age eight. What were your first photographs of?

My early photography consisted of what I imagine most children’s day-to-day existence consists of – my friends, my house, my neighbourhood, but mainly my pets; there must be hundreds of 35mm images of my cats. Eventually, my parents refused to keep developing roll after roll of my cats and I stopped shooting until I received my first digital camera at age 14.

You left Carleton University to fully dedicate yourself to an education at SPAO and a career in photography – was this a tough decision?

My choice to leave Carleton University was a difficult one – achieving a degree at university often seems to be the only option when you are in high school. A solely academic education was not for me, but I needed to spend a year at Carleton learning that. While I was at Carleton I was also taking part-time classes at SPAO and they really were worlds apart. Recognizing that the world of SPAO could be my everyday reality was probably one of the best realizations I’ve ever made.

Photo by Olivia Johnston

How are you finding your time at SPAO?

SPAO really is an amazing place – it’s a very young school, it was only founded in 2005, but we are definitely making a difference in Ottawa’s arts scene. It’s really great to be a part of what SPAO represents and to be so involved in the beginnings of an artistic photographic community.

I registered with the school in order to follow my passion and it really has changed the way I see photography and art in general. Second year has been particularly important for me; this year has definitely allowed me to build my artistic foundation and figure out what is important to me artistically.

Portrait by Olivia Johnston

Portrait by Olivia Johnston

I find it interesting that you specialize in both portraits and self-portraits – is it more difficult to take a photo of yourself than of others?

My approach to self-portraiture is somewhat different from a standard definition of a self-portrait. I see all the art I produce as self-portraits; whatever I choose to photograph ultimately represents my interests and my aesthetic as an artist.

That being said, there is a very definite difference between my portraiture work and my self-portraits – my portraits are shot very formally, in studio, while my self-portraits are shot in many different locations and might not even have me in the frame. I often shoot interiors and landscapes and they fit into my self-portrait genre. There are difficulties in each genre and I deal with an aspect of the unknown in each, especially since I shoot film, but my self-portraits are probably emotionally more difficult – it’s always hard to explore one’s self intimately.

Self-Portrait by Olivia Johnston

What is your favourite space in Ottawa to photograph?

Truthfully, my favourite spaces in Ottawa to photograph are the studio and my house – I do the majority of my shooting within confined spaces.

However, if you know where to go, there are a few places in Ottawa that are awesome to shoot. I personally love shooting the transitway – it’s really neat architecture and sometimes it looks like the set of a sci-fi movie.

It’s great to capture funny things like that within our own city – it makes people start look at their everyday differently.

Ottawa’s Transitway by Olivia Johnston

How would you spend your perfect day in the city?

My perfect day in Ottawa would be in the summer, of course! I’d get up late and meet friends at Bridgehead in the Glebe for a latte. Then I’d walk down the Rideau Canal for a late lunch at the Scone Witch on Albert.

After that I would head over to the Bytown Museum to check out some local history, then I would bus back to my neighbourhood to check out what’s playing at the Mayfair. After that I would grab a bite to eat and a drink at Quinn’s.

The only thing that would make that day more perfect is spending it with good friends and a camera!

Thanks for sharing your photos with us Olivia! Would you like to get involved with Local Tourist Ottawa? Everyone is welcome – just send us a note!

Q&A with SPAO student and local photographer Vera Saltzman

Ottawa photographer Vera Saltzman

Born in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Vera Saltzman spent most of her life pursuing a career in human resources in both the public and private sectors.   After moving to Ottawa, her self-portraiture work led her to a crossroads in her life. She is currently a full time student at the School of Photographic Arts: Ottawa (SPAO).

Tell us a little bit about how you found your passion for photography. You lived in the Arctic for five years – how did Nunavut inspire your photographic work?

Though photography has always been a “back burner” interest,  I didn’t focus seriously on it until I moved to Nunavut.    There is no shortage of interesting landscape in Nunavut.  In the bleakest of blizzards, or the coldest, sunny day the vast space provided an interesting backdrop. But, it was the faces of the people I found most captivating.  While living in Clyde River, I did a series of portraits of the community elders that now hangs in Ilisaqsivik, the hamlet’s family resource centre.

Nunavut landscape, by Vera Saltzman

Nunavut landscape, by Vera Saltzman

You mentioned that you are very interested in portraiture, can you explain why you’ve picked that specialty?

A love of people and a deep interest in the human experience is key to my work.

My goal is to make portraits that will be seen as compelling works of art, alive with the personality of both artist and subject.  I study faces constantly. I find myself walking down the street, in coffee shops or sitting in traffic staring at people. Watching how they move and what their faces say.  I wonder, if the face holds the sum of the life experiences then what is their story. I want to immortalize them so others will know their story,  ensuring it will be told over and over again; even long after they themselves no longer can tell it.

An opportunity to make a portrait of someone is a gift that a person gives to me as a photographer.

Photo by Vera Saltzman

Photo by Vera Saltzman

Photo by Vera Saltzman

Many people have said that with digital photography, “anyone can be a photographer” – do you believe that is true?

Most people can take pictures today which is wonderful but for me to consider myself a photographer there is more to it than “taking pictures.”     I have always been uneasy calling myself a “photographer” as I am always striving for something more.  There is a difference between “taking” pictures and “making” them.

SPAO’s motto inspires me to continue pursuing the ideals of  Vision, Content, Craft.

Why did you choose to sign-up with SPAO?  What kind of courses are you taking?

Michael Tardioli spoke one evening at the RA Photo Club.  His approach to photography inspired me.   I have never been a shutterbug, but always loved photography, so when he spoke about slowing the process down and shooting with intent I realized that I didn’t have to be a shutterbug in order to be a photographer.   After taking a part-time course that summer with Michael Tardioli and Angelina McCormick, I was even more taken with the school’s approach to learning and decided to apply for the full-time program.

Photo by Vera Saltzman

This was a huge decision as once I was accepted it meant leaving my government employment behind. I have no regrets.  The one-on-one instruction is invaluable. At SPAO, instructors are constantly guiding students to develop their vision and create a meaningful body of work.  Course content in level 1 is delivered through a series of Photo Genre Modules (Still Life, Architecture, Landscape, Portraiture, Documentary and Contemporary), which introduce, through practical experience and exploration, the tools, techniques, and visual vocabulary needed to create a strong photographic foundation. Level 2 is less structured, and more self-directed than Level 1, and entirely centered on portfolio production from the beginning of the school year. It will be an exciting challenge next year.

Photo by Vera Saltzman

What is your favourite space in Ottawa to photograph?

Every Wednesday evening in the summer motorcycle and car enthusiasts converge for a Show and Shine at Ottawa’s Rideau Carleton Raceway.  I spent a number of evenings there shooting for a SPAO Street Photography course instructed by well known Ottawa Photographer Tony Fouhse.

Our challenge was to approach strangers and ask to take their photo rather than sneaking a picture of someone.  I met so many interesting people who share a common passion. After attending a few evenings, the sense of community created in the midst of city life became evident. I learned quickly to never judge a book by its cover.  Those who seemed most intimidating turned out to be the kindest in helping me with my project.

It’s people and events like this which make Ottawa more colourful.

A huge thanks to Vera for sharing her beautiful photography with us. We look forward to hearing more from local photographers in the future! Want to get involved? Send us a note!