Category Archives: Photography Journal

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Utrecht Photography 1 of 2 – Nightime Panorama

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I love the city of Utrecht, the Netherlands. It is small enough to feel like a village, is within easy train access to Amsterdam, and feels much more ‘Dutch’ then its’ bigger brother to the North. Photographing the wonderful canals and city is a great pleasure, especially at night when the lights sparkle off the water. I wanted to take this opportunity to share two images / projects that I have been working on. This is the first, a Panorama of Utrecht, including the DOM tower in the background. I hope that you enjoy it. Check back tomorrow for the second set of images from Utrecht.

To license this image click here.

Tar Sands, Water and the First Nations of Alberta

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“I don’t know what’s happening to this place, it won’t last 10 -15 years if we lose our water.”

Gabe Burke, Fort Chipewyan

Water in Anzac Alberta, Tar Sands Story

Simon Reece from Anzac, Alberta, stands on the pier on Gregoire Lake. Without the huge amount of fresh water resources in Northern Alberta, the Tar Sands would not be able to operate. Oil companies don't pay anything for the water removed from the Athabaska river, which they subsequently pollute, requiring residents downstream to buy bottled water to drink.

Syncrude Oil Processing Plant

The Syncrude oil processing plant. Average greenhouse gas emissions for oil sands extraction and upgrading are estimated to be 3.2 to 4.5 times as intensive per barrel as for conventional crude oil produced in Canada or the United States.

cemetary fort chipewyan

The cemetary in Fort Chipewyan. Since the arrival of the Tar Sands, more cancer is appearing in Fort Chipewyan then in a regular community this size.

The Athabaskan River delta is one of the largest water systems in Canada and a key component of the livelihood of the Dineh, Cree and Metis that live along its’ banks. However, upstream from communities like Fort McKay and Fort Chipewyan the out of control Tar Sands Industry is polluting the system and rendering it unusable. I was recently in Alberta, photographing and interviewing the First Nations  to help publicize their story.

Despite cozy government and industry relations claiming that industry is not affecting the water quality, the evidence is mounting and exposing their flawed science and PR campaign. A recent report by several authors including acclaimed scientist Dr. David Schindler has the government of Alberta scrambling to cover up and increase their PR. “Contrary to claims made by industry and government in the popular press, the oil sands industry substantially increases loadings of toxic PPE (priority pollutants) to the AR (Athabasca River) and its tributaries via air and water pathways.” David Schindler.

Athabaska river

Residents of Fort Chipewyan sail down the Athabaska River. Many residents of Fort Chipewyan have cabins on the land. They try to maintain some of their attachment to Mother Earth, which is exceedingly difficult with the dangers of eating the fish and disappearance of wildlife due to industrial development upstream.

When I was in the region, I heard again and again that people don’t trust the water. The water is suspected to be part of the cause of a drastic increase in cancer cases in Fort Chipewyan and is widely cited as the reason why the fish are appearing with tumours. For a community that used to rely on fish as a food source, now when a fish appears at the table, the first question asked is, ‘Where did it come from?”.

“The Athabaska river is like a main artery of the world, it’s the blood going down, if your blood is polluted, you aren’t going to last damn long and that is what is happening to our country and earth. All the rivers are getting polluted so bad. I pity young people now, there are rough times ahead. Water could be about 10bucks a liter in ten years, how are you going to survive. ” Gabe Burke

It is shocking that the Canadian and Alberta governments continue to put industry profits above the health of people and the environment. However, the drive and energy of the young people and leaders within the communities are succeeding in securing support from a wide range of groups and individuals including James Cameron, director of Avatar. The tide is shifting.

Eriel Deranger

Eriel Deranger works and lives in Edmonton. She is originally from Fort Chipewyan and is one of many young indigenous people that have dedicated their lives to healing Mother Earth.

It is time that the truth be told about the water situation in this beautiful part of Canada and I join the call for a comprehensive study on the water system, free of industry input and a moratorium on further Tar Sands development until responsible ways of developing are found.

This post is part of the Blog Action Day #10 focusing on water.

10:10:10 in Utrecht – Cradle to Cradle Climate Action

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In conjunction with the Global Work Party, Cradle to Cradle, a event informing children and adults about sustainability was held today in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The Cradle to Cradle event was packed with kids and families, enjoying the sun, learning about sustainability and creating cool things with recycled materials. The photographs below show kids making wallets from old milk cartons and art from recycled material.

The Global Work Party was organized by 350.org and 10:10 and is being heralded as the world’s largest day of civil action ever. Be sure to hop on over to 350.org for more photography around the world.

Panorama – Rub’ Al Khali, Oman

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I invite you to step into the Rub’ Al Khali of Oman via this panorama. 300m high sand dunes for endless kilometers, the Rub’ Al Khali, (the Empty Quarter), is quite simply one of the natural wonders of our world. The hot valley floors are littered with geodes, the silence is incredible and the endless shifting dunes will allow your imagination to run wild.

This panorama was created while on assignment for National Geographic Traveler in the Netherlands. To license this image click here.

Upcoming events – Blog Action Day and 10:10:10

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A post to spread the word about two great upcoming events that are coming up.

10:10:10, the global work party is taking off. On Sunday, over 6000 events will happen in over 180 countries. Everywhere people will be working together to take action on climate change. I will be in Amsterdam at a small event at the Dokhuis taking part in some workshops. Find out more at 10:10:10 or 350.org

The Blog Action Day will follow a few days later on the 15th. Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion around an important issue that impacts us all. Last year the issue was climate change, this year, it is water. Stay tuned for my post on the 15th.

Petitions by Change.org|Start a Petition »

1500 Scouts gather for 10:10 Climate Aerial Photo

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This past Saturday, in the little town of Vlaardingen near Rotterdam, an estimated 1500 Scouts gathered to create this aerial image of 10:10. The event was organized by JMA (Jongeren Milieu Actief) in Amsterdam. This is arguably the largest 10:10 image ever recorded and was a lot of fun to create, (at 20 meters in the air). The image reminds us of the goal to stop climate change by reducing emissions by 10% in 2010. It is important that we to get to work during and after the Global Work Party on October 10, 2010.

What are you planning for 10:10? If you are in the Netherlands, check out this site.

In Amsterdam on October 10 a series of workshops will be held at the Dok Huis Gallery @ Plantage Doklaan 8 Amsterdam. Currently the prospective line up is below. If you want to get involved in helping plan either of these workshops or just want to come along, contact me.

  • In the POWER workshops, participants will gain practical skills in how to create electric power off the grid.
  • In the ART workshops, participants will utilise recycled/waste/sustainable materials to create quality art works.
  • In the MUSIC workshops, participants will create instruments with recycled/waste materials.
  • In the LIFE workshops, participants will learn how to create sustainable urban gardens and do some shared vegetarian cooking.

10:10 the netherlands aerial image

Portrait of a Climate Change Activist – Anna Keenan

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I find Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to be an ideal base; it is a central point for international work, it is a hot bed of photography (the World Press, FOAM etc.), it is on the right track for a sustainable lifestyle, and last but not least, the friends and community are amazing.

One of these dear persons is Anna Keenan, an Australian climate activist whose work within the International Youth Climate Movement has been invaluable to the explosion of climate movements across the globe. She is a uber passionate individual who holds the need for climate justice and stopping the impacts of climate change dear to her heart (and on her neck). Without her skills in organizing, her intelligence and her drive, the climate change movement would be a step back. I recently got the opportunity to photograph Anna here in her adopted town of Amsterdam. Enjoy

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Website Updates

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Greenland village and IcebergI have been busy updating a few things on my website. It was in need of some navigational work and other updates, some of which are visible and many of which you can’t see.

Updates:

  • I have updated the Portfolio and it is now located under Archive (still more work to do here)
  • I have reordered and renamed the Images link so that it makes a little more sense.
  • The back end has been double updated, via Graph Paper Press theme and updated WordPress.
  • The connection to my Archive has been streamlined thanks to Photoshelter updates.
  • Updated slideshow on the homepage

16 Feet at FLEX Mussels in New York

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Panorama of Prince Edward Island, CavendishPanoramic image of Cavendish, Prince Edward Island

I come from Prince Edward Island, a tiny island on the East Coast of Canada. I have been lucky to live all over Canada and now base myself in the Netherlands, but, I am still proud to call myself an Islander. Thus, I was very excited when the architect for a new New York restaurant called requesting to license two large Panorama prints from PEI. Christine Restaino from CR + DZ Architects had found my images online while searching for PEI Panoramas. We spent the next few weeks emailing back and forth, confirming images sizes, shipping proofs to New York and operating under a tight deadline for the restaurant opening.

Chrisine and her clients, Bobby and Alex Shapiro from FLEX Mussels, settled on two images that were created one cloudy and windy day near Cavendish. The above images of the Covehead lighthouse truly capture the spirit of Prince Edward Island, right down to the lobster trap on the beach. Now, these images are featured at the new Flex Mussels Restaurant (at 154 West 13th Street). The first (blue) is a HUGE 16 foot print done in a lightbox style (printed by Duggal). By all accounts, absolutely beautiful and you should check it out. (That is 5.33 meters for those of us in the 21st century.)

The restaurant opens this Wednesday, so, next time you are hungry in New York, stop by for some Island fare and enjoy the view.

Do you want to see this image and other panoramas from around the world, click.

Return to Amsterdam after National Geographic Traveler assignment

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Just a quick blog update to say that I have returned to sunny Amsterdam after a rainy photography assignment for National Geographic Traveler – Netherlands edition. I had the pleasure of working with Amsterdam writer Maartje de Gruyter (webpage under development) and together we explored the rainy hills, buildings and landscapes of the olde country. I can’t give away much right now and will rely on Maartje to tell the story. For me, the editing down of the many images begins. The full article will most likely be published next year, I will keep you updated when it does.