It's February again so that means the Exposure Photography Festival time in southern Alberta.
I usually take in a number of exhibits, although it seems I have less time this year than in the past, so the number for me this year is a little less. Most are free, some ask for a nominal donation to support the venue, it's all totally worth it.
One venue I always visit during the festival is in Banff at the Whyte Museum, it's always amazing. This year they are featuring the photography of Danny Singer, who is also featured at the Trepanier Baer gallery in Calgary. If you can't make it out to see Danny's work be sure to check out his website. https://www.dannysinger.net/
Also at the Whyte this year, although not featured in the Exposure guide was a presentation of the photography of Harry Rowed made by his son Scott Rowed. I made the trip out to Banff to see the presentation on February 20th, the weather was perfect for the drive and I took a little extra time to do some night photography from around Banff on the digital camera which you can see below.
It was an amazing presentation, showing photographs from the 1930s to the 1970s taken by his father. Mainly black and white, but a few Kodachrome photographs were presented as well. The archival quality of the old Kodachrome slides was evident and amazing. During the Q&A following Scott mentioned that he would love to put a book together with his fathers collection. I hope that happens , it’s such an amazing collection of photographs from another time.
The Whyte Museum has a brief summary of Harry Rowed on their website, I've included it here for reference. https://www.whyte.org/
With his outgoing personality and photographic expertise, Harry Rowed was equally at ease photographing Inuit whale hunters, skiers in the Rockies, or world leaders. Through his magazine articles, commercial assignments, and a few years as Director of Photo Services for the NFB, he told the stories of Canadian people from the mid-1930s through the 1970s. This slideshow will cover Harry’s photography through the Canadian West and North, with special emphasis on the Rockies.
Harry was one of the iconic Canadian photographers of his generation. From his roots as a newspaper reporter and photographer in Saskatchewan, he covered the 1936 Berlin Olympics, the Quebec Conference in 1944 with Churchill, Roosevelt and Mackenzie King, the formation of the UN, and the everyday lives of coal miners, ranchers, bush pilots and oil workers.
If you can, try and get out to check some of the amazing photography happening in southern Alberta, the Exposure website is a great resource. http://www.exposurephotofestival.com/2020-exhibitions
Dean.
