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Apogee Photo Magazine

 

     Gooderham Photography


 

From Dream to Reality:

The Photographic Diary of a Community

by Gerry Gooderham
 


Copyright © G. R. Gooderham


Catherine (Mamo) Morrison, now 101: She is seen here with her Great, Great Grandson Ryder, 7 months.  Catherine has been coming to Temagami since 1950 as cottagers and is known by everyone.
 

In the summer of 2005, I was inspired with an idea that played out to my love for photography.  It came to me while discussing with a friend how so many rural communities had dwindled, and disappeared, without so much as a photograph of  their existence.  Who records the passing of time as it slips by?  Sure there are local papers, personal diaries and family photographs; some have been passed down through the generations, but many are lost forever.  Public libraries have some of these records, but they are often hidden away in dusty old boxes.

 

I live in such a place.  Temagami, Ontario is an old mining and logging village, and like similar communities that lose their prime industry, it is slowly eroding away.  I felt that a visual record of the people of Temagami was missing--photographs of elders and seniors.  These are the people who live and remember Temagami in its hay day, the very roots of the village and lake.  These are the folks who remember how their Grandfathers and Grandmothers literally lived off the land and how it was so different “back then”.

 

In the winter of 2006, I began putting this project together, but essentially it would involve making photographic portraits of the elders and seniors of the community.  After several months of research and planning, I had the scope of work, and as ambitious as it was, I was excited.  Although Temagami is a small village, the municipality is huge and encompasses the Teme-Augama Anishnabai First Nations on Bear Island; the permanent and seasonal Lake Temagami Islands residents as well as the village and mainland rural areas.

 


Copyright © G. R. Gooderham
 

Len Guppy, 82: He is a local historian and the Guppy family is one of the oldest family names in Temagami.

 


 
Copyright © G. R. Gooderham

Herb Costante, 83: He and his 2 brothers are long time residents of Temagami and last year reunited here for the celebration for the Temagami public school’s 100 year celebration.

The Temagami Elders Portrait Project was on paper and ready to go, but I soon realized that the cost of printing and framing was going to run into hundreds of dollars!  I needed assistance!  I approached the Temagami Community Foundation and applied for some working funds.  I wrote letters to all the community leaders, clubs, groups and associations explaining my goal.  The idea was met with great enthusiasm by all and I did receive a start up grant from the Temagami Community Foundation.

 

The goal of the project was to photograph as many community elders and seniors as possible to produce a body of work that records the history and humanity of our communities as a living history.
 

 

 

 

Locke Goddard, 81:  He is a local videographer and has recorded a lot of historical events and places.  He always has a great story to tell.

 

Copyright © G. R. Gooderham

 

 


Copyright © G. R. Gooderham
 

Jack Stevens, 83:  Jack and his wife return every year to their cottage.  The Stevens family name is one of the oldest in Temagami.

 

In brief, here is the scope of the project:

  • The initial project will be to try to archive 30 to 200 portraits.

  • It will take place over the next 2 years, starting in the of winter 2009.

  • Portraits will be a permanent record made with digital equipment.

  • Archival DVD’s of the final project will be produced as a permanent record and kept where archiving facilities exist, such as the library or Municipal office.

  • All portrait photographs will be made print ready at a size of 11 x 14 and matted and framed using acid free materials.

  • A selection of the portraits will be framed for display.  The original scope is about 20, but the actual number will depend upon funding.

  • The framed portraits will be displayed gallery style in halls, municipal and administration buildings, and may also be available to businesses that apply to display them.  

  • The long-term goal is to keep this as a living project/archive.


Although the funding has run out for the time being (I am applying for more framing funding), I will continue to shoot and archive.  I have made contact with several more seniors and with the First Nations on Bear
Island; hopefully a session or two on the island to record the Elders will result.  At this time I am anxiously awaiting the lake to freeze, so I can pursue the next phase.

 

I am thrilled to have accomplished this much in such a short amount of time and that this permanent gallery of portraits will stand the sands of time.  I have enjoyed sharing my experience in hopes that it may inspire other artists to engage in their own community and uncover the stories hidden within.

 

~~~~~
 

Gerald Richard Gooderham has been a permanent resident of Temagami, Ontario, Canada since 1973.


He started to approach photography seriously in the year 2000 by taking several courses in photography at Canadore College.  His continued studies and his experience with the camera have given him an extensive working knowledge of photography with both digital cameras (Canon a50, Nikon 4500, d70, d100, d300) and film cameras (Konica, Nikon f-80, Nikon f-100).  He has a great deal of training in both the chemical darkroom and digital darkroom (Photoshop 6 to CS3 and Lightroom2).


Gerry has a small home studio and takes portraits by request and does custom assignments.  He has also worked on several local projects, including this elder community project.

 

He loves the northern landscape and its people--the richness of sprit and its endless possibilities.  To find a unique and beautiful wilderness shot is thrilling, but to capture it in the eyes of someone who lives here is the completion.

 

Gerry has often said, “Look closer, move in, refocus--the possibilities are unlimited.”

 

You can see more of Gerry's work and contact him at…

 


 

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