Take in stunning views of Ottawa landmarks captured from behind a camera lens. Starting in December, the work of Stittsville photographer John Edkins will be on display in two Stittsville locations. John’s Iconic Ottawa exhibition is a collection of images representing the best-known landmarks in Canada’s capital, such as the Parliament buildings, Château Laurier, Rideau Canal, National Gallery, and other recognizable museums and monuments. Over the years, John has captured these landmarks from his own unique points of view.
Running concurrently in two locations – the Stittsville Library and the Amberwood Gallery – Iconic Ottawa comprises more than thirty-five photographs, the majority rendered in black and white. The Stittsville Library will feature the exhibit for the entire month of December. The Amberwood Gallery (located at the Amberwood Village Golf & Country Club) will run the exhibit through both December and January, available for viewing on Thursdays and Sundays from 1:00–4:00 p.m.
John’s photographic journey began as a young boy, when he would use his father’s Rolleicord twin-lens reflex film camera to take pictures of his model cars and train sets. As a teenager he used his first SLR camera, a Pentax, to photograph his friends and landscapes. He credits his creativity to his father, who possessed the photographic eye, and his uncle, who first introduced him to the magic of the darkroom.
This interest in photography took a backseat as family life, a 20-year career in the Navy, and a further 23 years in business became the priority. However, John was eventually able to renew his interest in photography upon retirement, the timing of which perfectly coincided with the advent of digital photography, opening a whole new universe of possibilities. “The freedom to shoot hundreds of exposures and pick the best ones is liberating, and the power of Photoshop to express one’s creativity seems limitless. And to be able to present the photos online to the world is the icing.”
John’s philosophy as a photographer is simple: to create beautiful and interesting images. The typical medium of choice for displaying John’s photos is online, both on his website and on Facebook. He has also been displaying framed images with the Ottawa West Arts Association for 10 years and has participated in solo exhibitions locally. This will be John’s sixth exhibition in the Stittsville Library and his third in the Amberwood Gallery. Past themes at the library have been Amberwood in Winter, Faces of Cuba, Urban Destinations, Seeing in B&W, and Super.Natural.Ontario.
Be sure to visit the Stittsville Library and the Amberwood Gallery during December to see Iconic Ottawa and get a glimpse of Ottawa landmarks from unique perspectives.