Aylmer photographer Crombie McNeill has images at heart, as they tell stories, record life
Crombie McNeill’s photo credits have appeared in many publications, from National Geographic and Sports Illustrated to Time and others. This well-known Canadian photographer from Aylmer is working on two books, both due in 2017.
“One is on the Rideau Canal system, titled 'Misty River', and the other one is on the Parliament Buildings,” McNeill told the Bulletin. “I spent years on the Rideau Canal as a boy with my family. I remember waking up to a mist on the water. (That gave) the Rideau a sense of mystery, and of course it has a history that bears that out.”
The award-winning photographer who lives in Deschênes is also working on a book featuring portraits of 'street people' – part of a signature series of his -- but he has yet to find a national publisher.
“This work started in 1965 when I was a young news photographer. I went down to what is now called the Ottawa Mission. That’s where it got started. It continued in other parts of the country. I love it. These people are very honest; absolutely dead straight honest. They will tell you their life story and will tell you where they were at fault and all those things that happened to them. It shows in their faces. There’s nothing artificial about them, as long as you are not artificial with them. The photographer becomes very honest, but, let’s face it, when you do fashion models or politicians, those are very artificial photographs,” he said.
Mr McNeil also teaches photography online and with the Aylmer Arts Council.
“I don’t teach people why this ISO is better than that, or why this camera is better, I try to have people discover themselves through photography and inspire them,” he added.
His tip for aspiring photographers is to not get caught up in the technology. “The essence of photography is a person’s vision, not whether it’s a Canon Model XYZ or a Nikon. Keep it very simple. As you become more advanced, you’ll know what piece of technology you want and why you want to buy it,” he remarked.
