What strikes you about your hometown? It is interesting to look at a city through the eyes of its artists. And who better to supply the view than celebrated photographer Fred Herzog?

Herzog was born in Germany, emigrating to Vancouver in 1953. He went on to careers in both fine and medical photography. Herzog was an early user of colour film, working with Kodachrome while most others were shooting in black and white. He was also out in the Vancouver streets, shooting unobtrusively from hip level.

Herzog’s beautiful work is available at Equinox Gallery. In browsing through his images, one can both admire his documentary art style and spy on Vancouver culture in the 50’s and 60’s.

Fred Herzog @ Equinox

“None of my photographs are pre-planned,” Herzog said in an interview with Canada Art. “Many of my best pictures have to do with body language.”

Here he talks about his technique and some of his specific photos of the city.

And in this clip, Herzog is checking colour page proofs for his Fred Herzog: Photographs book from Douglas & McIntyre.

“I loved the docks, the airport, the street, the people,” he says. “I loved the city for its grittiness. I wasn’t a journalist. I did not have the chance to become that. But I photographed like I was a journalist in the scene that was Vancouver.”

Written by Elizabeth Newton
www.creatorsvancouver.com