Since he was 19 years old, Ron Smid has travelled Canada photographing the landscape, a journey that has taken him thousands of kilometres back and forth across the country, from Labrador to Yukon. Originally from Ontario, he has now set up a home and studio in Powell River to work on completing a book and other projects.
What is the book you’ve dedicated so much of your life to?
Canada: The Light on Our Land is a book I’ve been working on for 23 years. I’m trying to finish the Arctic series because it’s the only area I haven’t photographed. At the same time, I’m putting out a portfolio of my first West Coast series of black and white photographs.
What camera do you use?
I’m working with a large format, circa 1923, Deardorff wood camera; it shoots eight by 10 negatives. Basically, I’ve never used a digital camera. My mentors were all master landscape photographers and when I was learning in my 20s, film was the only thing around. Once digital photography came out I was kind of disenchanted because of the computer manipulation in the colour work.
Do you use traditional analogue techniques?
Michael Wilder is my darkroom master printer. He worked with Ansel Adams and is regarded as the world’s greatest colour printer. He’s creating each one by hand for me on demand. These are all handcrafted through a traditional darkroom.
What is it you see in the landscape?
I see a land that is endless in its capacity to move people’s spirit. The landscape of Canada is immensely huge, diverse and almost incomprehensible in size and grandeur. All my inspiration comes from a spiritual experience to be within the Canadian landscape. To be alone in the Canadian wilderness is what inspires the artist to create the work in the first place.
For more information, go to ronsmid.ca.
