Documenting the Realities of Life: Meet Photographer Andrew Wilson

By Al Gord

Canadian photographer Andrew Wilson has taken inspiration from his own beginnings, which have helped to shape his style and subject matter. His younger years were not always easy.

Having experienced first-hand financially challenging years growing up, Andrew understood the complicated realities that others faced. While for some these experiences would be hard to fathom, for Andrew they came to him naturally. In part, this may explain why he moved around the country as frequently as he did – to some extent it was in search of meaning and focus. While out west in Alberta, Andrew finished his education and began his career in social work.

Having lived in many places in Canada, Andrew was fortunate to have experienced much of the natural beauty that Canada has to offer. Hiking, sightseeing, and animals are huge interests of his and capturing these passions on film was a way to preserve these memories. As well, music has always been a hobby of Andrew’s and he enjoys playing the guitar. However, his affinity for photography became more than just a way to capture his love of nature, which explains the variety of topics covered in his portfolio. His works are also a way to unwind and capture the voice of others. Working with individuals who have struggled through some of the most severe life experiences, Andrew has learned a great deal. Ironically enough, upon reflecting on his career to date, that what he has leaned the most about, has been himself.

As many who work in a demanding career will tell you, balance and a way to de-stress is crucial to success. Working in a field such as social work is not for everyone – supporting others who are vulnerable on a daily basis is emotionally challenging. One of the ways to survive a career in social work is to have things in life that take one’s mind away from work, and Andrew is no exception. It was by chance that he found his creative outlet. While in central Canada for school, hiking became a past time that he immensely enjoyed. Viewing and experiencing magnificent natural terrain, from forests and rock formations to incredible waterfalls, Andrew began taking pictures with his phone. Eventually he progressed to purchasing a camera, and after learning how to use it, he began to see how to put vision into pictures that included mood, variances of light, and focus.

While Andrew appreciates the various subjects that can be captured through a camera, he is continually drawn to would night photography in urban settings. It is more than just the beauty of the imagery with which he connects. Addressing the struggles of others on a daily basis, as well as being empathetic to the challenges occurring globally, is taxing. However, the night provides Andrew with the setting he needs. As he explains, “Things change at night, cities have a different glow, and shadows can have, or not have meaning.” For Andrew, the mood and ambience of nighttime, urban and street photography is a healthy way for him to process safely the experiences of social work. For a classic introvert like Andrew, the escape into imagination, the desire to tell a story, or how to manage a scene to get a certain look, becomes a great way to recharge after the stresses that can accompany the day.

Andrew has never followed the works of other shutterbugs and so no specific photographers influence his work. He is drawn to night and street photography, which influences his works as he looks for ways to combine both categories into his photographic stories, stories that might be otherwise unseen. Andrew is energized by using the shadows, lights, and colours of the night to tell the narratives of a city, to present both its magnificence and its areas of struggle. While he connects to this style of photography, he is still inspired by the natural beauty that is all around him and which first drew him into photography. Being able to relax and capture the elegance of the Northern Lights, for example, is something that Andrew finds rejuvenating.

For Andrew the story of humanities surroundings, and the positive or negative way these stories are told, can offer a significant look into how society is doing in the context of truly caring about others. As he continues on his photographic journey, he wants to focus more of his work on the inner city, where there are so many people struggling to tell their stories. He hopes to tastefully, and ethically, catch a glimpse of these accounts and document them through his work. Ultimately, Andrew hopes to share both his story as well as glimpses of others in exhibits and galleries. For now Andrew’s photographic recounts can be viewed on Instagram.