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The Beauty Of Canada’s Ice-Hut Communities In 30 Photographs By Richard Johnson
InterviewIf you're reading this as summer slowly approaches, we have something to cool you down. Thanks to photographers like Richard Johnson, we get a glimpse into the fascinating world of ice fishing communities, particularly those surrounding Lake Simcoe in Ontario. The collection of images we've curated for you today showcases the central hub where fishermen gather, along with the diverse array of small huts dedicated to this timeless activity.
Scroll down to view the finest images from the series, and feel free to share in the comments which hut resonates most with you!
More info: Instagram | richardjohnson.ca
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Bored Panda reached out to Richard’s lifelong partner and the managing director of his studio, Lucie Bergeron-Johnson. We asked some questions regarding the photographer’s work. We were interested in what drew Johnson to photograph the frozen landscapes and communities around Ontario's Lake Simcoe. Lucie told us: “While travelling to different places we would stumble onto these structures. Richard had always been fascinated by architecture made by a human - not an architect, or an engineer, which he did as a well-known Canadian architectural photographer. This was an exploration on the subject of small manmade structures; he subsequently went on to photograph many ice huts and ice villages throughout Canada.”
Asked to describe Richard’s photographic style, Bergeron-Johnson said: “Richard was also profoundly influenced by mid-century German masters Bernd and Hilla Becher and their systematic documentation of Germany’s industrial landscape including water towers, grain silos and mine heads.”
We were also curious about specific challenges or difficulties Johnson faced while photographing these frozen landscapes and communities. Lucie shared with us: “He did not like shooting on sunny days or on weekends… too many people around and too many cars/trucks on the road… Carrying his camera and tripod on his back in the first few years was heavy, so he got a sled to put all that he would need… there were also the camera sensors and lenses that did not like to be in the cold too long, so he figured out how to keep the gear warm while not in use.”
Finally, Bergeron-Johnson shared with us what she personally finds most captivating and inspiring about Richard’s photography: “It’s his tenacity and the discipline he applied over his 14 years of shooting the ice huts, capturing a slice of Canada. You can have 2 or 3 or more of the limited edition prints next to one another all different years and different provinces and you can’t tell what year it was shot - the horizon is at the exact same place in each print… He was on a mission to show the beauty in these quirky structures born out of need for warmth while fishing in winter… and how it goes on across Canada.”
I live in Texas now. I really, really miss driving by the lake and seeing these. I miss ice fishing, too.
I don't know what Mr. Phillips is doing in his shanty, but it doesn't look like fishing.
Love the concept & creativity! THIS is why I'm still on BP. F***k all these 'Bridzillas' and ''Influencers' trivia!
The title should be 80 of other peoples best work. The photographer did f**k all
Best tasting fish you I ever ate were the fish I caught ice fishing. They are on their way to being frozen before they're even dead. Couldn't be any fresher unless you pulled them from a hot spring.
There are two type of people who like to fish. Those who like to catch fish and those that like to tell fishing stories. Looking at these huts, its pretty obvious where each owner falls. A hut that sits 5 people and has snow packed around it so it can't move all winter is about socializing with the buds. The homemade hut that looks like an outhouse is for the guy who moves it often so he can find the best spot to catch the big ones. Less weight for thinner ice.
oh hon hon. I suspect these images aren't all from lake simcoe.
Love the concept & creativity! THIS is why I'm still on BP. F***k all these 'Bridzillas' and ''Influencers' trivia!
The title should be 80 of other peoples best work. The photographer did f**k all
Best tasting fish you I ever ate were the fish I caught ice fishing. They are on their way to being frozen before they're even dead. Couldn't be any fresher unless you pulled them from a hot spring.
There are two type of people who like to fish. Those who like to catch fish and those that like to tell fishing stories. Looking at these huts, its pretty obvious where each owner falls. A hut that sits 5 people and has snow packed around it so it can't move all winter is about socializing with the buds. The homemade hut that looks like an outhouse is for the guy who moves it often so he can find the best spot to catch the big ones. Less weight for thinner ice.
oh hon hon. I suspect these images aren't all from lake simcoe.