/ odes / 2025 / george-hunter:
George Hunter was a canadian photographer.
From the 50s through the 80s, he flew his own airplane over Canada, taking photos of the country from the air.
From the 50s through the 80s, he flew his own airplane over Canada, taking photos of the country from the air.
Pearson 1978
Flin Flon Manitoba. 1952
Port Cartier Quebec, 1964
Aklavic NYT, 1952
Lynn Lake Manitoba, 1956
Here he is with his life-partner, Patricia Stevenson.
Niagara 1948
Here photographing miners in the Bell-Island mine, New Brunswick.
This mine killed hundreds of these men and boys.
It paid them next to nothing.
This mine killed hundreds of these men and boys.
It paid them next to nothing.
Wabana, 1949
It's now completely underwater.
7am start of shift, 1949
Here's his plane, which he got on a bank-loan.
He modified it to open it's doors in flight.
He modified it to open it's doors in flight.
1950
the first bank said no, the second one said okay.
He also bought this bus, and rigged an insane ladder mount to it
Saguenay
he was able to get regulatory approval for this
because there were no regulations, or approvals to get.
because there were no regulations, or approvals to get.
A patriotic industrial moment, in a country that didn't recognize itself.
The giddiness and profundity of seeing your town from the air for the first time.
Too young for the war, old-enough to snap a photo of the King, in a storybook moment, during his visit to humble Winnipeg.
Over the years, some work would come from newspapers, or the NFB - but mostly industrial clients, who just wanted to see their factories from the sky.
Other countries would continue to grow, but Canada would decline into resentment, pettiness, and self-sabotage.
Here he is shooting the construction of the Labrador Railway, 1951.
The foreman agreed to suspend him from the bucket line, over the Moisie River.
The foreman agreed to suspend him from the bucket line, over the Moisie River.
Moisie Quebec
this line somehow continues to operate today, using these humungous driverless trains.
the train just honks its horn constantly.
You can't see him in this photo, he's holding the camera. In order to get long-exposure aerial photos at night,
his plane had to be nearly stationary for a half-second.
his plane had to be nearly stationary for a half-second.
Sarnia Ontario
Here is the same portrait we get today on Google Maps
He would later describe the development of shame toward Canadian industry.
How people no-longer wanted to see the machines, how they felt more guilt than awe.
This landscape work would dry-up almost completely.
Canada has not been as handsome since.
How people no-longer wanted to see the machines, how they felt more guilt than awe.
This landscape work would dry-up almost completely.
Canada has not been as handsome since.
Wawa Ontario, 1962
Sudbury Ontario, 1955
Vancouver, 1953
Keno Hill Yukon, 1962
Regina SK, 1947
Saskatoon 1954
Eastern Townships Quebec, 1958
Toronto, 1972
Ottawa, 1958
in 1958 he took this photo of a fishing boat off Vancouver Island
it became the Canadian $5 Bill in 1972
in 1977 he took this photo, of Pearson Airport, in Mississauga
that summer, Carl Sagan selected it as one of the 116 images for Voyager's Golden Record.
It was launched into space by labour day, as proof that we are weird and cool and alone -
but also, that there are some neat things to see here.
It was launched into space by labour day, as proof that we are weird and cool and alone -
but also, that there are some neat things to see here.
Voyager 2, Uranus 1986
in 2002 the building was demolished, with no ceremony
Noranda Quebec, 1957
Queen's Park, Toronto. 1959
Elliot Lake Ontario, 1964
He died in 2013, at 92 years old. 
Halifax 1947