The Canadian Association for Photographic Art ( CAPA ) is a national organization of Canadian camera clubs and individual memberships. The organization represents over 90 clubs and 1,300 individual members. On an annual basis, the association recognizes individuals who have provided significant support and service to their member club. As the Ontario Director, I am pleased to announce that this year’s winner is Graham Brown.
Graham was born and raised in Ottawa by his loving parents. Raised mostly by his mom as she became a widow when Graham was just four years old. His love for photography began as a young man when his mother bought him a small camera for a job at the National Harbor Board in Churchill Manitoba. After developing his first roll of film he was shocked that there wasn’t much difference between his pictures and that his friends had taken with a much more expensive camera. He was hooked!
At the age of twenty-one, Graham was hired by Imperial Oil. It wasn’t too long before he was promoted to sales representative with his own territory to manage. After being transferred to several different cities in Ontario, Graham finally settled with his family in Windsor. He raised a beautiful family with his wife Helen and had three wonderful children.
His passion for photography grew stronger and, in his forties, he decided to take a Wedding Photography course from a local wedding photographer. He began photographing weddings and taking portraits of anyone that would pose for him! He often photographed his children and their friends but always took pictures of his lovely wife. A proud grandfather, Graham always took joy in photographing his six cherished grandchildren. Using the basement, otherwise known as the dark room to develop his black and white photos.
He was lucky to retire when he was fifty-five and had much more time to dedicate to photography and continued to do weddings and family portraits.
In 2002, at the young age of 66, he joined the Windsor Camera Club. He has been a very active member, always welcoming & recognizing new members at meetings, producing many of the club’s event flyers, and being a mentor to many. Know as Mr. Warbler, he has made it his mandate to organize the club’s annual bus trip to Point Pelee to capture images of the bird migration. He has served as club president on 3 different occasions and is currently the acting President at Large.
Graham passed his love for photography on to his grandson Derek and they have been able to enjoy recent adventures together to Antarctica and Africa.
Most days you can find him walking trails in search of wildflowers to photograph, a love of flowers and nature he inherited from his mother.
It is my pleasure to present this award.
Brent Groh, Ontario Zone Director
