Minus 30: Alberta photographer braves storms to capture Canadian winter
Exploring the Beauty of Winter: A Photographer’s Journey in the Prairie
As temperatures drop to -30 degrees Celsius, most people prefer to stay indoors, seeking warmth and comfort. However, for award-winning photographer Angela Boehm, this icy environment is a canvas waiting to be captured through her lens. In her latest book titled Minus 30, Boehm shares her stunning photographs of Canadian prairie landscapes, taken exclusively in extreme cold conditions.
Boehm’s unconventional rule of only photographing at -30C or colder was inspired by the unique visual transformation that occurs at such frigid temperatures. “It has to be -30C or colder because that environment really does look different than when it’s -10C,” she explains. This decision was a result of a moment of frustration while stuck in traffic on a cold winter day, where she realized the hidden beauty of the frozen world around her.
Despite the challenges of braving harsh weather conditions and storms, Boehm remained undeterred in her quest to capture the delicate and fragile nature of winter on the prairies. She describes the snowy landscape as not harsh and brutal, but rather as delicate and fragile. “Snow breaks when you walk on it, ice is fragile water, and really is there anything as delicate as a snowflake?” she muses.
However, the project was not without its difficulties. Boehm had to navigate dangerous highways, endure freezing temperatures, and face physical challenges to capture the perfect shot. “Staying warm was quite a challenge because if I had my camera out in the cold I couldn’t come back into my vehicle and warm up,” she recalls. Despite the hardships, she persevered, driven by her passion for photography and the winter landscape.
For Boehm, the project also became a journey of self-discovery and resilience. Having experienced profound loss in her life, she found solace and connection to her loved ones in the solitude of the wintry season. “It was born out of grief. So, that’s really what the work really became about is the softening of memory over time,” she shares.
Through her book Minus 30, Boehm hopes to change people’s perceptions of winter and preserve the beauty of prairie winters for generations to come. She invites readers to experience the tranquility and silence of the snowy landscape, a rare opportunity to be completely alone in a world filled with noise and distractions.
The Calgary launch of Minus 30 will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 1:00 p.m. at the Franz Dopf Gallery in Kensington. The book is also available for purchase online through Hartmann Books and angelaboehm.ca.
