In fall 2023, with the support of the Faculty of Arts’ Teaching and Learning Enhancement Fund, students enrolled in the class used recycled beverage cans and electrical tape to create forty-six pinhole cameras. These cameras, distributed across the UM campus, and around the city and province, created a series of long-exposure solargraphs.

Solargraphs, which date back as early as the tenth century but gained wider popularity in the nineteenth century, document not only landscapes and architectural features but also trace the intricate patterns of the sun’s journey across the sky over an extended period of time.

Pinhole cameras. Credit: V. Warne

Generating solargraphic images is a time-consuming process. In October 2023, Professor Vanessa Warne, Department of English, Theatre, Film & Media and the students collected beverage cans, washed them, cut the tops off, and spray-painted them black – inside and out. They then paired a short can with a tall can and pierced the side of each tall can with a sewing pin. Using a red light, they placed a sheet of black and white photography paper in the tall can and then used a short can as a lid to seal the camera. The pinhole and the join between the tall and short cans were covered with electric tape to keep light out. The cameras were then installed inside or outside, on campus or beyond. Once the cameras were secured in place, the tape covering the pinhole was removed. Then they waited – for four months! Over reading week, students harvested their cameras and then made digital scans of the images captured by the cans. Some cans did not yield images; many cans did. Dr. Warne shares that the final results are, “intriguing and even haunting.”

“A way to map the passing of days, these rudimentary cameras are prompting members of the class to think differently about the duration of a day, a season, and an academic year,” said Dr. Warne. “By trying their hands at a nineteenth-century photographic process, the students are deepening their knowledge not only of the history of photography but also of the enmeshment, in both our era and in the Victorian era, of image making, storytelling, and timekeeping.”

What did the pinhole cameras capture in the four months of their installation? Visit the pop-up exhibition in room 627 Fletcher Argue Building (Haney Reading Room) on April 5^th to find out!

Share your moment, with the hashtag #KeepLearning.  And please tag us @UMExtended on Instagram & Twitter, or @UMExtendedEd on Facebook.

Blue canvas
When you visit 185 Extended Education Complex, you can now take your photo before the perfect blue backdrop. This painting is one of a series called On Posing. It’s art designed as a photo backdrop, an acrylic on canvas by artist and former U of M art sessional Fine Arts instructor, Erica Mendritzki. The painting is 67 inches high and 51 inches wide.

Mendritzki says, “On Posing consists of a series of similar paintings that take as their model the image of a blue photographic backdrop, the kind once commonly used by studio photographers for family portraits or yearbook photos. Each painting poses the question of the validity of its ontological category, by posing a number of questions about itself.”

Painting, backdrop, photo
“Is it an abstract painting, posing as a picture of a photographer’s backdrop? Is it a picture of a backdrop, posing as the real thing? Or is it an actual backdrop, posing as an abstract painting? The physical properties of the object remain the same; it is only in our perception that the pose shifts its shape.”

Bruce Head art to come
Also, watch for the future addition of works by the late Western Canadian contemporary artist, Bruce Head, RCA (member of the Royal Canadian Academy). He was a graduate of the U of M’s School of Art, a graphic designer for CBC, and he painted and sculpted full-time in his St. Vital studio for many years. His work is represented in many personal, private, and public collections including the National Gallery of Canada. Soon it will also appear in Extended Education.

The winning shot belongs to @shaheer.mansour – congrats, enjoy your $25 campus bookstore gift card, and thanks for sharing! 

You can see some of the honorable mentions in the gallery below (some of our favourite shots went back to being private before we could share unfortunately!). Thanks to everyone for sharing your photos, and please stay tuned to @umstudent in April for details of the last contest of the term. 

So many of the best shots of December featured that beautiful hoar frost – see all of the runner ups below.  And check out all of the contest entries at #umwintercampus.

Stay tuned to @umstudent for the rest of the school year for details of upcoming photo contests.

Show us with your fall reading week photos! To be entered to win, follow @umstudent on Instagram, post a photo or video showing us what you’re using your break for, and use the hashtag #umFallReadingWeek.

One winner will receive a $25 gift card from the Bookstore. 

RULES AND REGULATIONS

The November Instagram Photo Contest (#umFallReadingWeek) runs from 9 a.m. CST on Thursday, November 15, 2018 to midnight CST on Friday, November 30, 2018 on www.instagram.com/umstudent.

To be entered to win, follow @umstudent on Instagram, post a photo or video showing what you did this fall reading week, and use the hashtag #umFallReadingWeek. PRIVATE Instagram accounts must be PUBLIC during the contest in order to qualify for entry.

Images depicting dangerous behaviour or the consumption of alcohol or illegal substances will not be eligible. All other entries between 9 a.m. CST on 9 a.m. CST on Thursday, November 15, 2018 to midnight CST on Friday, November 30, 2018 will be considered and one winner will be chosen. You may enter as many times as you like. The winning photo account owner will receive a gift card from the U of M Bookstore valued at $25.  

The winning entry will be chosen by the Marketing and Communications Office and will be selected based on composition, creativity, quality and adherence to the theme. The winner will be notified by Instagram direct message and then announced publicly on the account and on UM Today.

Prize must be picked up from the Student Life office in UMSU University Centre during regular business hours.

Contest is open to all residents of Manitoba, and the prize must be picked up at the U of M Fort Garry campus. By tagging #umFallReadingWeek, you are agreeing to allow the U of M to share your photo(s) on our social media accounts and on our news site, UM Today.

Your photo(s) will not be used for commercial purposes. This contest is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram, Inc.

By entering, entrants confirm they are 13+ years of age, release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s terms of use.

Dr. T.G. Hamilton worked with his family for 15 years conducting ‘Scientific Seances’ and capturing about 700 photographs of ‘exteriorized teleplasms.’ These photographs are part of the amazing and unique collection of materials donated to University of Manitoba Archives & Special Collections by T.G. and Lillian’s daughter, Margaret Hamilton Bach. Why and how T.G. Hamilton took these strange and wonderful photos will be the focus of this talk. Keshavjee will delve into how T.G. presented this research as evidentiary proof of discarnate spirits and the afterlife.

Date: Thursday, March 22, 2018

Time: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Location: Archives & Special Collections, Elizabeth Dafoe Library

For information on parking: http://libguides.lib.umanitoba.ca/archives/

More info: archives@umanitoba.ca or 204-474-9986

These photos capture big events like the exciting launch of Front and Centre as well as daily moments that make life on campus interesting.

Outside the Winnipeg Art Gallery before the very first Visionary Conversations in the Community // Photo by Adam Dolman

An explosive experiment as part of the Verna Kirkness Science Education Program // Photo by Adam Dolman

Harvest time at the UMSU campus garden // Photo by Adam Dolman

A Bison fan celebrates at the 2015 Homecoming football game // Photo by Mike Latschislaw

Hands of a gardener working at the UMSU campus garden // Photo by Adam Dolman

A group of new students parades past Tier building during Orientation // Photo by Marianne Helm

Students relax on a couch duringOrientation // Photo by Marianne Helm

Performers at the Front and Centre launch at Investors Group Stadium // Photo by David Lipinowski

The grand opening of the Active Living Centre gathers a large audience // Photo by Mike Latschislaw

A beautiful rainbow: the perfect end to the first day of #umorientation. Let’s do it again tomorrow, shall we? #umanitoba

A photo posted by University of Manitoba (@umanitoba) on Sep 9, 2014 at 2:05pm PDT

Right now in University Centre, Hug Me Coke machine! Hug the machine, get a free Coke! #umanitoba A photo posted by University of Manitoba (@umanitoba) on Sep 9, 2014 at 10:33am PDT

Everyone is hiding in the tunnels today….good choice! #brrrr #umanitoba #winterishere

A photo posted by University of Manitoba (@umanitoba) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:57am PST

Congratulations to #umanitoba alumni Jennifer Jones (Robson Hall, LLB/99) and Team Canada! Gold Medal! #Sochi2014 #TBT A photo posted by University of Manitoba (@umanitoba) on Feb 2, 2014 at 8:07am PST

Scored some serious bragging rights on the weekend…..congrats to our @umbisons Football Team on winning the Hardy Cup!! #GoBisons!!

A photo posted by University of Manitoba (@umanitoba) on Nov 11, 2014 at 7:33am PST

What a spectacular start to November. Loving the extended fall on campus! #umanitoba A photo posted by University of Manitoba (@umanitoba) on Nov 11, 2014 at 11:39am PST

Good morning from Fort Garry campus in a record-setting -29 degrees. #umanitoba

A photo posted by University of Manitoba (@umanitoba) on Nov 11, 2014 at 6:39am PST

This fresh pile of leaves is begging to be raked up and jumped in. #umanitoba A photo posted by University of Manitoba (@umanitoba) on Oct 10, 2014 at 1:29pm PDT

Happy Halloween everyone! How cool is this #gobisons jack’o lantern by 1st year Asper student Riley Proulx? So creative! #umanitoba #halloween

A photo posted by University of Manitoba (@umanitoba) on Oct 10, 2014 at 6:50am PDT

The Canadian flag on the Admin Building flies at half-mast today. #canadastrong A photo posted by University of Manitoba (@umanitoba) on Oct 10, 2014 at 12:30pm PDT

Like what you see? Follow us on Instagram for another great year of campus images!

This is what inspired me today! I just loved how the bookstore made this.” I TO READ” #defineyourself #umanitoba

A photo posted by ياسر السعدي (@yasseralsaadi) on Feb 2, 2014 at 5:49pm PST

It took some time for Scott to realize the photographic potential in his own back yard. It used to be the case that he would take photos only while on vacation. Now the pastime that began 10 or 11 years ago — finding the best places in Winnipeg to document in photos, “rediscovering the city” — has become a “borderline-obsession,” he says.

Stuck in the Middle: Dissenting Views of Winnipeg, published by Great Plains Publications.

Scott, who’s been “making images of one kind or another” since he was a kid, graduated from the U of M with two degrees, one in film studies and another in environmental design. Both helped him develop his photography skills.

Though it wasn’t his plan at the time, the degrees trained his aesthetic eye, he says. Both are “largely theoretical [degrees],” and he thinks of environmental design as a program that provides a “well-rounded education.”

Scott self-published a book of photos from his popular blog Winnipeg Love Hate a number of years ago (the blog also includes many shots of the U of M campus) but the current project has been a bit of a departure for him. The recent collaboration between Scott and Kives came about when Kives, a fan of the blog, inquired whether Scott was interested to work together on a project.

They shared an attitude towards their subject matter, an ambiguity that Scott recognizes as common for Winnipeggers in relation to their hometown.

Scott says the idea came from Kives, who was ready to do a second book after his first, called A Daytripper’s Guide to Manitoba.

“I was thrilled to hear from him,” recalls Scott. “I’d thought that if I do another book, I would want to work with a writer, whereas the first book was just photos. And I also thought that if there was anyone in Winnipeg that I would like to work with, it was him.

“So it was perfect. I was thrilled. He’d done a book; he had a publisher and I felt confident that the idea we pitched would be approved — and it was.”

The book’s been approved by more than just the publisher. The launch, which took place this past Sunday, was so jam-packed that Scott didn’t see many of the friends who said they were there. It went better than he ever could have imagined, he says.

“And Bartley’s text is amazing. There are so many historical nuggets, historical facts about Winnipeg. And this really wry humour that kind of comes out of left field…. [T]here are quite a few laugh-out-loud moments.”

How did the two of them select photos from the more than 4,000 on his website? Kives focused on the shots that piqued his writerly interest, says Scott.

For his part, Scott wanted to pick those that were “good photographs in their own right, not just good photographs of Winnipeg.”

He picked his favourites, including those that showcased some of his preferred subjects, such as Winnipeg’s “architectural wonders” (also one of the chapter titles), neon signs or handpainted wall ads in the Exchange District. The book is divided into more themes, such as “Things that we destroyed.”

“I haven’t been doing [photos of Winnipeg] for that long,” Scott explains. “But when you look back at the photos, there are so many things that we’ve demolished or that have burned down. Or where something has gone wrong.

“There’s also a whole chapter on things we tried to destroy, but for whatever reason, couldn’t,” he laughs.

(Scroll down for more photos and a Q & A with the authors.)

Related:Musician John K. Samson, who wrote the forward to Stuck in the Middle, tells us what’s to love about this city

Arlington Bridge, photo by Bryan Scott.

Q + A with Bryan Scott and Bartley Kives

Bryan Scott and Bartley Kives.

Bryan Scott

What is it about photography that is uniquely able to capture Winnipeg in all its grit and glory?

Scott: Photographs don’t lie. Even when they are treated in Photoshop, they still reveal the years of grit and grime, the textures, colours and personality of the city.

Can you describe a couple of photos that stand out for you, and tell us why?

Scott: My panorama of Albert Street is one photo that epitomizes Winnipeg. It was taken in 2008 prior to the destruction of the Albert Street Business Block by fire. In its place now is an empty lot, which has slowly over time become Winnipeg’s newest parking lot. Meanwhile, on either side of this new lot stand two empty, dilapidated historic buildings – The Royal Albert Hotel and The St. Charles, both of which run the risk of falling victim to demolition by neglect. The photo captures the spirit of Winnipeg’s glory days and at the same time, suggests its unfulfilled potential

Bartley Kives

Bryan Scott mentioned that the book was your idea. What inspired it?

Kives: Two years ago this month, I was looking at Bryan’s excellent photo blog, Winnipeg Love Hate, where he posts captivating and intriguing pictures of the city.  At the time, it had been five years since the initial release of my first book, A Daytripper’s Guide to Manitoba, and I was thinking about another book project.

I called up Bryan and asked him if he’d consider working together. He told me he always wanted to work with a writer and thought of me in particular. So it wasn’t the world’s most difficult sales pitch.

I thought up the idea of a coffee-table book for people who don’t like coffee-table books, which tend to be too reverent. I wanted something real – something funny and honest that would truly capture Winnipeg’s weirdness.

And here it is. Like magic … two years later.

How did you collaborate on the book?

Kives: Bryan had about 4,500 images on his computer. He whittled those down to about 400 of his favourites and then we whittled those down further into favourite images and images that would help tell stories about Winnipeg. We also drove around during the summer of 2012 taking a few additional shots.

We then organized about 225 photos in different themes – the chapters you see in the book. I wrote one essay per chapter and also wrote all the cutlines. The work essentially wrapped up in January of this year. Working with Bryan is easy – he’s very organized.

Can you describe one photo that you especially enjoyed writing about?

Kives: On page 126, there’s a picture of the Yellow Warehouse on Main Street, caught in the midst of demolition. The writing on the wall says “If you don’t see, ask, we may have it.” Now we don’t see this structure at all. I like the not-quite-subtle poignancy of Bryan’s work.

 (Scroll down for more photos)

The Odeon, photo by Bryan Scott.

Johnny G’s, photo by Bryan Scott.

November snow, photo by Bryan Scott