Berg: I miss capturing the energy of Saskatoon's summer festivals
With festivities cancelled or made virtual due to the pandemic, I've been thinking back on some of my favourite moments shooting festivals.
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If it wasn’t for the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, I might not be a photojournalist today.
I was taking photos of Herbie Hancock for fun at the 2007 festival when an editor for The Sheaf, the University of Saskatchewan student newspaper, told me the paper was looking for a photo editor. I applied, got the job and have now been in the industry for 13 years, including working at The StarPhoenix since 2010.
Typically my summers involve photographing Saskatoon’s many festivals. Each year I am excited to attend and challenge myself to photograph them differently than before.
Now, with festivities cancelled or made virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve been thinking back on some of my favourite moments shooting festivals for The StarPhoenix.
The best part of shooting the Fringe Festival is attending the preview night where you get to watch two-minute snippets from each show. I would stay for the whole event and file a photo from each play so our reporting staff would have fresh art for all of their reviews.
Getting pit access at the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival and being able to get up close during a live performance is a real treat. You can feel the energy from the artists and the crowd, and those captured moments are real and beautiful. There’s something special about being outdoors with hundreds of people and loud music.
When the Saskatoon Ex was on, I’d go almost every day. There was always something to photograph: The setup, the parade, the rides, the food, the shows. So many different characters and expressions to capture. Not having the EX this year is especially hard on my five-year-old daughter. It’s her highlight of the summer and this probably would have been the last year she would have been short enough for some of the children’s rides.
The fire breather at the Caribbean Pavilion at the Saskatoon Folkfest always makes for an impressive photo. This is a festival we need in these times, to bring a deeper understanding and appreciation of all the different cultures in Saskatoon.
Saskatoon Pride celebrations are all about being out — which made it tough to celebrate virtually. I loved getting to know Aron DuSouto three years ago and his transformation into Iona Whipp for a drag show at Diva’s. The opportunity to be welcomed into someone’s home to share their story is an honour, even more so now that we need to keep at a distance.
Powwows are beautiful and powerful. Aside from the opportunity to create stunning images, I appreciate the chance to learn about Indigenous culture at these celebrations. Being at a powwow, hearing the rhythm of the drums, the song, watching the dances, and hearing stories from the families taking part is an incredible experience.
Summer is a time to get outside and eat. Some of Saskatoon’s biggest summer food festivals include Ribfest, Taste of Saskatchewan and Food Truck Wars. People don’t generally like it when I stick a camera in their face as they chow down, so I like shooting Ribfest where I can focus on the flames, energy and competitive vibe of the BBQ ribbers.
Ness Creek would have been celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. This is a festival where people can truly let go and connect with the spiritual world through music. I had the opportunity to cover the festival for The StarPhoenix six years ago and loved it.
There was always plenty of opportunity to capture pure joy and wonder on children’s faces at the Children’s Festival. To be able to let your kids be surrounded by hundreds of other children of all different shapes, colours and sizes is a good way to teach them about the world around them. I know, as a parent, how hard it’s been explaining to our kids that these festivals will not be happening this summer. These new experiences make lasting memories.
Summer is like a big family reunion in Saskatoon — we run into people we haven’t seen for months.
Seeing the city come to life — all of these people emerging from their houses after a long winter indoors to soak up the sun, eat good food, listen and dance to music outdoors, celebrate our diversity and various cultures … This one is a summer to remember, I suppose.
I’m missing photographing the energy that is Saskatoon summer, but hoping it will bring about a new appreciation of it next year.
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