MEMORABLE 2020 MOMENTS

Photographers share their best

Jim Wells

“Another memorable photo was from this moment: Maria Goodstoney sits and prays in front of Sacred Heart Memorial church on 14th Street S.W. in Calgary on May 8, as the toll of the COVID-19 pandemic really hits. She said it was her first time stopping to pray; she later entered the church.”

Brendan Miller

“This image from April 3 captured compassion as a health-care provider hangs a sign of gratitude at the Mckenzie Towne Continuing Care Centre in early April. The care home was one of the hardest hit in the province during the early stages of the pandemic, with dozens of cases. Family and friends of the residents showed up regularly with drive-by parades, honking, holding signs and showing support for everyone who was isolated at the time.”

Darren Makowichuk

“As the COVID-19 pandemic hit the city in its first wave, it left a devastating mark on numerous long-term care facilities throughout the city. I liked this photo for the understanding it showed by family and friends, who held daily rallies to show support for loved ones at locations such as the Mckenzie Towne long-term care facility on March 31.”

Gavin Young

“One of the very few good things about the COVID-19 pandemic has been the way Calgarians have embraced being outside to escape lockdowns and stay healthy. The City of Calgary helped by opening up traffic lanes to pedestrians and cyclists. One of the real gems was being able ride and walk under the arches of the closed lower deck of the Centre Street Bridge. Here, one of the arches was reflected in a pool of water as cyclists rode past at sunset on May 27. On a historical note, some research shows that the lower deck was originally designed for pedestrians but during the construction in 1916 it was changed to a roadway. So over a century later, the lower deck became, at least for a few months, what the designers had originally planned.”

Al Charest

“This photo makes me smile every time I look at it, making it one of my favourites of 2020. It also reminds me of how lucky I am to work and play in the great outdoors of the Canadian Rockies. A skier is taking in the breathtaking scenery from the new Summit quad at Lake Louise resort.”

Brendan Miller

“Here, a woman participates in one of several Black Lives Matter rallies held over the summer in downtown Calgary. The passion I witnessed first-hand from demonstrators and speakers at these marches was unforgettable.”

Gavin Young

“On a packed 10th Street bridge in June, a crowd of thousands steadily parted for this one protester as she walked on her knees across the bridge calling for an end to racial discrimination. Thousands of Calgarians taking the risk, even masked, to protest amid the COVID-19 pandemic was for me a powerful symbol of our city supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.”

Jim Wells

“The power of Black Lives Matter protests in Calgary was unforgettable this year. Here, protesters cross the 10th Street bridge over the Bow River in Calgary on June 3. The group marched through the downtown core and

finished at city hall for a candlelight vigil.”

Darren Makowichuk

“I like this photo for the innovation it shows, as COVID-19 made social distancing a new term throughout the year. It left Calgarians to come up with creative ways to socialize and enjoy themselves throughout the summer. Here, Vlad Gincher from Capoeira Ache Brasil Calgary and his wife Pamela are shown on July 5; they held weekly Bloco Vivo events at Riley Park in Calgary.”

Azin Ghaffair

“It was a warm and quiet Saturday afternoon in August. I had done my assignments for the day and was driving around hoping to come across an interesting subject to photograph when William Plummer on his motorcycle and Ryder, a three-year-old Labrador in the sidecar, passed me. To them it looked to be just another ride around town, but to the people on the street who turned their heads to watch, it was a joyous encounter. Ryder sported a flashy pair of red goggles, chilling in the sidecar of a 1942 Russian Euro Motors motorcycle as if he's been doing this all his life while William manoeuvred at a leisurely pace and took in the attention as bystanders took out their phones to capture them. I drove behind them for a few blocks until I caught up to them at a red light. I asked him if I could photograph them, which he readily accepted as if used to being asked, and made a stop after the intersection. He was gracious and friendly and Ryder very patient, even though bored by the sudden stop. It took the two pals just a few minutes to forget about me and my camera. They were unbothered, just hanging out being their very charismatic selves and it was all on me to capture the moment.”

Al Charest

“The adrenalin at the Saddledome is always pumping a lot higher when covering the Battle of Alberta, and the timing is what makes this photo stand out to me, capturing the moment when the Calgary Flames' Buddy Robinson lands a punch to the helmet of the Edmonton Oilers' Jujhar Khaira during a game on Feb. 1.”

Azin Ghaffair

“It was a busy Tuesday in April and I was running from one assignment to the next. Calgary was under lockdown, and schools, daycares and even playgrounds were closed. A frequent topic on social media was parents who were overwhelmed and frustrated with having their kids at home all day, every day for weeks. Just as I was driving, I noticed Chelsea Mcnamara and her two kids sitting and playing on their own happy island on their sidewalk. I approached her and asked to photograph them on their little picnic and she accepted. It was a breath of fresh air to forget, for a few minutes, about the world that seemed to be cornered by a pandemic and watch this happy trio have a good time in a setting as humble as a sidewalk.”