Episode Transcript
Speaker 0 00:00:00 Good morning, Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo, and the rest of the world. You've tuned into the Mac city morning show. I'm your host, Elliot Pierre. And we're going to start the show off the same way we start every episode off with a moment of gratitude. I know you could be doing a million other things with your time. And the fact that you spend with us truly does mean the world to me. So thank you on that note, Tanner hit him with the intro
Speaker 3 00:00:29 Hey everybody. Keith Simpson here from NARAL Toyota, we support the dwell Behrens we've joined the drive-in movie theater. We're involved in the marathon here in Fort McMurray, and that's what makes this community such an amazing place to live.
Speaker 0 00:00:42 Okay. And we're back big shout out to neuronal Toyota, Keith fad, Nima, and all the boys and girls down at Northwell for sponsoring the Mac city morning show being our title sponsor. Do appreciate it. You help keep the lights on and Tanner in his nice clothing. So thank you very much on that note. As you know, I do not introduce my guests. I let them do that themselves. So sir, can you please tell everybody at home who you are and what you're about?
Speaker 4 00:01:04 My name is Greg helenda. I've been in Fort McMurray for 26 years now. Yeah, you have. And, uh, 20 years of that, I've been running a Greg hill into photography.
Speaker 0 00:01:13 Okay. Very cool. Yeah. Your history in this community runs deep. So, uh, we've bumped into each other a few times. We've worked together a few times. You've been at the same events, but we've never actually had a chance to have like a sit-down like this. I'm really excited about today's episode. So first and foremost, how the heck did you decide to come to Fort McMurray 26 years ago?
Speaker 4 00:01:34 Well, I was, uh, just a couple of years out of university. And, uh, looking for work in photography or maybe another media, like
Speaker 0 00:01:43 Radio and that's what you took in school and university?
Speaker 4 00:01:45 No, I took, I ended up just getting a general arts degree. I had an interest in journalism, but, um, there wasn't much in the Edmonton area where I lived for journalism programs. So, um, ended up studying French and political science, which was very, shall we say, um, apropos to journal or journalism or other writing or photography fields or,
Speaker 0 00:02:06 Okay. Okay. And so then, so you grew up in Edmonton then?
Speaker 4 00:02:10 Uh, since I was 17, grew up in Winnipeg until 17, then dad moved us to Edmonton. He worked in the media and radio and
Speaker 0 00:02:16 TV. What did he do in that industry?
Speaker 4 00:02:19 He, he retired when he was in Edmonton at CFR N while at the time SunWater broadcasting CFN TV as the news director.
Speaker 0 00:02:27 Okay. Very neat. So Winnipeg's awesome. Yeah. I love Winnipeg. I've been a few times now. And every time I tell people, like, cause like I said, it's been a few times I'm like, where are you going for holidays? Or where are you going for the weekend? I'm like Winnipeg. Like why? Cause it's awesome. Okay. So you grew up in Winnipeg then moved to Edmonton at 17. So after you finished school, why for Memorial? What about the community like caught your eye? Did you read a newspaper? Did you have friends up here?
Speaker 4 00:02:55 I do know. I knew nobody there. Um, but I had made a contact, um, with, uh, Dan Sorenson. Okay. The owner of photo source at the time, his, uh, one hour photo lab was getting a lot of demand for actual studio photography work. And I know him and his brother were doing that as well as running the shop, but they were, they put out the word, I guess, for a full-time photographer. And I was in the position where I had no, uh, no commitments and uh, came up, did an interview, got an apartment for $475 a month.
Speaker 0 00:03:27 Okay.
Speaker 4 00:03:28 Fort McMurray,
Speaker 0 00:03:28 Right?
Speaker 4 00:03:29 Uh, this was 1995. The fall of 95. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:03:32 Cool. Okay. So you're taking pictures, um, for photo source. And then when did you branch out to being like your own business
Speaker 4 00:03:43 And it's 3002. So about seven years later.
Speaker 0 00:03:46 Okay. Yeah. And so you and I, I've never asked this question, although like we've worked together and I've like, I hired you to help me out on certain contracts. What is your area of expertise? Like I know one time we did a supplement shoot together, but then I see you at, um, conferences and different events. Like w what is, what, what do you take pictures of?
Speaker 4 00:04:08 Well, I guess you'd say I'm a generalist. I've done everything from aerial photography, product photography, studio portraits, uh, video as well. I've done a fair bit of video this year for, for live events. Yeah. Um, yeah, so I enjoy, I enjoy all that.
Speaker 0 00:04:25 Okay. And now it's a ongoing debate at the next city morning show in regards to camera and camera gear. Uh, what kind of camera do you use?
Speaker 4 00:04:35 I happen to be an icon guy.
Speaker 5 00:04:37 I knew you weren't going to like this one. Cause I, uh, I sold him cameras for years. I was waiting for that.
Speaker 0 00:04:46 Alright. Elaborate on your camera usage please. Yeah. So why do you like that brand so much?
Speaker 4 00:04:51 Well, I mean, back in the day, um, in Edmonton, I actually worked in a camera store before I did move up here and I was, I had access to people people's trade-ins, I mean, I was basically just out of school, didn't have much money. The Nikon gear at the time was, was more flexible and that you could, you could buy old lenses that didn't even auto focus, put them on the newest Nikon body and you save yourself hundreds or thousands of dollars. Right. So it was partly economic. Um, I kinda liked the looks of them more than say the cannon, but anyway, yeah, it was, uh, I just came into some used year and was able to continually upgrade just you use the lenses and whatnot to, uh, to build out a system. And even today, if I bought a brand new Nikon, I could still use my 40 year old lens on it. Which you can't say for Canon or some of the other. Um,
Speaker 0 00:05:42 Definitely. Can't say that for
Speaker 4 00:05:43 Sony. No.
Speaker 0 00:05:45 Well, Tanner, there you go. Enjoy that one.
Speaker 5 00:05:48 Almost like I know what I'm talking about it. Yes.
Speaker 0 00:05:49 Great. Well, we made the mistake and we've talked about it a few times on this show now, but, uh, when we were starting the Mac city morning show, like I went online and found like, what was the YouTubers? Podcasters camera of choice. Okay. And, uh, it was Sony's. Yeah. And I forget the model of the Sony, but, uh, anyways, we bought three of them and then they kept crapping out and we ended up buying five in total and not a single one, worked like they all had their issues for whatever reason. Um, so, um, we bought the gear before Tanner joined the team. And so when he showed up, he was like, why are you rocking these cameras? And I'm like, why aren't you out photo source anymore?
Speaker 4 00:06:33 So,
Speaker 0 00:06:35 Um, we have Nikons now and they are awesome. And I love using them.
Speaker 5 00:06:39 I haven't flinched, but
Speaker 4 00:06:41 Fair. Sony is taking the world by storm. Oh, a hundred percent. Um, there are media agencies like, like perhaps United press or American press Canadian press who have basically to all their photographers, you're now shooting Sony $37,000 camera. Here's two of them. That's right. And, and, and this is what you're using now.
Speaker 5 00:07:00 Sponsorship money does a lot of things.
Speaker 0 00:07:02 That's right. Well, and there's a lot of YouTubers cause I use Canon, but that's because Tanner sold me a cannon at the time. So, um,
Speaker 5 00:07:10 Bri grudgingly.
Speaker 0 00:07:11 Yeah. So I use Canon cameras and I liked them a lot. And a lot of YouTubers were using cannons to begin with. And then there was this major shift, um, to, uh, Sony. Yeah. But a lot of them, I shouldn't say a lot, a number of them have switched back to the cannons. Oh, is that right? Yeah. For numerous different reasons. My thing with the Sony cameras, when we got them one, they were so expensive. Um, not just the bodies, but then the lenses. But like you have described with the Nikon and even with some like my canons, I can put different lenses on the Canon and well with the Sony, if you don't stick with brand, you're, you're done. So it's an expensive, if you're going to switch over All over
Speaker 4 00:07:59 Your gear
Speaker 0 00:08:00 To the Sony,
Speaker 5 00:08:01 That's a, that's a five figure journey minimum when you're switching over gear. If you're a professional. Yeah, yeah. Minimum,
Speaker 0 00:08:09 No, I can't speak much for the Nikons. Cause Tanner is the one who uses all of them, but I know canons for me super user-friendly. And I found when we were trying to use a Sony, not as user friendly was a little bit clunky, but no disk to Sony. Like I still like your TVs. I like the cameras personally. They just didn't work out. But you're an icon guy. Yep. Okay. Interesting. Now your love of photography, how did that start for you?
Speaker 4 00:08:33 Gosh, I, the only thing I guess, well, in our hosts, my dad being in the media, there were newspapers to be read ever since I can remember we had cable TV when in 19, probably 1970. Um, so, so I was surrounded by imagery and a lot of it was, it was high quality, I guess, news photography. Of course it wasn't long before I'm looking at national geographics and like the, the, the Apollo missions and I guess, uh, the excitement of, of a photo to, you know, taking you to a place,
Speaker 0 00:09:06 Right.
Speaker 4 00:09:06 Uh, really grabbed me. I didn't really take it seriously though, till I was about 20 I, while I was working at the student newspaper at the university of Alberta and I was more of a writer editor, but uh, the photo guy said, oh, I can't supply you with a photographer to go out and cover this story. Here's my camera. I go out and grab a few photos while you're there. And I did a couple of times and I thought, yeah, that, that was fun. I enjoyed that.
Speaker 0 00:09:30 Yeah, no doubt
Speaker 4 00:09:32 The bug was, was reignited. And uh, then I started to really take it seriously as a hobby. And at the same time started wondering about making money with it and uh, you know, becoming professional. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:09:44 Yeah. Here you are. It's cool. I think it's, it's something. I was, uh, I, when I went to school, it was like, you just get a job in the oil and gas. It's easy thing to do if you don't want a good job in oil and gas, doctor, lawyer, dentist, basically. And there, and now based on like the organization that I own and what I do, like there's so many creative facets that you can actually like make an income on that are like really interesting. Cool. That I don't think a lot of kids take seriously or even are aware of it.
Speaker 4 00:10:14 I really wasn't aware of photography as a, as a profession. Like I say, till maybe I was in university already. Right.
Speaker 0 00:10:19 Yeah. Very cool. Yeah. Listen kind of gave me the signal that a, he has a question ready for our questions ready for his segment called the Mac city minute, but it's brought to you by our sponsors Napa. So we want a big give NAB a big shout out for sponsoring this segment. We do appreciate it. If you don't know who Napa is, they're an awesome indigenous organization. Please go check them out. Tenor Maxine a minute.
Speaker 5 00:10:42 Alrighty. Question number one. What is your favorite sports moment you've captured on camera?
Speaker 4 00:10:49 Wow. Um, well I guess it was sports-related in the, in the run-up to the 2010 winter Olympics. Um, the torch run came through Fort McMurray and I was hired to photograph the torch run going down Franklin avenue. Cool. I got some really neat shots of the torchbearer and I can't remember his name, um, as, as he carried it down. Franklin.
Speaker 0 00:11:15 Uh, awesome
Speaker 5 00:11:17 Question number two. What is your favorite change you've seen in the community since you've arrived here?
Speaker 4 00:11:26 I guess the, well, a couple of things, the growth and, um, celebration of the multicultural dynamic, uh, through, through, especially through events like the multicultural expo, where I happen to have done a lot of photo work and video work, but, um, I I've, I've been a traveler, uh, an interesting, interested in travel since my teens and I've done a fair bit in my twenties and thirties. So to then be able to meet people from different, you know, that have all moved here and asked them about maybe their food or their culture or how life is where they came from has been, has been awesome.
Speaker 5 00:12:03 Question number three. What is the story behind your favorite photo you've ever taken?
Speaker 4 00:12:11 Well, one of them is, um, we were in Germany about seven years ago, so it'd be about 2015 in Bavaria. And we happened to be staying in a castle of BNB castle, uh, which was, which was fun enough. It was my wife's idea. And she wanted her daughter to experience that too. Anyway, we were coming back from dinner in this beautiful medieval town, just below the hill where the castle was walked around the, the drive of the castle. And there's these three Porsche, 3 56 speeds, convertibles just sitting perfectly parked in a row against the castle wall. Cool. I'm a fan of Porsche. And, uh, it was just, it was sunset. And I had my camera and this tiny little tabletop tripod that I put on the ground lay down. Got it fixed up because on the tripod, because it was getting dark. So you needed a fairly long exposure. There's no way I could have held the camera's steady. And so knocked off a few shots and, um, yeah, it's one of my favorite pictures. It's kind of a panoramic of these three, probably late 1950s, Porsche convertibles, like all the same model, but different colors and cool. Just one that sticks in my mind. Yeah. Nice
Speaker 5 00:13:25 Question. Number four. What is the most interesting event you've ever shot at?
Speaker 4 00:13:32 Um, for sure. One of them is, um, after the 2016 wildfire in Edmonton, um, there was the, um, there was a benefit concert. Okay. Well, gosh, I can't remember the exact name of it, but I was hired by the United way Fort McMurray. I was in Edmonton anyway, because I couldn't be living here. It was still, you know, evacuation was still the rule. So, um, I was in Commonwealth stadium and we had like blue rodeo core blend, uh, um, oh, Allen, um, from, from Newfoundland, uh, oh, from big, uh, from great big C uh, we had, um, in, um, for strong winds and Ian and Ian Tyson. Yeah. Um, stellar lineup. Oh, it was just great. And, and the stadium was packed and it was, you know, I was right up front on the, on the floor of the, of the, of the stadium taking photos and yeah, it was a very special moment. Very cool. Yeah.
Speaker 5 00:14:38 And your final question, if you could go to one place to get a photo, where would that place be?
Speaker 4 00:14:49 One place could be outer space,
Speaker 0 00:14:52 Great answers
Speaker 4 00:14:53 Base station. Yeah. I've seen some incredible photos done from the space station, both taken of the earth, um, and of the space station itself and, uh, Northern lights. Those kinds of things from space. Yeah. That'd be awesome.
Speaker 5 00:15:07 And those have been you fun questions.
Speaker 0 00:15:09 Tanner just hijacked one of my questions. I'm not impressed.
Speaker 5 00:15:12 You get 15 minutes and constantly you steal my questions.
Speaker 0 00:15:17 So
Speaker 5 00:15:17 It feels good when the re favor has been returned.
Speaker 0 00:15:21 That was a good one. That was a good question. Outer space. What a great response. That's a great answer. Outer space would be really cool to get some from now. I've only ever seen you at events taking photos. So most of the time it's of individuals, obviously, um, but you just mentioned Northern lights. Do you take a lot of like wildlife or scenic type of photos?
Speaker 4 00:15:43 I don't. Let's let's let's just say I don't, I don't stay up late to go outside in the cold and take shots of Northern lights and I don't go on big safaris to take, to find animals. Um, I just, when I see a great wildlife documentary, it's like, oh, the photographers to get that shot. What the waiting and the waiting and the cold and the wet and the condition
Speaker 5 00:16:04 Five day walk to get wherever they are in the middle of the forest.
Speaker 4 00:16:08 Yeah. So I, frankly I have a bit of a homebody, but, uh, you know, one of my, one of my, the shots that I posted recently on Facebook that went for me, went viral. There happened to be a Fox in our backyard. Right. And right out my back, my office window looks out onto the backyard. And, uh, my camera bag is right there and there's a Fox. So I grabbed my camera with my long lens. And all of a sudden, the Fox jumps up on the fence, like a cat
Speaker 0 00:16:34 Right
Speaker 4 00:16:35 Now. This is something I've seen foxes before. I've never seen them that agile or, or right. But I'm really happy when I can nail a shot like that.
Speaker 0 00:16:43 Right.
Speaker 4 00:16:44 From the comfort of your own home,
Speaker 0 00:16:46 That's the way to do it. Yeah. It's one of those things where, um, when I was doing my daily videos all the time, I just had a camera with me literally all of the time, every day. And, um, I was able to capture so many cool moments when I had that camera on me. However, I know, like we all have our phones on us and everything, but like, it's, it's not the same.
Speaker 4 00:17:10 That's right.
Speaker 0 00:17:10 And I take, like, I find if I take a picture or a video with my phone, it lives in my camera roll and I don't really do much with it versus like, when you take a picture, when I used to take a picture video, cause I'm a horrible photographer. Um, when I do a video, I would actually do something with that piece of content more often than if I'm going to do something with my phone. So it's nice to have it with you, but there's kind of bulky sometimes.
Speaker 4 00:17:36 That's right.
Speaker 0 00:17:37 The camera you to use, you guys have like,
Speaker 5 00:17:40 Well, and you can't just go with your camera, you got to have like five or six different lenses in your bag for any situation that may occur. Even though you'll probably only use one lens the entire time.
Speaker 4 00:17:52 That's it?
Speaker 5 00:17:53 It's a whole process. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:17:55 Yeah. So for the people at home, if they wanted to support you and like help your business out, how can they get in contact with you? What type of clientele are you looking for? Yeah.
Speaker 4 00:18:07 Well, I do enjoy getting out to work sites and, and, and, you know, portraying people in the places where they work. Um, that way I get to see things that people who maybe live in town just work in town, never get to see the inside of a mine or heavy duty shop or a machinists shop where they're working, that kind of thing. Right. So, um, I, yeah, I really, and I've got a fair bit of experience in, in, in, you know, corporate or industrial environments. So cool. That's one that I really enjoy doing. Um, my website, Greg Helen, Duff, photography.ca, or I also have a link of Greg H photo.ca and that'll take you to the same site. Yeah. Shows pretty good cross section of the work I've done over the past couple of decades. And, uh, that's my thing.
Speaker 0 00:18:54 Awesome. Yeah, no, like you, uh, you're stapled in the community. Everybody knows you has seen you out events, taking photos. I think you've talked to so many individuals. It's kind of crazy. Even like my mother, like when I was like, oh yeah, it's Greg. My mom's like, Oh, you know, I'm like, how do I, like you've been here for a very long time and are an integral part of the community because you're taking pictures of everything. That's right. So that's really cool.
Speaker 4 00:19:22 Yeah. It really puts me in the front row. I'm, I'm kind of a, an introvert. So I don't only gravitate to the front row so that everyone is looking at the back of my head when I'm up in frantic, but that's how it works out. And, uh,
Speaker 0 00:19:34 That's cool, man. Well, listen, that's the end of the 20 minutes. I know it fly. So please feel free to come back again. Thank you very much. I'd love to have you as a guest again and again, and again, there's so many other questions I have for you, but that's why the show's only 20 minutes. It kind of forces you to come back so well before I cut you loose it, everybody gets a shameless shout out or plug. So you got the mics to camera and lights have fun.
Speaker 4 00:19:55 Yeah. Uh, you need, uh, some, some shots of your workplace that really show, you know, the kind of things that you want your customers to see. Um, instead of just phone, you know, iPhone photos that maybe you happen to take, let me know. I'd love to help you out. And, uh, whether it's video or still photography, that's my thing. And, uh, I appreciate, uh, knowing what you need for great photos for your business.
Speaker 0 00:20:26 There we go. Awesome. Well, Fort McMurray, wood, Buffalo in the rest of the world, that's been another episode of the maxi morning show. Big shout out to our title sponsor Norelle Toyota and our max city minute sponsor NABA. We do appreciate your help and your support. I hope everybody at home is having a great day and we'll see you tomorrow. Peace
Speaker 6 00:20:47 Wade. And another morning show later by us.
Speaker 8 00:21:03 Talk about quenching your ugly thirst.
