gignouxphotos

www.gignouxphotos.com Photojournalist based in London, specialising in documentary photography and visual storytelling. .ig-b- { display: inline-block; } .ig-b- img { visibility: hidden; } .ig-b-:hover { background-position: 0 -60px; } .ig-b-:active { background-position: 0 -120px; } .ig-b-v-24 { width: 137px; height: 24px; background: url(//badges.instagram.com/static/images/ig-badge-view-sprite-24.png) no-repeat 0 0; } @media only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and (min--moz-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and (-o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2 / 1), only screen and (min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), only screen and (min-resolution: 192dpi), only screen and (min-resolution: 2dppx) { .ig-b-v-24 { background-image: url(//badges.instagram.com/static/images/[email protected]); background-size: 160px 178px; } }

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Notes from The Oil Sands - Photography copyright Alan Gignoux

Yesterday, I drove around Fort McMurray and it really seemed that the drop in oil prices just has not affected lifestyles or the economic pulse although I have been told on countless occasions, there have been lay-offs, is it this, "Quiet before the Storm" as oil prices do not seem to be able to break the US$70.00/ a barrel. I am just wondering if the old Alberta statement will come back ," Let us have another boom and I promise I will not piss it away"‪#‎oil‬ ‪#‎boom‬ ‪#‎bust‬ ‪#‎idoc‬ ‪#‎webdoc‬ ‪#‎documentary‬ ‪#‎lifestories‬ ‪#‎money‬‪#‎costofliving‬ ‪#‎alberta‬ ‪#‎film‬ ‪#‎gignouxphotosoilsands‬ ‪#‎environment‬ ‪#‎land‬‪#‎gignouxpotos‬ ‪#‎fortmcmurry‬ ‪#‎jobs‬ ‪#‎economics‬ ‪#‎canada‬

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View this post on Instagram

We are  On the road busy collecting content for our documentary! Oil Sands, Alberta, Canada https://instagram.com/p/4DpfkFspmW/?taken-by=gignouxphotos ‪#‎oil‬ ‪#‎gignouxphotosoilsands‬ ‪#‎idoc‬ ‪#‎webdoc‬ ‪#‎film‬ ‪#‎fortmcmurray‬ ‪#‎alberta‬‪#‎environment‬ ‪#‎money‬ ‪#‎lifestories‬ ‪#‎costofliving‬ ‪#‎canada‬ ‪#‎gignouxphotos‬‪#‎oilsandscurseorblessing‬ ‪#‎documentary‬

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@oilsands_gignouxphotos on Instagram: “Oil Sands, Promo Postcards, Photographer Alan Gignoux #gignouxphotos #oilsands #curse #blessing #oilsands #gignouxphotos…”

“Oil Sands, Promo Postcards, Photographer Alan Gignoux #gignouxphotos #oilsands #curse #blessing #oilsands #gignouxphotos…”

gignouxphotos is heading back to Canada in June to do more work for Oil Sands:gignouxphotos follow us on our dedicated Oil Sands instagram page. We are photographing, filming and interviewing people to be included within an interactive documentary..

Images are a taste of the visual content so far!

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This picture is from the Healing Walk, during the summer of 2014. It was a weekend event, featuring lectures from First Nation community leaders and environmental figureheads, that ended with the walk around the tailings ponds outside Fort McMurray. This year was the 5th and final walk, hoping to spread their message of awareness that the Athabasca region is only one small piece of the immense scope of the environment, wildlife and people that are being negatively affected by the oil industry.

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Follow us on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/oilsandscurseorblessing

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Through an interactive, educational website, we intend to bring awareness to the general public about the gravity of the health and environmental implications that the Oil Sands brings to the planet. We hope that through this, we can begin to change the regulations that are currently in place and hopefully make a difference to the lives of the residents that are being affected. We also highlight the benefits and assets of the industry and the positive way they influence communities and the environment.

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yeeeehaaaaaaa!   gignouxphotos has a new website do take a look at new projects and updates www.gignouxphotos.com

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We are back! in the UK editing and researching funders and supporters for Oil Sands: Curse or Blessing. It would be great to hear from anyone interested in supporting this project. The final outcome will be a interactive web documentary and book

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Fort McMurray: Land Of Opportunity

This week we came to Fort McMurray. The city’s negative reputation precedes it, and it’s hard not to be sucked into that way of thinking when you first arrive. Not far away from the city itself, are some of the Oil Sands development with their giant Tailings Ponds, and it’s hard not to see the environmental impact here, despite the reclamation that’s in progress. We took a helicopter tour over the sites, Syncrude and Suncor and the scale of the industrial project was quite striking and although I prefer the ground, the view from the sky was unforgettable.

  However, once getting into the actual city, we learned that there was more beneath the surface that could make the city beautiful. We met and interviewed a handful of amazing people, that were keen to change our perspective of the city. First, we went and interviewed the Inman of the local mosque to get a Koranic perspective to the development north of the city, and he told us of the benefits that he’s seen within his community alone.

We then followed up with former restaurant owner, Louay Magherby (who he greeted us with some home-made delicious sweets!) As we talked to Louay, he told us of the changes he’s seen in the city and his life during the past four years, and his new career as an engineer within the oil industry. His love of Fort McMurray and the economic opportunity one could have there if they so desired, is obvious!

We also met with local real estate broker, Tom Albrecht, an Englishman that fell in love with the city and has lived there ever since. He was keen to try and change the outside world’s perspective of the city and even invited us to some of the community activities that he organises, where we met others who only had positive things to say.

  To us, this positive outlook on the Oil Sands was refreshing, finding those who saw them as an asset and a blessing, and it is interesting to note that it seems to only be the people that don’t actually live in Fort McMurray, that find the city so repugnant. 

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Oil Sands: Curse or Blessing

We are fundraising and seeking collaboration for this project click on the right hand tab and and write a note if you would like to help or be involved! 

The project will be an interactive web-based document that will also feature a half-hour documentary, that will ultimately allow the viewer to learn about the Oil Sands development, and listen to conversations and interviews from a diverse range of individuals who are connected to the development in different ways, whether as workers or as neighbouring residents. The aim by the end of it is to educate the viewer on the development and allow them to draw their own conclusion as to whether or not the Oil Sands are indeed a Curse or a Blessing.

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Bannock For Edmonton! (And Me)

We left Peace River and arrived in Edmonton just in time for the Aboriginal Day Festival. A bright and sunny day could not be more perfect for this celebration. Good food, amazing craftsmanship and traditional talent made this festival one for the books. We watched in awe as the Grand Entrance of Chiefs, their families and performers danced around the park. We talked to a few people at the festival and their views were completely different. While one was having the time of her life celebrating, the other thought it was an offensive party for the “white man.” Regardless of the views they had, the people were nice and so was the weather.

While in Edmonton, we also got the chance to re-interview Mike Hudema, the Climate and Energy Campaigner with Greenpeace, to get his thoughts on how the Oil Sands have developed over the past few years, as well as the recent Northern Gateway decision. We also made a bet as to whether or not it would actually get built….!

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Harper Approves!

On June 17th, 2014, Prime Minister Stephen Harper quietly and at the last minute approved the Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline. The mighty twin pipeline stretches from Bruderheim, Alberta to the deep-water port of Kitimat, BC at the head of the Douglas Channel. The westbound pipeline will carry up to 525, 000 barrels of oil per day, according to the Enbridge website, with the eastbound pipeline hauling 193, 000 barrels of condensate per day.

Many Canadians are voicing their concerns with the pipeline being built. One of many examples regards the condensate travelling through the eastbound pipeline, which is a “dangerous good” and a “highly toxic substance” according to the Federal government. Another concern is about the communities and wildlife, that the pipeline will travel through/ potentially vent near and pollute and destroy their natural habitat and way of life. Oppositions to the conservative Prime Minister are stepping up, stating they would reverse the Northern Gateway pipeline

Is there another way to responsibly harvest and transport oil?

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True North, Strong And Free (Well... Almost)

We left the big city for the north, Peace River, Alberta. The beautiful lush valley went hand in hand with the hot and humid weather. Driving around in the once dense forest, we noticed many abandoned houses and fields. Arriving at Carmen Langer’s residence and farm, he told us of his suffering and of his losses, due to the health concerns that have been brought upon by unclosed systems and flaring. When we asked him for an update since April, he told us that nothing has changed within the system and the community’s structure is continuing to fall apart.

We were lucky enough to land a media tour with the AER, who were practicing the new regulations put into effect. At one of the two sites we visited there were “minor emissions” that needed to be addressed. If that smell is what they call minor, I dread to think what major emissions smell like!

As we watched them test the air quality they told us that they would “advise” the company of the odor. When asked about the penalties the companies would receive for breaking these new regulations, the answer was more evasive than we had hoped for.

Without more severe penalties, how realistic can the changes within the regulation be?

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Hello Canada!

After a long and tiring flight, we arrived in sunny Calgary, Alberta. And in spite of jet lag, we are ready to take on the “Oil Sands: Curse or Blessing”!

When we arrived at our hotel, the Fairmount Palliser, we were pleased to find out that they were celebrating their centennial. They held a vintage dress up party with dancing, big bands, and cake (they saw me coming!)

Only a block away was yet another celebration, the Much Music Video Award street party. Live bands and DJ’s echoed amongst the buildings while they had professional wake-boarders showing off their tricks.

Full of tea and cake we started planning out our trip to Peace River. We are looking forward to seeing how the recent changes within the Alberta Energy Regulator come into effect.

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The Oil Sands Curse or Blessing gignouxphotos  Photography Alan Gignoux 

June 13th 2014 On our way to photograph Alberta and interview people to build on past work http://www.dirtymapleleaf.com/ and exploring the story further..