When V. Tony Hauser moved to Canada from his native Germany in 1967, it resulted in a change of career as well as a change of country. Tony had been working for some years as a journalist for newspapers and magazines when he decided he wanted some adventure in his life.

He moved to Montreal with $400 in his pocket and only a rudimentary grasp of English. He started working for a local German-language magazine and did some freelance work for Spiegel magazine but he soon realized that the collective income was not enough to pay the bills. Unable to work as a journalist for local media, because his written English wasn’t of a high enough standard, he took a night shift job in a photo lab.

The job helped to pay the bills, but it wasn’t exactly a career. Soon afterwards, Tony started studying at the School of Modern Photography (“I don’t think it exists any more,” said Tony), where he quickly learned about all aspects of photography. It also helped him to learn English.

He moved to Toronto and set about building his photography business. One fortuitous encounter led to him being introduced to the Toronto Star’s graphics editor.

“I was in a park, photographing people and came across this councilman who had spent the night in the park to see what it was like to be homeless,” said Tony. “We spoke and I gave him my card. The next day I got a call from Peter Robertson at the Star, asking if I had the photos. I went down to the Star, got the photos developed there and began freelancing for them.”

Although Tony did have a 35mm camera, he preferred to use a Hasselblad. “This was not the kind of camera that photojournalists were using,” said Tony. “It was more often used for commercial photos and portraits. I was getting into portrait photography then and I liked the finer grain structure and being able to have bigger blow-ups. I also preferred the square format.”

Tony set up his own portrait photo business, which he still runs out of his studio at Front Street in downtown Toronto. The Hasselblad continued to be his camera of choice and over the years he honed his developing skills, creating archival black and white photos in both silver and platinum. Many of those portraits can be found in the National Archives of Canada and various museums and collections around the world.

The introduction of digital photography initially had little impact on Tony, for a number of reasons. “When digital first came out, the quality and longevity were really bad,” he said. “The pictures faded like crazy and the dye would run if it got wet, the image would just wash away. This was a big concern for me; some of my work was being bought by fine art collectors. I didn’t want prints that wouldn’t last, so digital was of no interest to me.”

Even after digital printing improved to the point where it could at least compete with silver prints, Tony still preferred film, from both an aesthetic and practical point of view.

“There is something nice about having a handmade photo rather than one made by a machine,” he said. “It is like the difference between a hand-carved table and one bought from Ikea. There is something special, something endearing about a handmade print – it is made by the artist himself. It is the nearest I can get to using a brush and painting.”

Tony also found that the actual process of taking portraits changed with digital cameras. “I always need to interact with people when I am shooting,” he said. “With the old cameras you have to change film and this lets people relax, you can interact with them, they feel less scrutinized by the camera and you get better photos. With a digital camera, it’s just boom, boom, boom.”

Nevertheless, Tony finally bought his first digital camera – a Canon 5D – in 2007. “I use it for headshots of business people,” he said. “Newspapers don’t want to have to print film any more, they just want to receive photos by email, so I needed it for that. I’ve also shot my last few PhotoSensitive projects with the Canon.”

Even after several decades as a photographer, Tony’s passion for his profession hasn’t diminished. “I still get the same kick out of taking photos,” he said. “For me it’s all about the interaction with people. Photography is an amazing way of connecting with people and having a reason to connect with them. It suits my personality. I’ve learned that I should have been doing that all my life. I should have been a social worker!”

This human connection is one of the reasons why Tony enjoys working with PhotoSensitive so much. That, along with the ability that PhotoSensitive projects allow him to really get involved with the relevant issues. “With some of our projects I really feel like I am learning something I had no real understanding of before,” said Tony. “We get the time to get into their stories in-depth, dig a little deeper and explore the intricacies of a situation.”

When PhotoSensitive was going to Zambia to shoot for the HIV Positive exhibition, Tony travelled there several days before the other photographers. “I really wanted to get there earlier,” he said. “It gave me the time to feel the climate, get a grasp for the situation there and have a better understanding of what was going on.”

Tony also believes in PhotoSensitive’s key aim – to change the world one photo at a time. “I like the idea that with an image you can make a change in someone’s life,” he said. “Using photography to highlight human rights issues. Everyone wants to be noticed, whether it’s movie stars or people in an inhumane situation. They want people to know what they are going through and photography can achieve this.”

Highlighting the plight of those in inhumane situations has led Tony to create a personal project, which came about when he was in Cambodia. He came upon a group of children who had been injured by landmines. The resulting exhibition, “Living with Landmines,” is comprised of life-sized portraits of those children.

It has been touring for three years and visited several countries, including Canada, the UK, USA, Spain, Slovenia and Hong Kong. It is currently showing at the University of Chicago. “I am looking to show it across America in universities,” said Tony. “I want to get it back to the UK and my dream would be to get it to Beijing.”

As for the future, Tony intends to continue taking portraits in his own, inimitable style. “I will work until I croak or lose my marbles,” he said. “Whichever comes first.”

Tobi Asmoucha’s love of photography began when she was just seven years old and she started rearranging photo albums (“None of our family albums are in chronological order!” she says).

At 14 she started taking photos and borrowed a school camera for a contest, which she won. The prize was her very first camera, a Canon A1, which she still owns. “I knew then that I wanted to be a photographer,” says Tobi. “It was just a question of how.”

She studied photography at Ryerson University and worked in a photo studio and as a photographer’s assistant before starting to shoot her own projects towards the end of her time at Ryerson.

“I started to show that work to art directors,” says Tobi, “and within four years, I was starting to get work that I liked doing. I was shooting more community work; people, places, neighbourhoods.”

A love of shooting communities remains with Tobi to this day. “I am interested in people, how they connect and what makes them tick. As a photographer, you become a part of the community, you are more likely to be taken in when you have a camera, it’s like a passport.”

Tobi also does a lot of corporate photography and architectural work. “With architecture, it’s all about how to make it look the best that you can,” she says. “I walk around the location before setting up, I scout it in advance to let it seep through. Then I throw it all away when the light changes! It’s all about space and light, you have to be quick on your feet and decide what you have to do to make it look right.”

Teaching at the Toronto School of Art and Humber College has provided Tobi with new challenges and benefits. “As a photographer, you’re not often collaborating, so I enjoy that part of teaching, and it makes you a better photographer and person. It’s a good way of giving back. I get a lot out of it so long as I still have time for shooting.”

For Tobi, working with young people brings other advantages as well. “I love working with youth from different neighbourhoods,” she says. “I took a group of inner-city students camping and got them back to nature. Many of them had never left the city. You could see them morphing in front of you.”

Peter Bregg got Tobi involved with PhotoSensitive after she met with him at MacLean’s Magazine, where Peter was a photo editor. Peter introduced her to Peter Robertson who in turn connected her with Andrew Stawicki.

“I think Andrew took me on as a project,” says Tobi. “He was really good to me. I also started working for his magazines. I really liked the sense of collaboration that you get with PhotoSensitive projects. We photographers are usually lone wolves, so it was nice to have that group dynamic. I also got to work on projects that I wouldn’t have done on my own.”

Tobi’s first PhotoSensitive project was Destination Toronto, but her favourite projects so far have been The Strength Within and Vibrant Communities in Focus.

“For the United Way exhibition I spent a lot of time with the women at a drop-in centre,” Tobi recalls. “I got to build relationships with the people there and was surprised at the scope of people – they came from all backgrounds and ages. I felt like I got to know different communities.

“I got to spend a lot of time with a group of older Chinese women and although we couldn’t speak a word to each other, I was taken into their group and they always made sure I had something to eat and a place to sit with them whenever I saw them. The camaraderie was really special.”

Working on Vibrant Communities in Focus affected Tobi on a very personal level. “I spent a lot of time shooting at a home for pregnant teenagers,” she says. “At the time I was pregnant, and they were all giving me advice on what to expect. Even though these were kids themselves, they had a baby to deal with. I could really relate to them.”

As with most photographers, Tobi embraced digital photography some time ago and uses a Canon 5D mostly, but also likes to use a Hasselblad film camera on occasion. “I love the quality of film and how it’s more of a mystery,” she says. “I like it when you don’t get to see the image right away.”

For Tobi, the immediacy of digital cameras has forced her to change the way she now edits her photos. “I often find that my key photo is not the one that I would have chosen when shooting,” she says. “For example, I was doing a project on the Jewish community in Zimbabwe and there was one photo that I completely ignored at the time of taking it, I didn’t think anything of it.

“Later on, when I was editing the images I realized that it was the picture. I find that, as an artist, it’s too personal, you need time and space to edit properly. I try not to erase any photos until I have seen them all later on.”

As far as the future is concerned, Tobi is hopeful that she can continue to do the work she loves while juggling the responsibilities of being a new mother. “My fear when I had a kid was whether I would be able to continue doing my work,” she says. “Initially I only took jobs where I could take her with me. I even took her into meetings and would breastfeed her in the boardroom afterwards!

“As long as the client was open to me being a new mom, it would be OK. I put her into daycare at 10 months and I now do a lot of jobs at weekends and in the evenings, but it’s a hard thing to juggle successfully. It’s hard on family life and I find I have to prioritize.”

Peter Bregg has been a member of PhotoSensitive since we began in 1990 and has contributed to over a dozen of our projects.
In May this year Peter retired from Rogers Publishing where he spent 20 years – 17 with Maclean’s Magazine and three with HELLO! Magazine.
We asked him what he had been up to since “retiring”.
“My first assignment was to take my wife on a two week vacation to Greece and Turkey,” he told us. “Then we spent a week with grandchildren at a cottage before settling down to lining up some freelance work. ”
The new freelance life has suited Peter. “It gives me the freedom to choose what I want to do,” he said, “although I have been accepting just about everything offered to me. I am heading to Africa on October 9 for two weeks to shoot for the NGO Watercan, the agency for which Margret Trudeau is honorary president. The end use of the photos is a photo exhibit in Ottawa next March for International Water Day. ”
Being away from the nine-to-five grind is also a bonus. “Freelance work has given me a break from the stress of weekly deadlines at a magazine,” he said. “I can work a few days and then take a few days off to work on other projects.
One of those other projects includes a photo exhibition due to open on November 4 commemorating the 30th anniversary of the seizing of the American embassy in Iran and the taking of 52 hostages. “I spent six months during those 444 days covering that story,” said Peter. “I managed to get to Algiers at the end to get photos of the hostages making their stopover on their way to the USA. My Iran diary has some interesting stories and photos.”
Peter is currently corresponding with Joe Clark, Canada’s Prime Minister at time of the US Embassy debacle in Iran, with a view to having him attend the launch of the exhibition.
Corporate work has also been keeping Peter busy. “I have just signed a deal for an ad campaign for a start-up cell phone company,” he said, “and I will also be working for Wireimage at the Toronto International Film Festival in September.
Just in case boredom might threaten to invade his days, Peter will also be joining the faculty on the journalism program at Ryerson University this September, teaching “Introduction to Photojournalism” to third year students. “I know I will enjoy this because by this point they are committed to journalism and anxious to learn,” he said.
And in case this were not enough, Peter has also just started a regular feature with Zoomer Magazine called ZoomLens. “I will be submitting a photo each month from the last 40 years with a story behind the photo. The September issue (current) has a photo of Trudeau attending the Grey Cup wearing a cape and floppy black hat. Next month will feature a funny photo of Princess Diana and the following month will have a photo from the Iran Hostage story.”
Not surprisingly, Peter isn’t looking much further than the end of this year. “Next year will be more of the same I hope,” he said. “I am having a good time and have been so busy I am afraid to get too far ahead of myself. ”
Here at PhotoSensitive, we are also hoping that Peter’s “retirement” will mean even more involvement with our future projects. If he has the time, that is.

Patti Gower has been a member of PhotoSensitive since we formed in 1990 and has contributed to over a dozen of our projects.

After taking a science degree and working in a hospital, Patti took a trip to Europe that changed her life and her career path. The trip awakened Patti’s love for photography and from that point on there was no going back.

“I think that when anyone travels they want to record their journey,” she said. “Just prior to my trip I bought a Nikon FE2, a 28mm lens and dozens of rolls of transparency (Kodachrome).  I am not sure why I didn’t buy negative film but I think I liked the idea of paying for the film and processing all at once. During my year away, I would send the used rolls to my parents’ house and got it all processed when I got back.”

So began Patti’s deep-seated interest in the photographic art and her experimentation with it. “I bought photography magazines throughout my trip and tried to experiment with timed exposure, depth of field and composition,” she told us. “With all the technical unknowns to me at that time, I was unable to see if I was successful or not until many months later, back in Canada.  That just would not happen now with digital!”

Patti traveled throughout England, France, Spain and the Canary Islands and fell in love with travelling. “When I returned to Canada I enrolled in the photojournalism program at Loyalist College, thinking I would spend the rest of my life travelling,” she said. “The travelling life never materialized as I first thought, but I have had the privilege of meeting and spending time with so many people.”

After graduating from Loyalist, Patti spent eight years at the Toronto Star and four years at the Globe and Mail working as a staff photographer. From the beginning Patti knew that the more in-depth stories were the ones that appealed to her. “The day-to-day workings of the newspaper business didn’t always allow for this,” she said, “although I must say at both papers I was always encouraged to do so.

“Human lives and experiences are tremendously complex. You can tell some parts of the story wonderfully in a single photograph. But there are some stories that need and deserve time. And that is the only way to tell them.”

The travel bug never left Patti and she was fortunate enough to combine this with her commitment to more long-term projects when she was awarded an Atkinson Fellowship in 2001. Along with writer Margaret Philp, she spent a year exploring the world of Canadian adoption, a project that took her across Canada, to several American states and South Korea. “This experience really confirmed to me that this is what I wanted to do as a photojournalist,” she said.

In 2003 Patti left the Globe and Mail to get involved in longer, more personal projects that would normally be associated with NGOs or the Canadian International Development Agency. “When I left the newspaper business I really had no plan of action,” Patti admitted. “Life was also more complex for me because I have a husband and two children. The longest time away from them was three weeks and although I was always immersed in the story, I missed them. And I had to make an income.”

Much of that income came from shooting portraits, weddings, commercial work and some freelance work for magazines.  This didn’t leave her very much time to work on and finance self-directed projects.

In 2006 Patti went back to school, to teacher’s college at the University of Toronto. Initially her plan was to teach photography to high school students, but when she graduated she got the opportunity to take a part-time contract job at Loyalist College. This meant spending the week in Belleville and returning to Toronto at weekends.

Patti soon discovered a love for teaching photography that rivalled her love of taking photographs. “I have discovered that I am just as excited and interested in seeing the progress of students’ projects without the need to shoot them myself,” she said. “I get to teach subjects that I am passionate about – multiple pictures in first year and documentary photography in second year.”

Although Patti still has ideas for personal projects, “in my head and in my heart”, which she knows she will get to do in the future, at the moment her time is monopolized by teaching and spending time with her family.

Patti continues to be a regular contributor to PhotoSensitive projects, a relationship that goes back all the way to 1990, at a time when she was working with PhotoSensitive founder Andrew Stawicki; both were at the Toronto Star when PhotoSensitive was formed.

“Andrew asked me if I was interested and there was no question,” she said. “It was an opportunity to work on long-term projects that dealt with complex social issues of our times. Again, it was really what I wanted to do as a photojournalist.  But it was also the power of working with so many photographic voices that makes each project.  Each one of us brings a viewpoint and a way of telling a story. I think this is why PhotoSensitive has had so much success with audiences.”

“Each PhotoSensitive project has given me an opportunity to explore a moment in someone else’s life,” Patti continued, “and although travel was what brought me to the career of photography, I have learned that many stories worth telling are just next door.”

For now, working on PhotoSensitive projects and teaching at Loyalist College are providing Patti with everything she needs. “I am really happy teaching and cannot see that changing any time soon. As for 10 years from now, well, I hope that I am healthy and happy. And whatever that may entail.”

Frank Mazzuca has loved photography for as long as he can remember. Over those five decades, his camera of choice has changed from his first, a 620 that his father bought for a dollar in a gift store in Niagara Falls, to his current one, a Canon 5D. In between, cameras included a Kodak Instamatic, a Minolta XGM and Hasselblad 50th anniversary 500CM, among many others.

“For me, photography is a great way of locking in an instant moment and sharing it,” says Frank. “I think that’s why my kids love photography as well.”

Although Frank was obsessed with photography at a young age and took photography courses at high school, he chose not to study it at university. “I taught myself photography,” he says. “I was always taking pictures, so that’s how I learned, from trying different things.

“I remember taking this portrait of my grandparents in Europe. It was an important picture in my life. I sat them down, I was aware of the surroundings, the light source, I made sure there was no confusion around them. I still have it. I guess I was 15 at the time.”

Frank would practise different styles of shooting, experimenting with textures, shadows and light. “All things look graphic to me,” Frank says. “I would use old desk lamps to practice shooting with light. I bought a translucent $5 wedding umbrella and shot through it with a flash.”

Frank studied design at Seneca College and started working at a design studio where he was the go-to man whenever photos were required. “I found that photography made for a beautiful marriage with my design work,” he says. “It really finished off the creative process. At this time I was constantly borrowing cameras, either from Vistek or friends. I eventually bought the Hasselblad.”

After working for design studios for 14 years, Frank set up his own business, called Mazzuca Design, Photography & Ideas Inc., which he has run with his wife for over 15 years. “We specialize in brand identity,” Frank explains,” and it made sense to include photography as a part of that. It helped us to round off the service portfolio that we offer.”

Frank was first introduced to PhotoSensitive after getting to know V. Tony Hauser, one of PhotoSensitive’s original members. They had met at a one-day seminar that Tony was conducting at Humber College on portrait photography. Frank showed Tony his portfolio and they became good friends.

Photo by Frank Mazzuca ©, PhotoSensitiveMarcel Mazzuca at Vaughan Public Library's Early Harvest awards ceremony for his portrait of V. Tony Hauser, flanked by Ms Russo and Ms Amadeo of Kleinburg Public School

Through Tony, Frank met PhotoSensitive co-founder, Andrew Stawicki and Andrew invited Frank to work on what would be his first PhotoSensitive assignment – Destination Toronto – back in 2004. Frank has been a regular contributor to PhotoSensitive projects ever since.

“PhotoSensitive does an important job,” says Frank. “I am blessed and honoured to be a part of this team. Andrew and Peter Robertson have put together a great group of like-minded people to tell the stories through the lens.”

For Frank, what sets PhotoSensitive assignments apart from his other work is the amount of time that he can spend on them. “Take my assignment for the Energy Project, at the Arva Flour Mills,” Frank says. “Long before I went out there, I spoke to them on the phone several times, told them about PhotoSensitive and the project, we emailed back and forth. When I finally met them it was like we’d known each other for years and they were really comfortable with the whole process. And I got to spend a whole day with them. You don’t get to do that with your normal work, there just isn’t time.”

Getting involved with Cancer Connections became a very personal experience for Frank – his father was his subject. Frank took many photos of Salvatore as he battled with lung and brain cancer for almost a year. Frank has almost 1,000 images of his father’s battle with the disease and showed some of them at his funeral.

“Cancer Connections was on a whole different, emotional plane,”says Frank. “It satisfied so many of the reasons why I’m a photographer. And then I remembered, oh, yeah, it’s for PhotoSensitive.”

Frank’s children are following in his footsteps. Daughter Ola is at Ryerson University, studying journalism and often takes photos of the people she interviews. His 13-year-old son, Marcel, looks set to become one of the next generation of PhotoSensitive photographers.

This past October, Marcel received a prize from Vaughan Public Library’s Early Harvest Celebration, which recognizes the creative accomplishments of local teenagers. Marcel took second place in the Photography – People Around Me competition for his portrait of V. Tony Hauser.

“I can just give Marcel a camera and leave him to get on with it,” says Frank. “It’s magical to have photography in common with my son.”

PhotoSensitive’s founding photographer, Andrew Stawicki, began his career as a photographer in his native Poland and then Germany before immigrating to Canada with his young family in 1982.

Although Andrew’s English wasn’t great, he let his camera do the talking and soon picked up a job as a staff photographer for the Toronto Star. His photos also featured in “A Day in the Life of…” series of books, on the USA, Canada, Japan, Spain and the Soviet Union. His photos of Mennonites, taken over a 10-year period, were published in the book, “A People Apart”.

For some time, being a Toronto Star photographer suited him. “I got the car. I got the camera. I got to travel. I had so many opportunities. I got everything a photographer dreams of,” Andrew recalls. But this wasn’t enough.

“You have to understand: in Poland we had always worked together,” he continues. “Out of necessity, one guy would take photos, one guy would print photos, one guy would mount photos, one guy would get them into an exhibition. And then, together, a story would be told.

“But here, in Canada, in Toronto, I kept seeing everyone was out for themselves. Sometimes we talked, but it was competitive, every guy out for himself. And I thought why can’t we do something together? Something to help other people. I looked at Tony Hauser’s portraits: Incredible. And Yuri Dojc’s pictures: Amazing. Benjamin Rondel’s: Genius. And I thought: Each of us has such a different way of shooting; each of us has a different way of seeing. I thought: here we are, a bunch of crazy guys doing beautiful things but we are doing it all alone! What if we all worked together on a project, tried to make something change for the better?”

So, one afternoon, frustrated at tight deadlines and too little space to display his photos in the newspaper, Andrew went to see his friend and Star photo editor, Peter Robertson. Peter was also tired of the smash-and-grab style of photojournalism of the day and so his response to Andrew’s moaning was immediate.

“Stop your complaining, man, and let’s do something different! Let’s put together a team of great photographers. We’ll work differently. No more smash-and-grab. We’ll tell ’em: Take your time. Take time to get to know your subjects. Take time to do your best work. That’s what our message will be: you will have time with us. Take it. Use it. And then let’s use the pictures to change the world.”

Within a week, Andrew had gathered together a group of 17 photographers and they soon set to work on the first ever PhotoSensitive project, about the poor and homeless – “It’s In Their Eyes”.

Andrew Stawicki says having time to get to know the homeless and the hungry was key to the exhibit’s success. “I didn’t have time to get to know the guy on the bench when I was shooting for the newspaper. I’d try—of course I’d try. But I often didn’t know his name, whether he was sick or drunk. We never got enough time.”

For “It’s In Their Eyes,” Andrew was determined that this would not be the case and that he and his fellow photographers would get to know these homeless people. MP Gerard Kennedy was the executive director of the Daily Bread Food Bank at the time, the agency that partnered with PhotoSensitive on the project, and he was able to introduce Andrew’s team to many homeless people who were willing to be photographed for the exhibition.

“They invited us into their living rooms, which could be underneath a bridge or in an alley,” Andrew remembers. “We insisted on using their names. These are not strangers. They are people with names and stories. And we showed their faces; we gave them their dignity. Tony Hauser took the same care with their portraits as he would have with a CEO of a bank. We took pictures not because they were homeless. We took pictures because they were human.”

“It’s In Their Eyes” was a huge success and the team quickly moved on to new projects; “Precious Time,” for which the group was granted unprecedented, 24-hour, unlimited access to Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children; “Hand of Hope”, a study of the work of United Way; “Them = Us”, exploring Canada’s diversity; “Braille = Equality” showing the impact of those little raised dots on the lives of the blind and partially sighted; and “Child Poverty: A National Disgrace,” which lifted the lid on the extent of child poverty in Canada, 11 years after Parliament had promised to eradicate it by the turn of the millennium.

Despite the success of PhotoSensitive, Andrew was always looking to take the group to new places and on to new challenges. Over the next 10 years, PhotoSensitive travelled to Africa and Asia, focusing on the scourge of AIDS, the effects of the tsunami and the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide. PhotoSensitive travelled across Canada, displaying its exhibitions in every province.

And the group continued to grow. From that initial group of 17 photographers, PhotoSensitive has grown beyond recognition. There are now almost 900 photographers who have given their time and talent freely to PhotoSensitive’s causes.

“We have always looked to include people in our projects,” says Andrew. “Our strength is that we have been fortunate enough to be able to reach out to photographers all over the country – and they always say, yes, we will join you.”

Now, 20 years on, Andrew hasn’t finished yet. Work has already started on another ambitious project, with energy as its theme. PhotoSensitive is increasingly using video in its projects and the Internet is becoming an essential way for the group to get its work out to an even wider audience. In many ways, the 20 year anniversary marks a new beginning for PhotoSensitive.

“Remember the first time you paint a room?” Andrew asks. “You paint and you paint and you paint. And finally all the paint brushes are put away. And you look around and you think, my goodness, I did this. Well, look what’s been achieved by this small, dedicated group—it’s pretty impressive and they should each be proud! But there’s more to be done, much more!”

With extracts from the book, “Field of Vision: PhotoSensitive and Social Change” by PhotoSensitive and Alannah Campbell.