spectacular northwest territories canada (excerpt)

$29.95

George Fischer

Nim

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The top of the world brings

accounts of sprawling

landscapes dotted with lakes

and imposing mountains, and a

surviving culture that transcends

the whims of prevailing fashion.

This untamed country will

challenge your spirit and thrill

your soul. George Fischer, one of

Canada’s most celebrated and

prolific landscape photographers

has journeyed from the mosaic

flatlands and roaring waterfalls

to the jagged peaks, capturing

images inspired by the joy of

discovery. The Nahanni National

Park Reserve and Wood Buffalo

National Park – both UNESCO

World Heritage sites – are just

two of the spectacular regions

depicted. Fischer will guide you

on the northern routes and

introduce you to the people and

their culture. Witness a land

steeped in natural riches and

lore – a land for the bold and the

adventurous. Spectacular!

the top of the world

Fischer-NWTBook_01-12_cover 12-01-25 2:12 PM

copyright © 2012 George Fischer

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmittedin any form or by any means without prior written permission from the photographer, George Fischer.

Nimbus Publishing LimitedPO Box 9166Halifax, NS B3K 5MB902-455-4286

Printed in China

Design: Catharine Barker, National Graphics, Toronto, ON

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Fischer, George, 1954-Spectacular Northwest Territories Canada / George Fischer.

Includes index.ISBN 978-1-55109-887-6

1. Northwest Territories--Pictorial works. I. Title.

FC4161.F57 2012 971.9'300222 C2011-908715-4

acknowledgments

First and foremost, I would like to thank my

sponsors: Ted Grant of Simpson Air; Travis Wright

and Sue Coyne of North Wright Airways;

Valerie Vrisk of Canadian North; and Julie Warnock

of NWT Tourism for so generously giving both their

time and the funding necessary for the birth of

this book.

My appreciation for the writing of the preface goes

to Senator Nick Sibbeston – lawyer, distinguished

member of the Northwest Territories (N.W.T.)

Legislative Assembly, former Premier and a

gentleman.

For modeling in various locations throughout the

NWT I would like to thank my long time assistant

Jean Lepage and my not so long time assistant

Reginald Poirier, both of whom were very patient

with my unusual and often risky demands.

Thanks as well go to Ken and Dana Baerg for so

graciously allowing me to interrupt their vacation

and photograph them at Virginia Falls.

My heartfelt appreciation to Don Payne, David

Jumbo, Joe Punch, Tommy Kotchea, Aaron Jumbo

and Deanna Jumbo, Dave and Nancy Madden and

all the children of Charles Tetcho School in Trout

Lake. I had the most amazing time in your

wonderful community.

I would also like to thank Eli and Joe Nasogaluak

for the Great Northern Arts Festival sculptures, and

Effie and Jemma Gruben for dipping their toes into

the freezing Beaufort Sea.

To Dean Austin and Cory Burella – my pilots from

Simpson Air – my hat goes off to you for all the

aerial photography that I was able to do because of

your amazing flying and great acrobatics.

A special thanks to Bern Will Brown for allowing

me to photograph and show a small sample of your

inspiring work within these pages.

To Julie Warnock of NWT Tourism. Thanks for the

excellent last minute itinerary.

Last but not least, to Catharine Barker – the best

book designer ever!

photo credit pages 90-91: Catharine Barker

Fischer-NWTBook_01-12_guts 12-01-26 8:07 AM

4

“

if a single picture is worth a thousand words, then the

hundreds of incredible photos within the pages of

Spectacular Northwest Territories speak volumes about the

beauty and diversity of the North. From the majesty of

Virginia Falls to the stark splendour of the high Arctic,

George Fischer has caught, not only the natural wonders of

our land, but also the simple pleasures and joys of the

people who live on it.

When you have lived and travelled in the NWT your entire

life, as I have, it’s easy to stop seeing the amazing vistas that

open up around every bend in the river or every turn of a

mountain trail. In the struggle of making a living, we

sometimes forget the simple joys of a boat ride across a

much-loved lake or of getting together with friends at a

favourite café. Fischer’s portrayal of the land and people is a

gentle reminder to keep our senses tuned to the everyday

and extraordinary beauty of the world.

Every Canadian should havethe chance to experience

the North as I have...

Lots of photographers have come to the North for a trip or

two and lots of striking images have been taken, but it is

clear, as you look at these pictures, that George Fischer

hasn’t simply visited the NWT, he has experienced and

captured it. While the jagged mountains, shimmering

waterfalls, and crystal (and sometimes muddy) waters of

lakes and rivers captivate and inspire, it is the more intimate

portraits of elders and children, of artists and their work that

really sets this book apart from all the rest. Community life,

from the bustle of Yellowknife and its sometimes eccentric

architecture to the iconic cabins and simple and simply

beautiful churches of Nahanni Butte or Fort Good Hope, is

the heart of the North and the heart of this collection.

Every Canadian should have the chance to experience the

North as I have, travelling by boat along the Mackenzie, by

truck down our endless roads, or flying in big planes or small

to the isolated communities and places scattered across the

landscape. They should have the opportunity to canoe

across the placid waters of Little Doctor Lake, to feel the

spray of Lady Evelyn Falls in their face or to wade along the

icy shore of the Beaufort Sea. They should see for

themselves the majestic mountains and river valleys, the

bush planes and the people that fly them, the Auroras and

the rainbows and, most of all, the many different people

who call this place home.

Now, thanks to George Fischer, they can.

Senator Nick Sibbeston


virginia fal ls


14

Fischer-NWTBook_01-12_guts 12-01-26 8:08 AM Page 14

15

glacier lake


16

aurora boreal is


louise fal ls


34

tuktoyaktuk


tuktoyaktuk 35


74

ram plateau


75


88


yellowknife


90

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f ire-feeding ceremony


91


132

wood buffalo national park of canada


133


cirque of the uncl imbables


208

virginia fal ls


216

Fort Smith

Tuktoyaktuk

Inuvik

Tsiigehtchic

Beaufort SeaPingoCanadianLandmark

LittleDoctor

Lake

Louise FallsAlexandra Falls

Lady EvelynFalls

Slave River

NahanniNational

Park Reserve

Tuktut NogaitNational Park

Wood BuffaloNational

Park

Great Bear Lake

Great Slave Lake

Arctic Ocean

Fort McPherson

Colville LakeFort Good Hope

Norman Wells

Tulita

Wrigley

Fort SimpsonBehchokò(Rae-Edzo)

NahanniButte

FortLiard

Trout Lake

FortProvidence

Hay RiverEnterprise

Fort Resolution

Yellowknife

Mackenzie M

ountains

YUKONTERRITORY

ALBERTA

SASKATCHEWAN

MANITOBA

ONTARIOQUEBEC

NEWFOUNDLAND& LABRADOR

PRINCE EDWARDISLAND

NOVA SCOTIANEW

BRUNSWICK

NUNAVUTNORTHWESTTERRITORIES

BRITISHCOLUMBIA

george f ischer is one of Canada’s most renowned and prolific landscape photographers.

He has produced over 40 books and 50 art posters. His work has also appeared on the covers of

numerous international magazines and newspapers, and in the promotional publications of

tourism agencies around the world. His most recent publication Unforgettable Canada, was on

The Globe and Mail’s bestseller list for eight weeks and sold over 50,000 copies. Other titles in

the Unforgettable series include: Unforgettable Tuscany & Florence, Unforgettable Paris

Inoubliable, Unforgettable Atlantic Canada, The 1000 Islands – Unforgettable, and Les Îles de la

Madeleine Inoubliables. George Fischer resides in Toronto, Canada.

See more of George Fischer’s work at www.georgefischerphotography.com

bio

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Photo credit: Deanna Jumbo

trout lakechar les tetcho school


spectacular northwest territories canada (excerpt)

Documents

george fischerall rights

amazing time

northwest territories

special thanks

julie warnockof nwt

julie warnock of nwt

long time assistantjean

joe punch