Louise Abbott - Storyteller

Louise Abbott was an undergraduate student in English literature at McGill University when she received a scholarship to study photography at the Banff Centre. She became hooked on photography the moment she saw her first print emerge from the developing trays in the Banff darkroom. She went on to do a photo essay about a boat and canoe rental business on the Bow River in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta. She knew then that she wanted to devote her career to telling stories in images and words.

Louise later read Mary Ellen Mark's book Passport and had an epiphany that confirmed her desire to travel and photograph. She went on to study with Mary Ellen Mark at the Rencontres de la photographie in France. She also took workshops with Montreal photographers Sam Tata and Gabor Szilasi. Louise continued to use Szilasi's darkroom for many years. Two 20th century photographers Louise particularly admires are Eugene Smith and Dorothea Lange.

Louise has roots in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. As a child she spent weekends and summers at her family's cottage at Vale Perkins and, later on, at their farm on the west side of Lake Memphremagog. In 1982 she met her future husband, cabinetmaker and photographer Niels Jensen, and settled with him in the village of Tomifobia on the shores of the Tomifobia River.

Louise Abbott at work

In 2005, Louise added to her skills as a photographer and writer by learning videography. She recently completed a 52-minute documentary titled Giving Shelter: Historic Barns of the Eastern Townships.

Louise says working with digital equipment is easy because it's light and simple to carry. However, she still believes the "decisive moment" is crucial for capturing striking images, regardless of the medium.

Louise and her husband Niels are currently producing a book documenting life in the James Bay region of Quebec. The book was commissioned by COTA, the Cree Outfitting and Tourism Association.

Louise and Niels have also received an intial research grant for The Working Landscape, a book that will look at the history of the landscape of the Eastern Townships.

Part of what drives Louise is the pleasure she takes in interacting with people. She also accepts that you have to ignore certain things in life if you want to dedicate yourself to creativity.

Louise has published four books of photographs: The Coast Way, The French Shore, A Country So Wild and Grand and The Heart of the Farm. Her work is regularly on display at Studio Georgeville, the gallery she and Niels run with with several other artists in the village of Georgeville in the Eastern Townships.