Looking West : Photographing the Canadian Prairies, 1858 – 1957

In this volume, Saskatchewan-born audio-visual archivist Brock Silversides presents archival photographs that document a century of changes on the Canadian prairies. Organized by subject, the volume’s photographs showcase the talents of prairie photographers ranging from Humphrey Lloyd Hime’s surveying work in the 1850s to Howdy McPhail’s aerial shots one hundred years later. Photos depict landscapes, buildings, and people from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. The volume opens with an essay by Silversides discussing the challenges of early prairie photography as well as its role in chronicling innovation, disaster, and interactions in western Canada. Large photographs with identification appear throughout.