Lois Siegel Photographs

Lois Siegel has been a photographer, filmmaker, professor, musician and now an agent as well.

Artist Lois Siegel's photographs will don the walls of the Vistek camera store from July 4 to August 17
and the Ottawa Bagelshop until December, but those only represent a fraction of the work she does.

While some artists might limit their work to one media, Lois Siegel has never been one to avoid trying something new.

"I play all day, every day. Everyday is different," she says of the different work she does.
A multitude of projects occupy her time. Siegel has been a filmmaker, a photographer, an English teacher
and a video production professor at Concordia and the University of Ottawa.

She was interested in music, so she took up the violin in 1997 and now plays Celtic music at a variety of events.

Recently, she noticed that there were few agents for artists in the area, so she took that up as well.

"I only do fun things."

Though she has moved away from Montreal where she did photography of big name celebrities,
the pictures she takes today reflect other artists.

"All of these musicians (that come to the region for various events), some of them people don't even know,"
she points out of fiddlers and country musicians that she has been photographing lately.

The art industry in which she plays many parts has had to deal with new issues in recent times in Siegel's opinion.

"Now with (Prime Minister) Stephen Harper cutting all the funding, it's a bit depressing for all these artists.
It's a real struggle for a lot of people," she mentions.

Though federal support has left, local support has increased in her view. "Ottawa is absolutely fantastic
(for its support of amateur musicians)," she says noting the development of bands and jam ensembles.

Orléans bound

After many years of living comfortably in Montreal, Siegel's husband Paul Jean came to her with a question.
"How would you like to move to Ottawa?" She was puzzled. "Where?"

He works in the high-tech sector and an opportunity came up in Ottawa.
Though she had only been to the city a few times, she agreed to make the move.
"The compromise was that we would live in Orléans, because it's closer to Montreal. That was great for me."

Having lived in Orléans since 1997, Siegel has grown quite fond of the area.
"I love Orléans. I wouldn't want to move. I've seen all kind of developments.
People speak French and it reminds me of Montreal."

The growth of the arts community and the addition of the Shenkman Centre don't hurt either.
The 'Musicians' show moving to the Ottawa Bagelshop was previously showcased at the east end's arts hub.

Photographer shines with ‘Stars’

by Laura Cummings

Lois Siegel
Canadian Women's Open
Ottawa Hunt and Golf Club

Photo by Ron Levine
Prisoners of Age

One of the biggest differences between photographing regular subjects and celebrities
– as long-time, Orléans-based photographer Lois Siegel tells it
– really just comes down to the level of chaos.

Shooting screen siren Sophia Loren at the Montreal World Film Festival press conference several years ago
“was kind of a zoo shoot,” she recounts. “I was first in line … but I sort of got pushed out of the way.
It was push and shove the whole time – it’s a danger zone sometimes.”

Actor Robert De Niro was another celebrity whose portrait
didn’t come without some frustration, Siegel continues.

With a public appearance planned at a Montreal shopping centre, “everyone in Montreal was there,” she explains.
“There were like 5,000 people. But when the press conference was about to start, De Niro was still in New York City.”

Though he arrived before pandemonium broke out,
it wasn’t before some panic from local media and fellow photographers, she adds with a laugh.

Looking back over her long history of shooting celebrities, Siegel – who fell into photography while studying journalism at Ohio University,
launching a career that’s spanned decades and different cities
– is currently exhibiting 50 portraits of her famous subjects in a show simply titled Stars.

It’s a litany of names including a young Howie Mandel, Leonard Cohen, Clint Eastwood, Hugh Grant, Ben Kingsley,
Dizzy Gillespie, Ralph Nader, Sting and Pierre Trudeau. Gigs like photographing the Montreal World Film Festival
have helped get her close to many of the actors and directors – including Loren – featured in the exhibit,
she recounts, though “hanging around jazz clubs shooting all the musicians”
and working Montreal parties has also led to many of the displayed portraits.

“It’s fun when you spend more time with the people,” Siegel continues,
adding that press junkets and other promotional events
don’t allow for much interaction between photographer and subject.

Holding 'Stars' at the Westboro Ottawa Bagelshop and Deli has proved to be the perfect location
– “it’s like a Hollywood deli, with all the pictures with autographs on the walls,” she says,
explaining how each photograph is accompanied by a plaque
detailing the story of where and how it was taken. “People love looking at pictures of celebrities.
And the stories just makes it so much more interesting.”

Vince Piazza, owner of the Ottawa Bagelshop, explains his store has been providing an outlet
to support local artists for the past 13 years, typically switching exhibits every five weeks.

"It's a win-win situation; I like to promote artists," he says,
adding that customers also enjoy perusing the work,
making their visit to the business more interesting.
"It's like an art museum in here."
________________

Hard Hat Lady
Construction Site
Photographing the Hoisting of the Sign
at the New Shenkman Arts Centre
Orleans

-17 C

Feels like -28

The A-Channel TV Guy's Record Button Froze

Steel-Toed Boots (not pictured)

_______________

Photo by Jason Ransom
Stephen Harper's Official Photographer

Norwegian Ambassador Tor Berntin Naess Meets
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper

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