Louis Helbig
Louis Helbig OSA (born in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian aerial photographer who takes photographs from a two-seater aircraft that he pilots. He is best known for photographic projects entitled: "Beautiful Destruction – Alberta Tar Sands" and "Sunken Villages"; the latter has pictures of the villages flooded during the creation of the St. Lawrence Seaway. Early life and education. His parents immigrated from Germany in 1961. He grew up in Williams Lake, B.C. where his father owned and operated a logging truck and exposed Helbig to aviation. Helbig is self-taught as a photographer. His first photographic forays  were through his high school outdoors and camera club. Helbig was a member of Canada's national Nordic ski team, is a Canadian champion and represented Canada at the 1987 Nordic World Championships in Oberstdorf, West Germany. He obtained his pilot's license in 2000. Before turning to commercial photography and art in 2005, Helbig worked as a civil servant in Victoria, BC and Ottawa, ON. He has also worked a bush pilot. Photography & art. Helbig's style has been described as teetering between documentary and abstract. Helbig's approach whatever the subject is not to editorialize but to use  his imagery to provide viewers the space, in their own imaginations, to reflect, imagine and think for themselves. His work is held in the Ontario Government Art Collection. He was elected to the Ontario Society of Artists in 2010.