iN PHOTOS: A Kelowna love story, images of a changing city

Kelowna resident Neil Thacker takes early morning walks through local parks and late-night strolls along well-worn streets to photograph artistic views of the city he loves. Since moving to Kelowna in 1982, Thacker has watched the city rapidly growing and changing around him and is working to hold parts of it still through his photographs of the iconic gems to the most ordinary views. “It’s about casting a light on things we walk past and don’t even notice, or we do notice but we just take for granted,” he said. "I take the direction of an art piece instead of just a photo." Thacker takes advantage of the way views change at different times of the day and in different kinds of weather, often returning to the same tree, landmark or building numerous times to get a capture. “I’ve seen such a change since I’ve been here, it’s taken off in the past 15 years,” he said. “It’s sort of a way to document the city but in a more artistic way.” He recently took advantage of a foggy week in February to gather a collection of City Park photos. “I’ll go back to places year after year at different times in different seasons and sometimes I get lucky,” he said. “In the fog I got images at City Park I never would’ve got, they’re the best ones.” A couple of years ago Thacker started shooting night photography in late fall and winter, focusing on old buildings and corner stores around town. https://infotel.ca/newsitem/in-photos-kelowna-photographer-turns-lens-to-city-lights/it96277 “At dusk places were still open and the lights were on, it had a more interesting vibe,” he said. “I tried to capture the old corner stores and older businesses that were maybe disappearing, shot maybe in a snow storm, night, fog or just after the rain as they have a more interesting look to them. “Places get torn down for a more densified living space and I get it, but in the process the old Kelowna is being removed and there is little of it left.” Originally from England, Thacker first moved to Canada in 1972. He lived in Calgary for several years until settling in Kelowna. With an interest in landscapes and nature, Thacker was originally a painter. “I was taking photos of nature and painting off of them, but found I could capture things with photos easier and get the messages across so that’s where I’ve gone with it.” Thacker is the master framer and manager at Picture Perfect, a custom frame shop. Four of his Kelowna images are going into the Four Points by Sheraton Kelowna Airport and he sell prints privately. He's in the early stages of planning a book collection of Kelowna night photographs. Go here to see more of Thacker’s work. https://www.facebook.com/neil.thacker.54 To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Ainslie mailto:sainslie@infonews.ca  or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor mailto:news@infonews.ca . You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom mailto:tips@infonews.ca  and be entered to win a monthly prize draw. We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. SUBSCRIBE to our awesome newsletter here https://infotel.ca/newsletter .