Introduction
Freeman Wilford Patterson, CM ONB (born September 25, 1937) is a Canadian nature photographer and writer born at Long Reach, New Brunswick. He lives at Shamper's Bluff, New Brunswick.
He earned a B.A. from Acadia University and was granted a fellowship to study at Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University. While in New York, he studied photography and design under Dr. Helen Manzer. After completing three years there, he taught for three more years in Edmonton before finally deciding to pursue photography full-time.
Publications and instruction
Patterson has authored several books on photographic techniques and theory, including Photography for the Joy of It (1977), Photography and the Art of Seeing (1979) and Photography of Natural Things (1982). These books were issued in revised formats in 2006.
Patterson has also authored books centered on his nature photography, such as Namaqualand: Garden of the Gods (1984), Portraits of Earth (1987), In a Canadian Garden (1989), The Last Wilderness: Images of the Canadian Wild (1990) and One Planet, One Man (1994). In 2001, Patterson and co-author Andre Gallant, produced Photo Impressionism and The Subjective Image.
Together with photographer and friend Colla Swart, he has hosted many photographic workshops in Kamieskroon, Northern Cape, South Africa.
Awards and recognition
Patterson has been recognized by numerous national and international groups, including:
- Gold Medal for Photographic Excellence, from the National Film Board of Canada (1967)
- Elected member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Art (1975)
- Highest recognition (EFIAP) from the International Federation of Photographic Art (1975)
- Honorary fellowship (Hon. F.P.S.S.A.) in the Photographic Society of Southern Africa (1976)
- Gold Medal for Distinction in Photography, from the National Association for Photographic Art (1984)
- Member of the Order of Canada (1985)
- The Progress Medal, from the Photographic Society of America (1990)
- The Strathbutler Award (1997)
- The Lifetime Achievement Award from the North American Nature Photography Association (2001)
- Honorary fellowship in the Nature Photography Society of New Zealand (2004)
- Honorary Director of the North American Native Plant Society
- Member of the Order of New Brunswick, (2013)