Kootenay photographer Ursula Heller reflects on her half century behind the lens.

Swiss-born Ursula Heller’s 50-year career has included myriad projects.
In the 70s she travelled across Canada photographing everyday life in small communities like Hafford, Sask., Feversham, Ont., Carcross, YT, and Vallican, BC, for a black and white photo book entitled Village Portraits. More than 30 years later, Heller and husband Barry Gray — whom she met during that project — set out in a tent trailer to revisit and re-document those villages. Twenty years ago the Proctor photographer documented the construction of Kootenay Lake’s Osprey Ferry. And most recently, even in the midst of the pandemic, she found the will to work on another telling photo documentary — depicting people dealing with disconnection, an exhibit displayed at the Kalein Centre. Kootenay Morning’s Bonnie Baker spoke with Heller about her remarkable career.