Arctic photographer Robert Taylor passes on
Famed wildlife photographer and artist Robert Taylor passed on at age 73 at Winnipeg’s St Boniface Hospital following a bout with cancer.
Taylor was best known for his images of Manitoba polar bears, great gray owls and prairie bison. Churchill’s polar bear shots built a foundation for early polar bear awareness and ecotourism encounters in the region. The amazing unique photographs of polar bears and other Arctic animals captured the imagination of people in the South and soon the annual “polar bear season” in October and November was born. Since those early days, Churchill now draws thousands of people in search of the serenity of spending precious moments with one of the world’s most alluring animals…the polar bear.
Taylor was well know for his frequent donations of his time and images throughout his life and photographs he took were published in books such as The Manitoba Landscape-A Visual Symphony, The Edge of the Arctic: Churchill and the Hudson Bay Lowlands, The Great Gray Owl: On Silent Wings, and Manitoba: Seasons of Beauty. Taylor received the Order of the Buffalo Hunt from Premier Greg Selinger nine days before he died. The award is bestowed on individuals who demonstrate outstanding skills in leadership, service and community commitment. A fine achievement for a dedicated man.
Taylor had previously been honoured with a fellowship in the Professional Photographers Association of Manitoba, a Master of Photographic Arts from the Professional Photographers of Canada and was a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.
The Edge of the Arctic by Taylor was a invaluable teaching staple for any guide cutting his or her teeth in the profession of bringing the feel and secrets of the Arctic to travelers. An accomplished carver, Taylor also was instrumental in establishing the Prairie Canada Carvers Association nearly 27 years ago.
