Blohm, Hans, 1927-2021 : Hans-Ludwig Blohm was born on November 12th, 1927, in Rendsburg, Germany. During the years 1943 to 1945, he served in the war and subsequently traveled extensively across northern, central, and southern Europe. In 1956, he immigrated to Canada, where he initially worked as a carpenter. Soon after, he married Ingeborg, a childhood friend, and together they raised three children in Ottawa.
Blohm was a self-taught photographer whose passion for photography was ignited by his father. Between 1958 and 1960, he engaged in school photography, followed by photofinishing from 1960 to 1963. He then became a partner in Photo Feature Ltd., providing wirephoto services for the Toronto Star from 1963 to 1966. His significant breakthrough came in 1963 when the National Film Board of Canada offered him $600 for a selection of his transparencies to be included in two pictorial books about Canada, "Year of the Land" and "Call them Canadians."
Hans-Ludwig Blohm was also an accredited motion picture cameraman for CBC. In 1966, he transitioned to being an independent freelance photographer and established his own company, Foto Blohm, in 1969. He later became a member of Professional Photographers of Canada Inc., as well earning a Masters of Photographic Arts in 1974. In 2011, he was appointed a member of the Order of Canada for his dedication to preserving Canada's northern heritage. He was renowned for his architectural photos and stunning images of microchips.
Over three decades, Blohm traversed the Canadian North by floatplane, automobile, sailboat, snowmobile, and dog team, capturing the essence of the Arctic and its people. Some of his work also appeared on Canadian postage stamps. Blohm passed away on December 4th, 2021.