McLeod, D. Gordon, 1914- : Donald Gordon McLeod, businessman and amateur photographer, was born on December 15, 1914 in London, Ontario. His life-long interest in visual images stemmed from a fascination with the work of a neighbour who occasionally carried his large, wooden view camera into the McLeods' garden. In the mid-thirties, McLeod joined the London Camera Club; when a handful of disgruntled members, led by George Marchell and George Pearce, broke away to form FotoForum, McLeod followed.
During the War, McLeod was stationed in Montreal at the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps Depot, as a procurement officer. There he was often called upon to photograph equipment or events, at first developing and printing his negatives at the camera club facilities of the local "Y" and later in the photo unit darkroom which he helped to equip and supervise. After the War, McLeod returned to London, to the hardware business, an agricultural implements firm, and subsequently his own hardware business. In 1962, he took over the audio-visual services of the photography business of Foto-Forum colleague Ron Nelson. McLeod is a past President of the National Audio-Visual Association of Canada, and has taught courses in both photography and audio-visual techniques in London schools.
During the thirties, McLeod's work was shown in Canada at the annual Toronto and Hamilton salons and was seen across the country as part of the tours of the National Gallery's Fifth and Sixth Canadian International Salons. McLeod also exhibited widely in England, Scotland and Wales. He served as Competition Chairman for FotoForum and has since helped organize and judge amateur exhibitions, including the Western Ontario Salon of Photography. McLeod used a variety of cameras and formats, first concentrating on black and white, then, in the mid-fifties, turning to serious colour work. In 1982 his colour prints (1956-1980) were exhibited at the London Regional Art Gallery, Ontario. Much of McLeod's salon work and approximately 15,000 negatives were destroyed by a flood in the basement of his home in 1968.
Works located in: National Archives of Canada; private collections.
Exhibition(s): 1910-1939 C, British and Canadian salons, including 5th, 6th Canadian International Salon of Photography, Art, NGC, Ottawa (group). 1983, Private Realms of Light, PA, Ottawa, Ont., 1982, (colour prints, 1956-1980), London Regional Art Gallery, Ont. (individual) Private Realms of Light, PAC, Ottawa, 1984, page 319.
