Freeman Patterson is on his 45th trip to Namaqualand in South Africa.
The 85-year-old New Brunswick photographer wasn’t planning on taking a trip there this year, but when he heard that the region saw heavy winter rains, he knew he had to go.
On Wednesday, he drove for six hours to experience the rare phenomena called a super bloom. The last one, he says, was in 1996.
“It was just a panorama of colour, flowers on both sides of the road just as far as the eye could see,” he said.
“Thank God I’m a photographer because I really can’t describe with words. … The emotional impact is just quite overwhelming.”
Patterson is one of Canada’s most acclaimed photographers and has taught photography around the world. He’s best known for his representational and abstract images of nature, has written a number of books and continues to teach workshops.
Now, his life story is being shared in a new documentary directed by Scott Munn, who is originally from Saint John.
Four years ago, Munn reached out to Patterson to see if he’d be interested in meeting up to chat. As a photographer himself, Munn knew of Patterson growing up and owned one of his books which was gifted to him in college.
An inspiring pizza meet
The two met for pizza and Munn said the conversation really wasn’t about photography at all, as it moved into the realm of spirituality and life’s purpose.
“Freeman is brilliant when you hear him speak. But his body has a certain energy to it that is just infectious,” said Munn.
He didn’t expect anything to come of the conversation, but after hours in that Pomodori Pizzeria in Rothesay, Munn suggested the idea of a film, which he says Patterson politely declined.
Two months later the project was still heavy on Munn’s mind, so he gave Patterson a call.
Munn said, unbeknownst to him, Patterson plans to donate his land on Shampers Bluff, when he dies, to build the Freeman Patterson Centre.
And coincidentally, Munn said two weeks before he called Patterson, the group raising money for the centre had suggested that a short film about Patterson’s life would really help the project.
“I contacted him at the exact moment that he was suddenly opened up to this idea. … And he said the words to me, ‘the universe is unfolding as it should,’ which ultimately became the title of the film,” said Munn.
“I’ll never forget that conversation. It truly was a watershed. It was a beautiful, beautiful moment of him saying yes to this.”
Patterson said Munn took the documentary slowly and was always considerate, showing “enormous respect.” He said he never felt pressured during the process.
Munn even got to go to South Africa to film during one of Patterson’s trips.
“There’s a significant age gap, obviously, between Freeman and myself, there’s 40 years almost exactly,” said Munn.
“But the time I spent with him in South Africa for nine days, camping in the wilderness, trying to keep up with Freeman Patterson was itself its own challenge, let alone trying to make a film that we’d be able to use.”
The documentary also explores Patterson’s two liver transplants 23 years ago, which Patterson said he wasn’t expected to survive.
Munn said he thinks a lot of people will connect with Patterson’s story. His impact as a photographer in New Brunswick, Munn said, is far-reaching, but it goes beyond that.
“All of those connections that he’s made with people, the people he’s inspired, that transcends a photograph that may be hanging in a gallery or on a wall,” said Munn.
“This is a person who is so passionate and is so curious about life.”
Munn said Patterson shows no signs of slowing down, reflective of his current adventure photographing the super bloom.
Patterson said a big part of his personal journey is to seek beauty wherever he finds it.
He said he doesn’t adopt the attitude that other things take precedence over the opportunity to see beautiful things.
“I feel that the time I spend here with these flowers — with this incredible beauty —- is as important a thing as I can do. And other things can wait.”
The documentary is streaming on CBC Gem and free public screenings of the film will be held on Sept. 24 at the Imperial Theatre in Saint John and on Sept. 28 at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton.
With files from Rachel Cave
This story was originally published in CBC News Aug. 12, 2023.
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