Greg Southam is a veteran photojournalist at Canada's Edmonton Journal, specializing in visual narratives that bridge community issues and sporting culture. With 23 years of experience, his work combines technical precision with deep empathy, particularly when documenting urban transitions or personal resilience stories.
"The best stories emerge when we stop chasing events and start understanding rhythms - how people move through their city, recover from loss, or prepare for moments that define them."
Greg Southam has spent over two decades refining his craft as a photojournalist and writer at the Edmonton Journal, becoming synonymous with immersive visual storytelling. His career trajectory reveals three distinct phases:
This 2022 piece combines haunting photography with sensitive reporting to document Ray Corbier's journey through loss after his son Joshua's death. Southam spent six months gaining the family's trust, resulting in unguarded moments like Corbier weeping at his son's gravesite. The article's power lies in its refusal to sensationalize grief, instead using wide-angle shots of empty spaces to symbolize absence. Public response included a 37% increase in donations to local bereavement charities cited in the piece.
Southam's 2020 World Junior Championship coverage demonstrates his sports photography mastery. The 43-image gallery balances action shots with behind-the-scenes moments, including a viral image of Devon Levi's pre-game meditation ritual. Technical excellence shines through high-speed captures of puck trajectories and innovative use of rink lighting for dramatic effect.
This 2021 infrastructure analysis pairs time-lapse photography of bus routes with rider testimonials. Southam rode every new route during launch week, capturing the human impact of transit changes. His photo of two brothers navigating the updated system became a symbol of urban accessibility challenges, prompting city council to fast-track shelter installations at 17 stops.
Southam prioritizes stories where policy meets personal experience. A successful 2023 pitch about library access for homeless youth combined municipal budget data with portraits of teens using library maker spaces. Avoid generic "issue" stories without specific Edmonton connections.
While he covers professional sports, Southam seeks behind-the-arena stories like his 2024 piece on Zamboni drivers' union negotiations. Action photography must reveal untold angles - his award-winning shot of an Oilers trainer's emergency stitch work exemplifies this approach.
His ongoing transit documentation shows interest in infrastructure's human impact. Successful pitches should identify specific projects with visual storytelling potential, like his 2023 coverage of bike lane expansions using infrared photography to track usage patterns.
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Photography, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
