Behind the lens: Calgary Flames photographer reflects on incredible career with 'C' of Red
Gerry Thomas has had a front row seat to monumental moments in Calgary Flames history and for the past 33 years, he’s been able to capture it all on camera.
It’s the ultimate ‘dream job’ for any die-hard hockey fan, but as the team’s official photographer, Thomas views his profession as a chance to tell stories and bring fans right to the forefront of the action.
“I can’t just shoot a bunch of frames and hope I got it,” he laughed.
“I have to think about where the transition is going to be, where the play is going to be, not following the puck, but following the player and having a sense of where the next big play is.”
And Thomas certainly has an eye for those big plays.
Several of his photos are featured on Upper Deck trading cards and in publications around the world.
Thomas’ resume features athletes in a wide variety of sports, including the likes of famous dunks by Kobe Bryant, perfectly aimed slap shots from Wayne Gretzky and knockout punches courtesy of Mike Tyson.
Since 1985, the man has been at just about every major sporting event, but he says nothing beats his love for hockey, especially the Battle of Alberta.
“I still remember when the Oilers and Flames played in the playoffs back in 1991 and it hasn’t changed, it’s actually gotten more intense," he said.
“It reminds me of how rough it was 30 years ago with players like Lucic on this team, and of course they're all friends off ice but it's fun to see the rivalry on the ice again.”
Photo of Vince Carter Dunking taken by Gerry Thomas. (Courtesy Gerry Thomas)
Thomas has been up close and personal with both Calgary and Edmonton hockey teams for decades. In fact, he started his career with the Oilers "by accident" while apprenticing with Sports Illustrated as a young photojournalist.
“One of my mentors from the magazine asked me if I wanted to do hockey, so Edmonton kind of being my hometown, I took the opportunity,” he said.
“I learned how to put the strobes in the building, we worked on a few features and eventually had to do some of the shoots on my own, like the 1989 Stanley Cup and then I did a feature with Glen Sather.”
Sather, the Oilers' general manager at the time, was so impressed with Thomas’ work that he signed him on as the team’s photographer.
It wasn’t long before upper management with the Calgary Flames also took notice.
“I ended up coming in as a loaner with the Flames in 1993 and 1994 when Flames (former) general manager Cliff Fletcher asked through the club if I could put strobe lights in the building and I’m still there.”
What started out as just a few photos for the team has now blossomed into an incredible career with Hockey Canada where he has shot several Olympic and World Cup events.
Thomas has also recently gotten into the world of NFTs (non-fungible tokens) where his photos featured in Wayne Gretzky’s collection have sold for millions of dollars.
Photo of Wayne Gretzky taken by Gerry Thomas. (Courtesy Gerry Thomas)
“I’m sure I’ll get into my bucket list of things, but it’s fun to look back at some of those milestones,” he said.
“I just love sports and art as well, but photography is always something I’ll continue to enjoy.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada outlines national action plan to fight auto theft
The federal government is launching what it calls its 'national action plan' to combat auto thefts, which will include stronger penalties for thieves, and increased information sharing between police agencies, government officials and border enforcement.
U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal from former Guantanamo detainee Omar Khadr
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal by a Canadian-born former Guantanamo detainee who was seeking to wipe away his war crimes convictions, including for killing a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan.
What is BORG drinking, and why is it a dangerous trend? An expert explains
If you've been to a party lately and haven't seen someone drinking a BORG, you're likely not partying with college students.
Iran's president and foreign minister die in helicopter crash at moment of high tensions in Mideast
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country's foreign minister were found dead Monday hours after their helicopter crashed in fog, leaving the Islamic Republic without two key leaders as extraordinary tensions grip the wider Middle East.
Michael Cohen says he stole from Trump's company as defence presses key hush money trial witness
Former Donald Trump attorney Michael Cohen admitted Monday to jurors in the Republican's hush money trial that he stole tens of thousands of dollars from Trump's company as defence lawyers seized on the star witness' misdeeds to attack his credibility.
The world's best airline is paying staff a bonus of 8 months' salary
Singapore Airlines will reward its employees with a bonus worth nearly eight months of salary, a person familiar with the matter told CNN on Friday.
Woman, 35, in critical condition after her truck collided with a Via Rail train near Montreal
A 35-year-old woman is in critical condition after the pick-up truck she was driving was struck by a Via Rail passenger train Monday morning in Quebec's Monteregie region.
Investors watching posts from 'Crypto King' in the wake of fraud, money laundering charges
Former investors of the self-styled “Crypto King” say they are watching his social media accounts and worried his displays of wealth are signs he’s spending their money, even now, as another large expense tied to Aiden Pleterski has triggered a previously unreported lawsuit.
Almost 2 months after it destroyed Baltimore's Key Bridge, the Dali cargo ship has been moved
The cargo ship Dali is being moved from the site of its catastrophic collision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in a crucial step toward fully reopening the busy Port of Baltimore.