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
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
NASA hears from Voyager 1, the most distant spacecraft from Earth, after months of quiet
NASA has finally heard back from Voyager 1 again in a way that makes sense. The most distant spacecraft from Earth hadn't sent home any understandable data since last November.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
LGBTQ2S+ rallies to be held across Canada, billed as largest since marriage equality
Organizations across the country are gearing up for what they describe as the largest LGBTQ2S+ mobilization since the push for marriage equality.
Train derailed in Sarnia after colliding with a truck
Police are investigating after a transport truck collided with a train in Sarnia.