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Elora photographer puts camera to work helping Save Our Water campaign (7 photos)

Hopes to take 365 photos as part of campaign to battle Nestle Waters

ELORA - Local professional photographer Sophie Hogan has brought new life into the Centre Wellington Save Our Water campaign.

Hogan has been part of the newly-restored campaign to fight Nestle Waters purchase of the Middlebrook Well in Elora since its inception four years ago.

Her new campaign that combines her skills as a photographer and her passion for preserving water.

It began when she and a fellow member of Save our Water had coffee and brainstormed to think of new ideas to promote the campaign. She left the coffee shop with her idea and put the plan into motion that same week.

Hogan has dedicated three days a week to  individual photo shoots with local Centre Wellington residents who want to become “Water Warriors.” She charges a nominal $25 fee and uses the money to cover costs.

Her plan includes 365 individual photos that reflect the 365-day moratorium on taking water from the Middlebrook Well, which ends in January 2020.

Her first of 365 photos was Athol Gow, a supporter of the cause from Day 1.

Hogan’s can-do attitude has kept her very busy in her studio. She also runs a bed and breakfast at her studio site in Elora, where her B & B clients are asked not to bring bottled water.

Her house, which is steps from her studio in Downtown Elora, and has been decorated the last few years during Riverfest with blue ribbons and decorations supporting the Save Our Water Campaign.

Hogan’s plan includes getting signage made with over 200 people carrying signs with the photos in the annual Canada Day Parade. While a protest isn’t something you usually find in a parade, the group finds this venue a great platform to create conversation and presence in the community.

The goal of the campaign is to get people talking and to take positive steps and get conversations going with the many thought-provoking photos.

Hogan said she  “would like to see a possible events in the future within the community and there has been talk of other ideas for the photos.”

She encourages others to participate and would love to have other cities and communities use her idea and help spread awareness to others through this media.

“It is not all right to take our water, it is not a commodity to be taken, and it is our right,” she said, adding that she wants “others to start talking and having conversations about our water, and use your own voice.”

She is close to the 150 photo mark.

Todd Fullwood, a resident of Fergus and one of the 365 photos, was thrilled to breathe new life into a campaign that needed a little bit of re-energizing.

“This new campaign is brilliant and it has stirred a lot of interesting conversations in the community, I am so happy to be part of this,” Fullwood said.  

Hogan can be reached at [email protected].

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