Nina Raginsky facts for kids

Nina Raginsky (born April 14, 1941) is a Canadian photographer. She was given a special award called the Order of Canada in 1984 for her amazing work.

Nina Raginsky's Life and Photography

Nina Raginsky was born in Montreal, Quebec. She went to Rutgers University in New Jersey and earned a degree in 1962. While at university, she learned about painting from famous artists like Roy Lichtenstein.

In 1963, Nina started taking photography seriously. She worked as a freelance photographer for the National Film Board. This means she took pictures for them without being a full-time employee. At first, she took black and white photos. Later, she started making her prints look old with a sepia tone. She also added colours by hand to her photographs. She even created oil paintings that were based on her photos.

After spending a year in Mexico, Nina came back to Canada in 1968. She started a project to photograph life in remote areas of the Yukon. She also took pictures of First Nations communities in British Columbia. The next year, she worked at the Vancouver Art Gallery until 1972. After that, she began taking many photos of the cities and people of Vancouver and Victoria.

Between 1972 and 1981, Nina Raginsky taught at the Emily Carr College of Art. Her photographs have been shown in many art shows in Canada and the United States. They have also appeared in different magazines and books.

Nina is especially known for her portraits. These are pictures of people where they stand facing the camera. She often photographed people who were unique or had a fun, quirky personality. One famous example is her 1974 photo, The Kirkpatrick Sisters in front of the Empress Hotel, Victoria, British Columbia.

In the 1980s, Nina stopped taking photos as much. She started focusing almost entirely on painting. In 1985, she was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. This is a very high honour in Canada. She is also a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.

In 2015, one of her photos, Shoeshine Stand, was even featured on Canada Post postage stamps!

Artistic Ideas and Inspiration

Nina Raginsky has said that another photographer, August Sander, inspired her portraits. August Sander was a German photographer known for his detailed pictures of people from different walks of life. His work, Men Without Masks, especially influenced Nina's style.