Fraser: My favourite Ottawa photos of 2024 capture love, loss and a lot of protests

The stories behind an unusual proposal, a moment of heartbreak, and much more.

Published Dec 26, 2024  •  Last updated 0 minutes ago  •  5 minute read

Andrew Dupuis proposed to his girlfriend Austyn Roseborough after they both finished their first marathon at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend. Moments before another runner was wheeled off course on a stretcher. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

As 2024 draws to a close, Ottawa Citizen photographer Ashley Fraser shares her top images of the year, and the stories behind the photos, as told to Sofia Misenheimer. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

A year of protests

Hundreds of convoy protesters returned to Parliament Hill on Feb. 17, 2024, for the second anniversary of the invocation of the Emergencies Act that ended the protest.  A man with very little clothing, who was there for the original protests in similar outfits, returned to the Hill. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

Protesters occupied a portion of the front lawn of Tabaret Hall on the University of Ottawa Campus, protesting the ongoing conflict in Gaza, on Saturday, May 11, 2024. That afternoon the march that started at the Canadian Tribute to Human Rights monument, made their way to the university, to join forces with a rally on the campus. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

A large Palestinian protest began on Parliament Hill, marched to 50 O’Connor, the building housing the Israeli embassy, and then proceeded through downtown Ottawa on Aug. 10, 2024. The demonstrators chanted and set off red and green smoke grenades as they moved through the city streets. Protesters came from Montreal and Toronto to take part in what organizers were calling a national event. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

Protesters have become a familiar sight in Ottawa. Ever since the 2022 convoy protest took over our downtown core, the number of recurring demonstrations has grown with the same groups coming back to stand for their causes.

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Maybe 10 years ago, we would have a protest and it would be one group, they would protest for a day, and then you wouldn’t hear about them again. Now, when people protest, it seems to be over and over, especially on weekends.

This year, I also noticed people and groups showing up to support multiple causes that align with their beliefs. I see a lot of the same faces, across different movements.

For instance, I saw some overlap between the group that was okay with tent-like housing going up and the group supporting the Palestinian cause. It’s more common to see people back each other’s causes when connected through friends, family, or organizations.

Beyond rallies, 2024 has been a year of documenting chaos, resilience, and moments of joy in the city.

I saw an unusual proposal at Race Weekend. There were also difficult assignments, like the funeral of a family after unimaginable tragedy.

But not every moment carried heaviness. One of my happiest assignments this year was at Hartwell Locks, where dozens of kayakers paddled together on a picture-perfect day.

Bubbles floated in the air, and the shoreline was bright green. Everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves. It reminded me how fortunate I am to do this job.

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Parks Canada celebrated Canada Parks Day with a free community paddling event at the Hartwells lockstation on the Rideau Canal, July 20, 2024. Brightly coloured boats filled the UNESCO World Heritage site, as beachballs and bubbles added to the lively atmosphere. Paddlers also took to the water at the Trent-Severn Waterway in Peterborough and the Lachine Canal in Montreal. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

Whole lotta grey goin’ on

Peter Jarvis, in character as Silver Elvis, a street performer was on Sparks Street during Winterlude celebrations, on Feb. 11, 2024. The busker said it was his first time working with Winterlude and to “save your tips” for Ottawa International Busker Fest. The artist is celebrating his silver anniversary of performing internationally. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

This was part of Winterlude celebrations. The performer, a street artist named Peter Jarvey, was dressed as Elvis in a head-to-toe silver outfit that mirrored everything around him. It was grey on grey on grey on grey.

The pop of yellow in his sunglasses picked up the yellow in the flags above him, and the red on his guitar worked with the red in the flags. It was such a visually perfect moment.

The mirrored outfit, the reflections, and Ottawa’s office buildings in the background all came together to make the shot. It was one of those moments where everything aligned in the frame.

A sombre farewell in Barrhaven

The funeral for the woman and four children murdered in Barrhaven was one of the most challenging moments I documented this year. The husband was walking behind the caskets with his bandaged hand raised in prayer. He looked so sad, yet so composed.

And there we were, the media, standing in the back documenting the moment. It was a hard, hard picture to take thinking about what he had been through just days prior.

Hundreds attended an emotional multi-faith funeral service for the victims of the March 6 mass killing in Barrhaven on Sunday, March 17, 2024, at the Infinity Convention Centre. Dhanushka Wickramasinghe (right), the father of the four children and husband to their mother who died, was able to attend despite being seriously hurt in the attack. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

Photographers are there for the best days and the worst days, and the worst days can be really difficult to document. This was one of those days.

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You want to be able to give the family privacy, but at the same time, you’re capturing the scene to convey what they’re going through to a much wider audience. That’s a real tension.

There were definitely tears behind the camera that day.

An unusual proposal

I’ve covered Ottawa Race Weekend oodles of times — over 20 years now — and I’ve never seen a proposal at the finish line, let alone one happening just as someone was wheeled past on a stretcher. I hope that experience is a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

Andrew Dupuis proposed to his girlfriend Austyn Roseborough after they both finished their first marathon at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend on Sunday, May 26, 2024. The couple have been dating for four years and love to run together. Happily, Roseborough said “yes” moments before another runner was wheeled off-course on a stretcher. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

The groom-to-be, Andrew, had worked with Race Weekend organizers to plan the proposal. He finished the marathon first and waited at the finish line. When his partner crossed, he got down on one knee and proposed. She didn’t know it was coming.

I think they were pretty captivated by each other as opposed to what was happening around them. I don’t think it was until after that it really clicked that someone in distress had gone past them. The finish line of the marathon is so busy, and this moment captured the joy of their proposal and the chaos of the event in a single frame.

The trailblazer in teal

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Samantha Gibson is one of the coolest people I’ve photographed this year. She’s a professional bull rider — a woman competing in a sport that’s such an old-school boys’ club.

Samantha Gibson competed in the Elite Lady Bull Riders World Finals in Beaumont, Texas. Gibson started riding in early 2023 and since getting on her first bull hasn’t been able to stop. She was photographed in Ottawa on March 2, 2024. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

When I met her, she opened the back of her car, and it was full of her gear — chaps, her plated vest, and her cowboy hat. She suited up for the shoot, and the light that day was just perfect. We shot in a park in the south end of Ottawa. It wasn’t anything special as a location, but her confidence and strength carried the shoot.

Samantha travels across North America to compete. Seeing her carve out a space in such a male-dominated sport was pretty rad. I’d love to go back and see her actually bull riding someday.

Resilience at Race Weekend

Sindy Hooper raised nearly $600,000 for the Ottawa Hospital over the years, and even after her passing, her family continues to host events in her name.

The Ottawa 5K presented by ASICS Runkeeper race at Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, May 25, 2024. Sindy Hooper, a pillar in the running community who was battling stage 4 cancer, raised $64,410 and surpassed the $500k mark for cancer research. Hooper was filled with smiles as she crossed the 5K finish line. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

This photo shows her waving purple pompoms after finishing a 5K at Race Weekend. She didn’t think she’d be able to complete it, but she did. She passed away just a few months later, and her legacy continues to inspire through her family and the community.

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I have an emotional attachment to this photo. It’s a moment that holds a lot of weight, not just because of the photo itself but because of who Sindy was and what she stood for.

Laughter and mud at Wesley Clover Park

The Mud Girl Run was so much fun to cover. It’s a fundraising event for breast cancer, focused on empowering women and encouraging movement.

“We just want you to come here, have fun, help each other,” said MUDGIRL Event Manager Clara Cadou. The obstacle course 5K run came to Wesley Clover Park on July 27, 2024. The exhilarating event, centred on empowerment, inviting women to tackle over 17 obstacles designed to leave participants muddy and full of smiles. Since the inception of MUDGIRL, over $312,000 has been donated to the fight against breast cancer. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

Women in tutus were sliding through mud pits, laughing and trying to pull themselves out. It’s a less intense version of a Spartan race, and the camaraderie and joy were everywhere. There was so much laughter at this event.

One of my favourite things to do is capture happy people. Working weekends can mean missing out on doing some fun things, but being there to document these moments is the next best thing.

Crowds flocked to the Carp Fairgrounds on Sept. 28, as the fair celebrated its agricultural heritage and the pride of the local farming community. Known as the Best Little Fair in Canada, it drew visitors from across Canada and the USA to experience its impressive exhibitions of livestock, produce, and craftsmanship. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

Six-year-old Indra and her parents Kyla Cullain and Sean MacGinnis found the perfect tree at Saunders Farm on Nov. 30, 2024. This weekend marked the kickoff of A Country Christmas at Saunders Farm, a heartwarming, family-friendly experience that brings the magic of the holidays to life in a picturesque countryside setting. Guests can wander through enchanting light displays, visit Santa’s cozy log cabin, and enjoy fun activities like decorating cookies, making reindeer food, and exploring the Elf Academy. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

People soaked up the occasional bursts of sunshine while enjoying the sights and sounds of the ByWard Market on Oct. 13, 2024. Sam Mahmood looked over his shoulder as a bird took flight after a brief stop on his shoulder. Photo by Ashley Fraser /POSTMEDIA

For 2025, I want to focus on storytelling and spend more time following unique people and capturing what their day looks like. I’m excited to see where the next year takes me.

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