The Montreal Gazette's visual storytelling in 2025 was defined by moments of raw emotion, serendipity, and technical skill. Four of the newspaper's acclaimed photographers—John Mahoney, Allen McInnis, Dave Sidaway, and Pierre Obendrauf—have selected their most powerful images from the year and shared the unique narratives behind each shot, offering a rare glimpse into the art of photojournalism.
Capturing Fleeting Moments: From Grief to Joy
John Mahoney's work often required patience and empathy. For a story on increased wasp activity in Montreal, he visited a park frequented by a daycare group. Using a telephoto extender and a high-speed shooting mode of 20 frames per second, he captured detailed images of wasps on an apple slice from just a foot away without disturbing them. His lens also documented profound human experiences. At a vigil organized by the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal on November 28, he anticipated the reaction of Annisee Papyarluk as her sister Lucy's name was read among 24 lives lost, capturing her grief while she held a support worker.
Another poignant moment came after the police shooting of 15-year-old Nooran Rezayi in Longueuil. Initially turned away from the family home, Mahoney and reporter Harry North were called back by the boy's mother, Fahima, who wished to speak. The resulting photograph conveyed the family's stunned sorrow.
Serendipity and Instinct on Assignment
Allen McInnis highlighted the emotional rollercoaster of covering the search for a missing toddler from LaSalle. While photographing SQ officers searching a sand pit, he feared the worst, a feeling magnified as the child was the same age as his granddaughter. The story had a happy ending when the girl was found safe in Ontario. Shortly after, McInnis captured a fleeting, joyous moment as a school bus passed the search base camp; children cheered from the windows, and he managed only two or three frames as the bus sped by.
Dave Sidaway's year was marked by being in the right place at the right time. He spotted smoke from an underground pipe installation on St-Paul St. in Old Montreal and used a puddle for a creative reflection. Another day, while headed to the store, he used his phone to capture a fire in a homeless encampment near Atwater Market, a stark illustration of the dangers of living outdoors. His favorite stroke of luck came on a frigid day while shooting a windmill renovation; he turned around to find a snow-kiter gliding across Lac Saint-Louis.
Technique and Trust Behind the Frame
The photographers also revealed how technical choices and interpersonal trust create compelling images. Pierre Obendrauf was shooting at Place Vauquelin's fountain with a slow shutter speed when he saw six-year-old Logan Bebbington dunk his cap. In an instant, he adjusted his shutter speed to 1/640th of a second to freeze the motion perfectly in a single frame.
Allen McInnis shared a story from a media call with French actress Juliette Binoche. Unhappy with the proposed setup, he gently guided her to a better spot, saying, "just trust me." She replied, "this is so Canadian, so polite, so nice," and the resulting portrait stood out. On the sports front, McInnis captured a tender pre-game moment as Canadiens forward Josh Anderson made funny faces for his daughter through the boards.
From political campaigns to community tragedies, these photographs collectively tell the story of Montreal in 2025. They showcase not only the events themselves but the skill, instinct, and sometimes the luck required to transform a moment into a lasting image.
