We got the chance to interview Mark Vitaris, an incredibly talented photographer, accomplished photo book creator and dear friend of The Camera Store. Over the years, Mark's career has included everything from commercial and report photography to personal documentary projects. That variety has helped shape his understanding of photography and his appreciation for the ways people can engage with photographic work. From his involvement in The Camera Store's 30th Anniversary Exhibition during the 2026 Exposure Photography Festival to his most recent photo book, Áísínai'pi: A Visual Quest, Mark's enthusiasm for the craft is inspirational.
Mark Vitaris joined The Camera Store's Evelyn Drake in the Book Nook to talk deeper about his photographic career and his work in publishing photo books. Mark is a strong believer that photos deserve to live beyond the camera, in print, to be experienced and shared. Mark has published two beloved photo books, Borderlands and Buffalo Traces, which have taken him across both sides of the 49th Parallel through Alberta, Saskatchewan, Montana and North Dakota, focusing on the Canadian Prairies and the northern Great Plains. Mark's third book, Áísínai'pi, looks deeper at Áísínai'pi (Writing-On-Stone), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Southern Alberta, Canada. A labour of love, Mark has been photographing the park for a number of years, working closely with the community to thoughtfully capture the stunning geography, sacred history, and rich Niitsítapi (Blackfoot) culture of this historic place.
Mark was also one of the many wonderful photographers who participated in The Camera Store's 30th Anniversary group exhibition, Then & Now 30 Years of Calgary Photography, back in February during the 2026 Exposure Photography Festival. This milestone exhibition highlighted the talent, perspectives, and creative evolution of Calgary’s photographic scene, seen through the lenses of a selection of photographers who helped shape and support The Camera Store over the past three decades.
To pre-order Mark Vitaris' newest photo book, Áísínai'pi: A Visual Quest, click here!
Featured in this blog:
Mark Vitaris: Áísínai'pi: A Visual Quest
