Comments

"Incredibly mind blowing photography - some of the most important work at Contact this year & something every Canadian should see!" Jason, Toronto

"A terrible beauty .... My eyes filled with tears. Thank you." Joan, Toronto

"How appropriate a title. Only a true artist can pull beauty out of a grim reality! Bravo." James, Ottawa

"Some truly innovative and breathtaking shots. Congratulations!" Erin, Toronto

"Calming but confrontational, gorgeous but scary. An eye opening lookat the Canadian landscape reminiscent of Burtynsky and Andreas Gursky. Absolutely fabulous, breathtaking, and sureal. Totally relevant and necessary body of work." Betty, Toronto

"Absolutely disorientating." unsigned, Toronto

"Your photos are stunning and exactly how it is. You should take your photos across country and touch base with every art gallery you can find. I'm in Fort McMurray and I'll see if I can drum up some interest. You are a brave soul! Fort McMurray is the place to be! Elizabeth Lee, Fort McMurray, AB

"DISGUSTING! (nice work!)" Jaime, Toronto

"So hard, so paradoxical but thanks for telling the story" Patti, Toronto

"I, too, have flown over Fort McMurray in a small plane. No government has the right to allow any company to do this to our land. Not only that, but miles and miles to this country is leased out, and will soon be in the same state of mass destruction. It is not good enough, to say,"no more leases". It really has to be shut down, NOW." Elaine Schuler, Medicine Hat, AB

"I'm 62, retired and now and always have benn a heavy equipment buff, especially the big rigid-frame mining trucks, so this isn't going to be a political pontification, Okay? After mowing three lawns today (remember, I'm retried - money has to come from somewhere), I was getting ready for bed and thought I would key in a Google images search of 'large dump trucks' I had done this before, but apprently I had not reached the page your pictures were on. I've almost worn out the mouse, clicking 'previous' and 'next' Excellent,- Outstanding - WOW! I have never contacted a pro photog such asyourself, so I have no idea how the pics are available (size, etc.) and pricing. Could you enlighten me at your convenience? Again, outstanding work and thanks for your time." Jim Ball, Louisville, KY, (USA), October 2009

"Thank you for bringing this to us - we would not have gotten a sense of the enormity of what's being done without your images." Heather, Toronto

"Your images force the ignorant to look at something they would rather ignore - beautifully profound!" Emily, Toronto

"Amazing. Simply earth." unsigned, Toronto

"As others have remarked, these are images that every Canadian should see and think about! Helbig's sense of visual form only heightens their impact. The tar sands is something that is happening out-of-sight and out-of-world for Canadians. This has to change! Bravo to Louis Helbig!" Michael, Toronto

"Moving images of an embarrassing Canadian phenomena. Interesting story and photographer." Pete, Toronto

"Wow. Beautiful images.Thank you." Adena, Toronto

"Beautiful lines and use of space and colour." Kim, Ottawa

"I feel profoundly sad ... and also hopeful because of how many people are stopping to really look, really see. I could never own the geese picture because it makes me cry. Thank you for documenting this disaster." Emily, Ottawa

"A conscience in photographs! Great work." Michael, Ottawa

"So cool, and awesome and cool and awesome and ... . " unsigned, Toronto

"Love it! Truly the eye of an artist." Jacques, Ottawa

"Beautiful images. I like the juxtaposition of the being initially drawn to a striking image and the slow realization it depicting environmental horror." Leon, Ottawa

"I think it is so gutsy and insightful and IMPORTANT to capture this portrait of Canada. What an eye - beautiful work Louis." Lisa, Sudbury

"The pictures make me link things so close and familiar to me (such as geese or Greyhound bus) with something so unfamiliar - but real - like the tar sands." Monica, Ottawa

"These are a vital way to enable folks to see - and consider (i.e. the origins of policy) the real net cost of tar sand oil." Glen, Ottawa

"Trés beau and scary!" Len, Chelsea, QC

"Great images - terrifying - keep up the work." L, Ottawa

"Good pictures, No Doubt! Money has been spent. They're going full force. Let them finish the race. Then clear out." Larry, Ottawa.

"Thank you for this important and essential work! illegible, Ottawa

"Environmental Destruction - done by Canadians" Robert, Ottawa

"Amazed at how you've found beauty in problematic places!" Marta, Ottawa.

"Truly eye-catching and "Touching" - SAD WHAT WE DO TO OUR "Children's World" - incredible story they tell." J, Ottawa

"How terribly beautiful. A BIG HIGH FIVE for bringing on and in the awareness." unsigned, Ottawa

"Absolutely amazing! Great statement while still being beautiful!" Sacha, Ottawa

"What an 'eye'! Unique - thank you." Kate, Ottawa

"Beautiful photography - sad subject." Hans, Ottawa

"Exquisite!!" Katherine, Ottawa

"Awesome! Merci!" Jana, Gatineau

"Let's take some ownership in mess, Canada!! Fantastic statement." illegible, Ottawa

"Your works open my eyes from a window above me! They're impressive. Cindy, Ottawa

"Wonderful work - great spirit. Especially taken with Canada Geese! Life and nature will always overcome man's destruction (although the life may change and it'll take so long. Let's cheer for the delicate grass that grows through the hard pavement!" Judy, Ottawa

"Truly impressive and thought provoking." illegible, Ottawa

"Although I am completely love-based-biased to Burtynski - these are stunning." Katherine, Ottawa

"Fantastic; eye opening." Neil, Waterloo

"These are criminal portraits." Glenn, Ottawa

"Thanks for bringing the process 'south', to our immediate attention. I'll look for more of your work. Much appreciated." Lori, Ottawa

"I'd like to buy one for my rich uncle who makes his money from extracting sulfur from the oil fields. But I'm too poor. I'll tell him about you. They are beautifully disturbing." Jessie, Ottawa

"Amazing and powerful imagery! I have my English classes here and they were intrigued by your work. I am going to have them do a response assignment to your photographs!" Kimberely, Ottawa

"Very cool pictures. I've never seen anything like them. Inspiring work. I'm happy our students got to see them." Adam, Ottawa

"Magnificent in concept and execution as well as superb production. The absence of the horizon line and any sky intensifies the NIGHTMARE of the scene. Exchanging vibrant, self-renewing nature for short narcissistic pseudo-free well pursuits and leaving when nature no longer serves narcissism." Jamie, Ottawa

Select comments from a sheaf of thank you letters from an Ottawa Grade Four class

"We are grateful that you came and I think you are a very artistic and creative man. I thought the angle of each shot was just the right on because we basically had no idea what it was so they really got us wondering."

"I could not tell what they were, but it was really fun to guess and learn."

"Your photography is really good and I'm surpassed that something so polluting would be nice like that. My favourite part was that all your art is wonderful. None of it was weird or boring. The presentation was actually the best presentation I had ever seen and I'm not trying to make you happy."

"What I really liked is that they didn't look like real pictures but beautiful paintings."

"I like how you took them [the photos] because not everybody does that."

"I particularly liked the photo with the trucks that looked like toys (no offence)"