A life in focus: 101 and still behind the lens

Herbert Schuppert has lived a storied life, full of courage and adventure. Now 101 years old and a resident of The Harrison at Elim Village Fleetwood, Herb continues to take photographs, a passion that has accompanied him through war zones, flight decks, and frozen prairie winters.

Born in Gretna, Manitoba, Herb joined the military at just 17. During the Second World War, he served in the Canadian Armoured Corps, driving a reconnaissance vehicle from Juno Beach into Germany. His bravery earned him one of France’s highest honours — the title of Knight of the Legion of Honour.

A Life of Flight and Focus

Herb’s early military career saw him stationed on Vancouver Island. Herb recalls, “We were deployed near Sooke, and I said to myself, this is a beautiful place. I’ll come back here someday.”

And he did. After the war, Herb returned to Canada where he worked on pipelines and oil refineries, and became a licensed pilot and flight instructor. He flew gliders, taught aspiring aviators, and even flew for skydivers.

Through all this, one thing was constant: “I’ve always taken pictures,” he says. “Back home, when I worked on the pipeline, I was taking pictures. When I was flying, I was taking pictures.”

Photography in the Digital Age

These days, Herb practices this life-long hobby with his iPhone. “Every day I go out and take photos,” he says. “The lighting is always different; every day is different. I try to capture that.”

At The Harrison, where the garden is bursting with blooms in spring, and where fall brings golden leaves, Herb finds no shortage of inspiration. “All of a sudden I see something and I say, I have to take a picture of that.”

He loves sharing the results with family and friends, often sending his work through Facebook. “They like them, especially my daughter,” he says. “She loves to see them.”

So what has driven Herb to snap photos all these years? His answer is simple: “I just enjoy the pleasure I get from it.”