Boris Spremo (October 20, 1935 – August 21, 2017) was a renowned Canadian photojournalist.
Spremo was born in Susak, Rijeka, Kingdom of Yugoslavia on October 20, 1935. After graduating from the Belgrade Cinematographic Institute, he left for Canada in 1957. He was the first photojournalist to receive the Order of Canada.
After a spell of freelance work, he joined The Globe and Mail staff in 1962 then moved to the Toronto Star in 1966, where he remained until his retirement in 2000. During his career, Spremo has won more than 295 national and international awards for photography. Recognition of his talent began early in 1965, when he earned what is perhaps his most important achievement: being the first Canadian to capture a First Prize Gold Medal in the World Press Photo competition in The Hague, Holland.
In 1966, Spremo was awarded with two honours by the Professional Photographers of Canada standing as a Master of Photographic Arts (M.P.A.) and Canadian Photographer of the Year. During the course of his 40-year career, Spremo’s assignments have taken him around the world covering wars, famine, politics, Royals, Olympics and celebrities.
In 1997, Spremo was awarded Canada’s highest honour, the Order of Canada (C.M.) for his years of photographic excellence. Spremo also received The Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal and The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.
In 2014, Spremo was inducted in the Canadian News Hall of Fame.
As a professional photojournalist, Boris Spremo had opportunities to travel around the world on many different assignments. These included Royal Tours and the Olympic Games, but also wars and disasters. His photographs (with stories by reporter Dan Turner) of the 1974 draught and famine crisis in Ethiopia were published in the Toronto Star and caught the attention of the Canadian Red Cross. Soon after, various agencies began to send aid to Ethiopia and other African nations.
The Toronto Star called him “a legend in the business”. Some of his photographs appeared in both Canadian and American magazines. He was known for his collages depicting life in Toronto.
Spremo passed away on August 21, 2017 in Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital at age 81, from complications of multiple myeloma.
Spremo was born in Susak, Rijeka, Kingdom of Yugoslavia on October 20, 1935. After graduating from the Belgrade Cinematographic Institute, he left for Canada in 1957. He was the first photojournalist to receive the Order of Canada.
After a spell of freelance work, he joined The Globe and Mail staff in 1962 then moved to the Toronto Star in 1966, where he remained until his retirement in 2000. During his career, Spremo has won more than 295 national and international awards for photography. Recognition of his talent began early in 1965, when he earned what is perhaps his most important achievement: being the first Canadian to capture a First Prize Gold Medal in the World Press Photo competition in The Hague, Holland.
In 1966, Spremo was awarded with two honours by the Professional Photographers of Canada standing as a Master of Photographic Arts (M.P.A.) and Canadian Photographer of the Year. During the course of his 40-year career, Spremo’s assignments have taken him around the world covering wars, famine, politics, Royals, Olympics and celebrities.
In 1997, Spremo was awarded Canada’s highest honour, the Order of Canada (C.M.) for his years of photographic excellence. Spremo also received The Queen’s Golden Jubilee medal and The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.
In 2014, Spremo was inducted in the Canadian News Hall of Fame.
As a professional photojournalist, Boris Spremo had opportunities to travel around the world on many different assignments. These included Royal Tours and the Olympic Games, but also wars and disasters. His photographs (with stories by reporter Dan Turner) of the 1974 draught and famine crisis in Ethiopia were published in the Toronto Star and caught the attention of the Canadian Red Cross. Soon after, various agencies began to send aid to Ethiopia and other African nations.
The Toronto Star called him “a legend in the business”. Some of his photographs appeared in both Canadian and American magazines. He was known for his collages depicting life in Toronto.
Spremo passed away on August 21, 2017 in Toronto’s Sunnybrook Hospital at age 81, from complications of multiple myeloma.
28 photographs.
12 photographs.
· Boris Spremo – photo / All rights reserved. Copyright © Boris Spremo ·
Last updated on September 6, 2018.
Published by Urban Book Circle on July 5, 2013 Urban Book Circle® (UBC) |
· Edited by Djuradj “George” Vujcic, Danijela Kovacevic Mikic,
Deidre McAuliffe and Prvoslav “Pearse” Vujcic ·
· Design & Artwork by Prvoslav “Pearse” Vujcic and Djuradj “George” Vujcic ·
· Illustrated by Sarah Riordan and Deidre McAuliffe ·
All rights reserved. Copyright © Urban Book Circle®
Deidre McAuliffe and Prvoslav “Pearse” Vujcic ·
· Design & Artwork by Prvoslav “Pearse” Vujcic and Djuradj “George” Vujcic ·
· Illustrated by Sarah Riordan and Deidre McAuliffe ·
All rights reserved. Copyright © Urban Book Circle®
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