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Spencer Colby

@spencesphotography

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📸: Photographer for the @ottawacitizen based in Ottawa. Mentor at @roomupfront for BIPOC Photojournalists in Canada

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Without a Home - Photographed during the @mophotoworkshop

Bryant Fuller had two dream jobs growing up: to be an architect or a pilot. “I used to be very artistic,” Fuller recounted. He would make Boeing 747 models out of newspapers and would spend time in between school classes building intricate models of Epsom racing vehicles and Japanese buildings.

Now 26, Fuller is homeless in Maryville, MO. In the winter months, he finds himself underneath blankets atop a deflated air mattress. On windy days he finds himself under a tarp or inside a shed that is unlocked or garage that is abandoned.

“I want to get a job” says Fuller adding for his desire to have a place where he can have a warm shower, meal and not have the police called on him as he rests his head.

Born in Columbia, Oh, Fuller spent many of his formative years moving from state to state. “My father and my mother were both in and out of my life most of my childhood,” he explained and found that fitting into any place he went was a challenge, “I’ve always felt alone.”

“I was a runaway,” explained Fuller who would find himself wondering the streets in the middle of the night. At the age of two and after his mother lost her job Fuller was placed into the foster care system.

As time progressed Fuller found himself in Maryville. With dwindling employment opportunities his housing situation became peculiar, and he eventually found himself sleeping on the streets.

As Fuller walks the hilly roads of Maryville, a black Bearcats basketball backpack – the local university’s sporting team – hangs over his shoulder. Buried deep inside the bag rests his light brown colored Bible and small pocket-sized New Testaments book.

“God’s my cornerstone,” explained Fuller, “I keep trying to tell myself, this is all happening for a reason. It’s so I can have a better understanding of who I am and what God’s purpose is for me” he explained sitting on a park bench. “Eventually it’ll all come back together, and my life will come back together.”

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A big shoutout to @terrafondriest , @randyolson and everyone on Team Eisert and MPW for their support and guidance in photographing Bryant over the past week!!

Fuller throws his p taken in Maryville, Missouri by @spencesphotography

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14 days ago

‘I made one huge, colossal mistake’ - Written and photographed for The Globe and Mail following nearly a year of reporting in Ottawa’s ByWard Market

It’s just past 10 p.m. on a cool Saturday night in Ottawa’s ByWard Market. Thumper sits on a narrow metal bar, her thin, underweight body leaning against a narrow black wall that seamlessly blends into the surrounding darkness. A small cup of seasoned off-the-cob corn and a large freshly squeezed lemonade – Thumper’s first meal of the day – rest next to her feet in the dimly lit alleyway. The lingering smell of urine hangs in the air.

The night is young for Thumper, 46, as her routine of panhandling through the often-packed streets of one of Ottawa’s most popular tourist destinations is set to begin.

Donning her small black leather purse – filled with most of her worldly possessions – Thumper takes a few quick bites of her corn and sips from her lemonade, and then lights up the butt of a cigarette as she walks down the alleyway and out into the ByWard Market’s nightlife.

Dodging slow-moving cars, drunk partygoers and eager patrons waiting in line to enter the dozen or so bars and clubs that dot the streets of the Market, Thumper zigzags along a route well established over the nearly two years spent asking passing strangers for spare change or an extra cigarette.

Each night that Thumper panhandles, she has two goals. The first: make $11, just enough for a small can of Orange Crush, a corn dog and small portion of fries – layered with ketchup, mayonnaise and vinegar – from Sasha’s Poutine stand, wedged between two lively nightclubs. Her second goal is much more addictive than her near-nightly routine of a 3 a.m. visit to the food stand.

Read the Full Story Here: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-ottawa-drug-homelessness-crisis-photo-essay/

Select captions to pictures in the comments below. by @spencesphotography

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9 months ago

Dancer Artin Avaznia (@artin613) is pictured ahead of his Underground Pride show at Club SAW in Ottawa on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. For @ottawacitizen by @spencesphotography

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2 months ago

Atletico Ottawa’s Gabriel Mendes Antinoro (11) kisses the North Star Cup following Atletico Ottawa’s victory over Cavalry FC in extra time during the Canadian Premier League finals soccer action in Ottawa, on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby by @spencesphotography

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a year ago

Frames from Ottawa Redblacks games over the regular season at TD Place in Ottawa, Ont. For @cdnpress

The Redblacks ended the season with a 4-14 record taken in Ottawa, Ontario by @spencesphotography

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a year ago

Recent coverage of Canadian politics across Ottawa, Trenton, Ont., and Gatineau, Que., for @cdnpress by @spencesphotography

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a year ago

Frames from Canada Day festivities at LeBreton Flats that saw Prime Minister Mark Carney’s first official Canada Day ceremony including a special Order of Canada induction of Canadian-American actor Ryan Reynolds by Gov. Gen. Mary Simon. For @cdnpress

Pix 4: PM Carney hands Chole, 13, his Canada Day themed water bottle following the noon ceremony at LeBreton Flats

Pix 8 and 10: Darrell Fox, brother to the late-Terry Fox, raises his fist in the air as he is honoured during Canada Day festivities. Fox, speaks with PM following the noon show. by @spencesphotography

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a year ago

Various frames from two days of the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta from June 16-17, 2025. For @epa_images

Pix 10: Prime Minister Mark Carney (L) and Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico (C) look towards President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (R) as he shouts towards an audio visual technician after experiencing difficulties with his translation device as PM Carney attempted to deliver opening remarks at the working luncheon on energy security with outreach countries and international organizations in Kananaskis, Alberta on 17 June 2025 by @spencesphotography

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a year ago

A few frames from King Charles and Queen Camila’s whirlwind trip to Ottawa from May 26-27 that saw the King deliver the Speech from the Throne at the Senate with a few stops in between. For @cdnpress by @spencesphotography

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a year ago

Coverage of Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre election night watch party including a few frames from two campaign stops in and around his riding, a riding he has since lost to Liberal Party of Canada candidate Bruce Fanjoy. For @the.canadianpress by @spencesphotography

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a year ago

A few frames from a day in Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre’s Carleton riding for @financialtimes The following words by Financial Times reporter Ilya Gridneff

This year, Canadians June and Bob Neske (Pix 6) went from life-long Conservatives to Liberal Party voters in less than a month.

The retired military couple from Corkery, a rural community in west Ottawa, had consistently voted for Conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre but have joined efforts to dislodge him from his seat.

“Last election, I voted Conservative because of [Liberal leader] Justin Trudeau, but now it is a different choice as Trudeau is gone,” June said. “I know people will still vote for Poilievre but the issue for me is his rhetoric, I don’t like it.” by @spencesphotography

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a year ago

Scott Rodger, 36, with his girlfriend Crystal by his side and their pet dog Dahmer slowly push their shopping cart chalked full of their life possessions up a nondescript Ottawa street in the city’s Glebe neighbourhood.

Despite being homeless and spending day-in-day out struggling to survive on Ottawa’s streets, Scott is a dedicated voter in the upcoming federal election. Pix for @globeandmail with the following words by Globe and Mail’s Ian Bailey @ianabailey

“Scott Rodger wants to vote in the federal election. To make an informed choice, he monitors the campaigns closely, using his smartphone to watch news coverage on YouTube.

During a recent interview on Bank Street in downtown Ottawa, he was recharging his smartphone using an outlet built at the base of a tree. Beside it, his worldly goods filled a shopping cart. “I kind of have more stuff with me than I would like,” Mr. Rodger said, apologetically.

Mr. Rodger said he assumed that he would face challenges at any polling station because he has no address or ID. Many people in his situation do not bother to vote, he said, “because they are just surviving.””

Pix 2 Caption: Scott orders a pair of coffees and a burger from McDonald’s in Ottawa’s Glebe neighbourhood

Pix 4 Caption: Scott speaks with a dentist receptionist to inquire about emergency dental care for his girlfriend Crystal who was suffering from severe tooth ache by @spencesphotography

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a year ago