Aaron Hemens

Penticton, British Columbia, Canada · Reporter and photojournalist, IndigiNews

Career

Aaron Hemens is a journalist and freelance photographer based in Penticton, British Columbia. As a staff reporter for IndigiNews he works across both text journalism and photography, with editorial and commercial freelance work available alongside his staff role.

After graduating from Carleton University's School of Journalism in 2018, Hemens spent eight months in 2019 living in Inuvik, Northwest Territories — in Canada's Arctic Circle — working as editor and reporter of the Inuvik Drum, the community's weekly newspaper. That posting established his early-career range: remote community reporting in a region that receives limited coverage from southern Canadian media.

His photography and reporting have been published by the Associated Press, the Canadian Press, the Globe and Mail, CBC, the Wall Street Journal, the Narwhal, the Tyee, HuffPost, and APTN News, among others. His photographs of the 2025 Universal Ostrich Farm culling controversy in Edgewood, B.C. — in which a large ostrich flock was ordered destroyed under avian flu protocols, drawing international attention and protest — appeared in publications including the Guardian and the New York Times. That coverage earned him two nominations at the News Photographers Association of Canada's National Pictures of the Year 2025 awards.

In 2020, Hemens participated in Room Up Front, a Canadian photojournalism mentorship program for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, in its inaugural year.

Publications (selected)

Associated PressCanadian PressGlobe and MailCBCWall Street JournalThe GuardianThe New York TimesThe NarwhalThe TyeeHuffPostAPTN NewsIndigiNewsInuvik Drum

Honours and Recognition

2025

Digital Publishing Awards — Gold, Best News Coverage (Community Publication)

For his three-part series on the Copper Mountain Mine's proposed expansion project near Princeton, B.C., published in IndigiNews, covering the mine's impacts on Similkameen waterways.

2025

News Photographers Association of Canada — Two nominations, National Pictures of the Year

For his photography coverage of the Universal Ostrich Farm culling controversy in Edgewood, B.C.

2023

Canadian Online Publishing Awards — Photojournalism

Second consecutive year winning a photojournalism award from the Canadian Online Publishing Awards.

2022

Canadian Online Publishing Awards — Photojournalism

First photojournalism award from the Canadian Online Publishing Awards.

2018

Mitch Jacobson Memorial Award in Photojournalism — Carleton University School of Journalism

Awarded to one graduating student by Carleton's School of Journalism and Communication upon completion of the journalism program.

Contact

aaron_hemens@hotmail.comaaron@indiginews.com250-870-3064

Aaron Hemens · Penticton, British Columbia, Canada

Staff: IndigiNews — indiginews.com

Portfolio: aaronhemens.com