I'm Back... A Look Back at 2021 and an Outlook for 2022
As I look back on 2021, I’m pretty hopeful for 2022 to be a year of recovery and refresh… and not just for me, but also for you too. I’m not really sure what’s planned for my future but I guess I’ll just have to keep trying and doing things until I find another superfluous circumstance to carry me for the next while. In the meanwhile, I’ll keep a camera on hand, right next to my professional drone and a block of cheese.
Let’s just admit it. The last two years have been pretty crummy. COVID has been a real issue and messed up a lot of our plans. I’ve come to realize that sometimes that’s just how life is though: The best laid plans don’t always go somewhere and sometimes the unplanned superfluous circumstances that you never thought of end up being the journey that you take for years.
Being a documentary wedding photographer was my plan for many years. When COVID hit and I saw things changing, it brought to light a lot of things that I had been thinking about and some self-adjustments I had to make. One of them was of course to take a break from weddings. The other was two focus on what was left and figure out what I wanted to do going forward.
As I look back on 2021, I’m pretty hopeful for 2022 to be a year of recovery and refresh… and not just for me, but also for you too. I’m not really sure what’s planned for my future but I guess I’ll just have to keep trying and doing things until I find another superfluous circumstance to carry me for the next while. In the meanwhile, I’ll keep a camera on hand, right next to my professional drone and a block of cheese.
Do I have any goals for 2022? Despite all the was mentioned above, I do have some goals. My second Chinatown Book is a project I really hope to complete soon and I am looking have something in print later in the year. Also, as I’ve been stuck at home with all these lockdowns and just general fear of indoor spaces now, I’m looking to explore more of the world from viewpoints I could never access before through drone tech. Of course, my offerings for documentary photosessions remains the same if anyone is interested - outdoors and socially distanced.
Perhaps I’ll continue to build up that cheese channel I have on YouTube… Manchego, anyone? :)
“The Time Traveller” Photosession
Documentary Family Photosessions
Anniversary Session
Chinatown Fire Dragon Festival (Vancouver)
I’ll be posting more Fire Dragon Festival photos in an upcoming blog post!
And so that was the year that was. Despite it being another rough year, it actually had a lot of bright spots and in the end, with the Fire Dragon Festival, there was a glimmer of hope that things would start to go back to a normal of sorts.
A happy belated New Year and see you all in 2022.
I'm Back. It's Been A While: A Look Back on the Last 2 Years So Far (2020)
I haven’t posted in a while. It’s been a long time. It was just a few days ago that the fireworks happening in all parts of the world as we all collectively rung in the new year of 2022… and with a new year comes new opportunities. As I sat down and looked at some of my old photos and old posts from a while ago, I thought to myself that it was finally time to start to come back again and turn back on the pilot light that was my photography passion. You see, COVID really put a damper on that.
I haven’t posted in a while. It’s been a long time. It was just a few days ago that the fireworks happening in all parts of the world as we all collectively rung in the new year of 2022… and with a new year comes new opportunities. As I sat down and looked at some of my old photos and old posts from a while ago, I thought to myself that it was finally time to start to come back again and turn back on the pilot light that was my photography passion. You see, COVID really put a damper on that.
2020 and 2021 were really rough for me. I saw some major bookings fall out and as we all battled (and still continue to battle) the pandemic, I decided that the shift in the way we lived and interacted meant it was time to re-focus… but sadly this also meant that I had to give up dreams that I had so long lived for and make changes to thoughts, habits and directions that I had long clutched close to me for the last decade or so. It was tough.
I rested (i.e. video gaming! Woo!)... but I also explored. Stepping out of some aspects of photography meant that I refocused on some other aspects of my photography passion BUT also allowed me to try some new things as well. I now fly FPV drones and create some dynamic flying videos AND… I also started a Youtube channel about (you won’t believe this) … Cheese! It was also at this time that I realized what really matters to all of us more than business and even more than photos: Family and Friends. So I took time out to ride out the early parts of the pandemic lock downs and be with my family and Zoom with friends.
The Cheese Channel I started…. if you’re curious.
In the midst of all of the falling out, I was still getting inquiries. It was great to know that there were people out there who valued my approach and offerings and we figured out ways to make it all happen.**
I blog this not knowing if anyone will read it (though I hope the FB algorithms will not push this out of people’s feeds but… you know…. algorithms happen) but I do it to mark what will hopefully be a turning point for me. I also hope that 2022 will be a turning point for you too and that you’ll grow, change and adapt to this new normal in ways you could never imagine.
For now, I’ll keep the cameras by my side, ready to go at a moments notice as always.
**A quick note: For the indoor photos, most of those were taken in the early part of the year and took place before the shut downs and lock downs and people hoarding toilet paper (yes, that was a thing… remember?). When the weather allowed in the Summer and Fall, I did all of the photo shoots outdoors. This was in accordance with the health rules at the time.
IIBC BATTLE OF THE BANDS 2020
CHINATOWN PARADE 2020
(the last one before lockdowns)
DOCUMENTARY PHOTOSESSIONS
Jamie Poh is a good friend of mine and you can see her work by looking up “Jamie Poh Creative”
AND FINALLY… CHINATOWN YOUTH COLLABORATIVE (MON KEANG SCHOOL)
What a year it was. The world basically flipped upside down and nothing is quite the same as it was before. In my next post, I’ll review some highlights and assignments of my photography journey in 2021. In the meanwhile, stay safe out there!!
COVID19 Introspection - Why I’m Taking a Break From Weddings
I do feel quite sad to have made this decision but I think it was time. Things were just not going in the direction that I was hoping and I had poured a lot of time and resources in trying to make it work. You can only knock on the door for so long before you have to try another one. That being said, I am excited for the new direction that I will be going in. I realize that time is precious and also limited so it’s best to spend it doing what you love.
ALL DREAMS COME TO AN END
I remember doing research early on in my photographer career to determine what I was really interested in. I recall seeing the photographs of Jeff Ascough, a documentary wedding photographer based in the UK, and thought to myself… that would be really awesome to do.
I have been a professional photographer for the last 8 years. In that time, I’ve been a part of over 40 weddings of cultures of all kinds, many many events, multiple family sessions and of course a part of Chinatown’s history documentation.
Fast-forward to 2020 and in light of the coronavirus pandemic I had to do some serious introspection and thinking. While I absolutely love doing documentary weddings and will still take on a few, I made the tough decision to start focusing my photography elsewhere to where my base passion lies.
THE HONEST TRUTH:
The honest truth is that documentary wedding photography is a niche within a niche. Wth the competition being very fierce in the Vancouver wedding market and being a relatively unknown entity, I was not able to make it work from a business perspective. I wanted documentary wedding photography to be all I did but unfortunately reality has dashed that dream and has made do a lot of thinking over the last few months while socially distancing. I only booked a few weddings and offered a lot more than most other photographers did in my packages (prints/storybooks) as I really did (and STILL DO) care about having a tangible print product. However financial realities set in and in the midst of the scramble for toilet paper I realized that this was not a growth area for me.
I find it very unfortunate that many a bride/groom don’t even know about documentary wedding photography and thus default to the most mainstream wedding photography approaches. I recall bumping into a married couple who told me that after their wedding, they found out about documentary photography and wish they had hired someone for that approach on their wedding day. Unfortunately, a niche will be a niche but I do hope that more word gets out there that there are more options than smiling at trees and fake laughing. I will still advocate for documentary wedding photography.
If we dive deeper into styles, many a photographer call themselves candid but when you look at the photos all you see are posed photos or photos of people who are directed in a moment to do something that “looks” like it was a real moment when in fact it was manufactured. This is not to say this is a bad approach. Some brides and grooms want this. And I too have done it sometimes. But it is not documentary.
WHERE AM I GOING NOW:
For my clients who have weddings with my next year, this is NOT to say that I am cancelling all my weddings. I will continue to take on new wedding jobs on a case-by-case basis and will of course fulfill weddings currently booked. It is more of a shift in my attitude and my outlook on where and on what I want to spend my time and while I’ve poured in time and effort and money to try to make documentary weddings work, I’ve come to realize that door is slowly creaking to a close. Maybe one day it will re-open but for now… we’ll see.
So… then what am I doing now?
I’ve switched my focus to being a long-term project documentary photographer. I’ve realized that I like creating photographs that document over the long term and being involved in projects that I can build through photographs. As such, I’ll be focusing on my personal project work (such as documenting Chinatown) and perhaps add a few new offerings such as drone services. The drone world has always interested me and I can see myself growing in that aspect. I will also be looking to license images for people to use in publications. And I will still be doing family sessions as the opportunity arises as well.
A BIG THANK YOU:
To all my clients over the years who have believed in me and who still do: thank you for trusting me with your wedding days and for allowing me to document you as you really were on that day. Thank you for letting me tell your story in an honest and classical way that will hopefully live on as photo stories to pass down to future generations. And thank you in being vulnerable enough to let me to create documentary wedding photography for you.
I do feel quite sad to have made this decision but I think it was time. Things were just not going in the direction that I was hoping and I had poured a lot of time and resources in trying to make it work. You can only knock on the door for so long before you have to try another one. That being said, I am excited for the new direction that I will be going in. I realize that time is precious and also limited so it’s best to spend it doing what you love.
William and Hae-In's Wedding at Terminal City Club in Vancouver
One of the great things about documenting weddings is the opportunity to get to know friends and family of the bride and groom that I never would have met in other circumstances. In 2018, I documented Alex and Vania's wedding in Yaletown. In 2019, I received a message from someone named "Hae-In" who asked about my wedding availability. At first I was like "who is this?" but I later found out that she was at the wedding of Alex and Vania the year before. After further chatting, I found out she was Alex's sister! Unknowingly to me, in 2018 I was already documenting her.
One of the great things about documenting weddings is the opportunity to get to know friends and family of the bride and groom that I never would have met in other circumstances. In 2018, I documented Alex and Vania's wedding in Yaletown. In 2019, I received a message from someone named "Hae-In" who asked about my wedding availability. At first I was like "who is this?" but I later found out that she was at the wedding of Alex and Vania the year before. After further chatting, I found out she was Alex's sister! Unknowingly to me, in 2018 I was already documenting her.
On the day of the wedding, which took place at Terminal City Hall, I remember hanging out with William in his room while Hae-In was getting ready and then heading over to Hae-In’s room while William was getting married. They did not want to see each other until later that day when there was going to be a first look. This meant I was running between across the hall to the other room for the morning but it was definitely a privilege as I was able to see the two interacting with friends and family and taking their time to relax on the morning in real time.
It’s in these little moments that I like to convey my stories and my documentary approach. There’s a lot going on but I set the focus on the bride Hae-In in the back. I waited until the TV turned into a bright colour (I think the ad that popped up was a bright yellow) so it would light up her face.
There was a moment earlier in the morning where I took a photo of Hae-In eating a sandwich. At first I was a bit apologetic for taking the photo as most people don’t like eating photos but Hae-In said to me something along the lines of “We hired you for a specific reason: for your approach to documenting the real day!” This made me super happy.
The eating photo.
Providing context can give a photo life and provide a broader view of the story. That’s why I take wide angle shots like these.
Despite being a cold late-November day and with daylight being particularly scarce, William and Hae-In enjoyed themselves. While there were some portions outside in the freezing cold (such as the previously mentioned first look), both held out while they went for a walk around Downtown, with me running around like a sugar-high ninja documenting them.
There is a duplicate photo of this pose that was taken during their engagement session, that was also in Downtown Vancouver by the Waterfront area. In both cases, it was completely unposed and not directed. This came out naturally.
Even though I’m starting to take a step back from weddings, it is assignments like this that keep me continuing to offer it. Although there is change ahead for me and my approach to my business, it is in the documented moments and the documentary candid photographs of events like this wedding that light my fire again. I’m so thankful for William and Hae-In in loving my work and trusting me to provide authentic, honest and beautiful documentary imagery of their wedding day.
True story: This is where I met my wife some 9 years ago… right near these steps.
One of the banes of a wedding photographer is trying to navigate your way between tables at sprinting speed (to catch the couple in motion) with the chairs being super close together. Thankfully this time there was enough space for me to move through and get this shot :)
This is a photograph I shared on my social media as I wanted to show what good documentary detail shots can look like. No posing of food, no fake wine glasses or detail setup away from the action. This was true details of a wedding day of people having a damn good time.
And yes, the food was amazing.
My 2018 wedding couple with my 2019 wedding couple :)
Another shot where I provide details without resorting to a setup or moving things around or whatever. This is me, being present and keeping an eye out for shots like this where I can tell the story of the dessert plate for the bride and groom and document what their table looked like at that time.
Gotta love the bride/groom games.
This particular game involved putting as many hearts on the groom as they could and then he would have to dance them off. The final amount of hearts left on him when the timer was up was the amount of time (10 seconds per heart I think) where he would have to kiss his bride. I think they had to kiss for at least over 60 seconds. Might have been 90 seconds.
The rest of the day took place inside a very warm Terminal City Hall, where... as per usual, I will tell the story through the use of photographs. Jonathan Desmond, signing off for now.
FULL GALLERY:
Jeremiah and Natasha's Wedding at Estate 248 Venue in Langley
Jeremy and Natasha's wedding story is a story of resilience and love in the time of unforeseen circumstances. The original wedding was planned for 2018 but there was a sudden turn in Jeremy's health. I recall going to the hospital and visiting Jeremy and I saw that Natasha was there while Jeremy lay unconscious. She held his hand and kept talking to him despite everything that was going on. She would be there for hours and weeks on end.
To say that 2020 has been a crazy year is a bit of an understatement for many of us. From COVID19 to lockdowns to an economy hit hard by the effects of said events, 2020 is a year that I think many will be looking forward to put behind us. Despite it all, it is our resilience and our hope in something greater than has allowed us to thrive and survive in these times, including myself.
Natasha “reflects” on her wedding day as she gets her hair done in the morning
The girls have a moment to paint Natasha’s nails.
Once COVID19 hit and we went into lockdown here in Vancouver, I stopped focusing on Jonathan Desmond Photography for a bit. Instead of blogging, I went to try to find toilet paper only to find none. Instead of editing archives of photos, I socially distanced myself from people and turned to video games with friends as the social isolation started to kick in. I also got my Transport Canada Basic Certification for drones but that’s… for another post. Despite all this, 2020 was the year that I finally released my Chinatown Book and to my surprise it did really well, indicating to me that it was and is time for a switch.
I take photographs like this during the day as they tell a fuller story of what was happening. It’s not often little dudes will wear ties, am I right?
With a few more days of 2020 to go, I decided it would be a good time to catch up on some blog entries that I should've written but honestly just didn't care at that time as I was honestly scared for my health and the health of others. And while things are still pretty rough due to COVID19, I've learned also this year that life is precious and that the best time to do things is now because we don't know what tomorrow will bring.
Natasha grins at somebody while I use the ninja art of mirrors to capture her back details.
Another photo showing the little moments of a wedding day but they form part of the greater story of a documentary wedding.
Jeremy and Natasha's wedding story is a story of resilience and love in the time of unforeseen circumstances. The original wedding was planned for 2018 but there was a sudden turn in Jeremy's health. I recall going to the hospital and visiting Jeremy and I saw that Natasha was there while Jeremy lay unconscious. She held his hand and kept talking to him despite everything that was going on. She would be there for hours and weeks on end.
Natasha’s Dad concentrating on his steps as he leads Natasha down to the altar to Jeremy.
:D
The 2018 wedding was ultimately postponed and as Jeremy recovered, there was a small family party that was held on the date that the original wedding was supposed to be. It was really amazing to see Jeremy's recovery and to see his resilience in all this and not losing his occasional dry humour when I talked with him; Natasha was always by his side. It was also really amazing to see family and friends come together to celebrate with them.
Eventually 2019 rolled around and Jeremy and Natasha soon booked their new wedding in the summer at Estate 248 in Langley. The day came and the sun shone brightly on an amazing wedding day that was filled with laughter, tears and friends and family... but most importantly, a story that made me see the resilience of love and a hope in Jesus that is greater than the circumstances.
Massive Jenga for the win.
Please turn off all cell phones… and as the theme of the wedding was nautical (Natasha loves to sail), life preservers were required. Estate 248 is not near any bodies of water… except maybe the small creek nearby.
The wedding details I go for tell a story. I don’t spend a huge chunk of the day setting up stuff and making it look pretty. It is already pretty because it tells a story as it is.
If you’re wondering, the handcuffs were part of a game that had to do with getting the leg garter off of the bride’s leg.
I won't talk much about the day and instead, as per usual, tell their wedding day story through photographs :)
FULL GALLERY OF THE DAY:
I Took The Book To Chinatown
It’s been 7 years since I started the Documenting Chinatown personal photography project and it has grown into a much bigger thing than I had ever anticipated. I made friends, I ventured into new places and tried new things … and got to document it all through the power of photography.
And in the end, I made a book!
It’s been 7 years since I started the Documenting Chinatown personal photography project and it has grown into a much bigger thing than I had ever anticipated. I made friends, I ventured into new places and tried new things … and got to document it all through the power of photography.
And in the end, I made a book!
A book on Chinatown… IN Chinatown…. is that meta or what?
BUY THE BOOK
The book “I Was Lured Into A TeaShop” was not a book I had planned to make at first. I had only planned to do a 1 year project and then … well, I had no idea to be honest. But the end of 2013 signalled the beginning of my journey to explore and document Chinatown and see the changes as they were happening between 2013-2015.
With a mask on and being socially-distanced, I ventured back into Chinatown just this past weekend and took photographs of the photographs in the book at their respective locations now.
The Jang Association building: 2013 vs 2020
Excuse the fingers… Jack Chow now occupies this building in the corner.
While this herbalist moved his shop, the same jars are still there.
With COVID19 happening, there are still people in Chinatown but not as many as before. This Money Foods Enterprises Ltd sign has been there since I’ve been documenting Chinatown.
This corner used to be a lot with a mural on the building. In it’s place is now a 6 story building.
While Chinatown was already changing from 2013-2015, the dates of which my book encompasses, 2020 has brought about many new changes and challenges to Chinatown businesses and to its residents as well. My hope is that Chinatown will still retain it’s culture and it’s feel and hopefully survive this pandemic.
It's Finally Happening: My Chinatown Book is out!!
The time has come!
I took many years but finally I’m releasing my first Chinatown Book “I Was Lured Into A Tea Shop”, encompassing the early parts of my Documenting Chinatown Project. Life changes, busy schedules and something called a pandemic had me put this on the backburner for a bit but it was always my intention to document Chinatown for the sake of making a book.
I took many years but finally I’m releasing my first Chinatown Book “I Was Lured Into A Tea Shop”, encompassing the early parts of my Documenting Chinatown Project. Life changes, busy schedules and something called a pandemic had put this release on the backburner for a bit but it was always my intention to document Chinatown for the sake of making a book. So here it is!
The foreword is written by Melody Ma, a huge Chinatown advocate whom I met after 2015. I recall us having conversations reflecting on the vast changes happening in Chinatown at the time and realizing my photographs showing this as they showed places and things that and even people who are no longer there.
YES! It’s finally out!! It’s OFFICIAL!
Thank you to everyone who has supported me through this journey. This is a milestone and I hope to create many more books in the future.
If you’re interested, you can buy the book here:
BUY THE BOOK.
Here is the full Press Release:
September 24, 2020
Local Photographer Documents Chinatown Moments in Prints
New Photography Book Puts Vancouver Chinatown in a Time Capsule
Vancouver, BC -- Jonathan Desmond Wong, a local documentary photographer, has published his first photography book I Was Lured Into A Tea Shop. The photography book is the result of a 3-year project on capturing the unique essence of Vancouver’s Chinatown.
“The book encompasses photographs from 2013-2015,” Jonathan explains. “I had started the book with the intention of only taking photos for one year. But after looking through an early draft, I realized I had only scratched the surface of what had eventually become a much larger project.”
Jonathan is the eyes and soul of Jonathan Desmond Photography, who prides himself in his unique, documentary approach to building narratives through photographing everyday objects, genuine emotions and human interactions. I Was Lured Into A Tea Shop was inspired by a photowalk with another documentary photographer Daniel Milnor, where Jonathan decided to embark on a long-term photography book project to document his own heritage, the Chinese culture, through sights of Chinatown.
Readers will be drawn into photographs of the historic Chinatown that Jonathan has captured as an observer -- stores and buildings that are now up and gone; landmarks and attractions that have stood for decades; and stories and traditions that have been passed along for generations. As Chinatown continues to evolve and undergo changes, I Was Lured Into A Tea Shop is a time capsule that preserves the area’s recent past.
This photography book also took on a more significant meaning to Jonathan as he discovered a personal connection to Chinatown. Through his research, he learned that his grandfather had been a part of the Wongs' Benevolent Association, giving Jonathan some insight into his family history.
“Knowing that my grandfather was a part of the fabric of Chinatown’s history, it only made sense that I too joined the Wongs’ Association and be a part of its history,” Jonathan adds.
I Was Lured Into A Tea Shop is a 156-page photography book, available in hardcover and softcover. Majority of the photographs were captured on film then developed digitally. This project was previously featured in the “Journeying through Chinatowns” photography exhibit at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. Learn more or order a copy at www.jonathandesmond.com/chinatown-project1.
About Jonathan Desmond Photography
Jonathan Desmond Photography specializes in documentary style photography that captures the “moments” in every occasion and turns them into stories. Its principal, Jonathan Desmond Wong, has been in the industry since 2012 and prides himself in his unique approach to building narratives through photographing everyday situations, genuine emotions and human interactions, and more. A member of the Wongs' Benevolent Association, Jonathan was inspired to take on a journey to document Chinatown, to discover the history behind his own heritage. www.jonathandesmond.com
Media Contact:
Joyce Lam Kumquat Marketing
604 721 8929
kumquatmarketing@gmail.com
The COVID19 Staycation Guide - Chapter 4 - Maplewood Farm
Cows go moo, ducks go quack, peacocks go “???”. These are some of the things we learned as we took a trip to Maplewood Farms in North Vancouver.
Cows go moo, ducks go quack, peacocks go “???”. These are some of the things we learned as we took a trip to Maplewood Farms in North Vancouver.
Born out of the COVID19 Pandemic, this guide is here to serve as information of some places to consider going if you’ve binged all your Netflix, played all your games, baked all that sourdough bread and maybe just want to get out (or find things to do to stay in). As a family man myself and also a photographer who likes to explore, I found it difficult to find things to do to keep myself and my little one busy at home (there’s only so many times you can listen to "Baby Shark") so I thought that as I discover some of these experiences and places and shared them through my photography, it would help you generate some ideas to get out of the house and (following the proper social distancing and health protocols) get some fresh air.
You, of course, are responsible for taking the proper precautions and doing your part in social distancing and self-isolating if you aren’t feeling well. Always follow the BC Health Guidelines and do your part in keeping yourself and others safe. You can find the info here.
Maplewood Farms requires a reservation in advance to book a time slot and I believe you only get an hour. I’m guessing this is to control the amount of people going into the farm and thus allow for proper social distancing… which it did as there were only a few other families at the time that we went (a weekday morning).
Buckaw?
Ducks and people.
As it was early in the morning, we were greeted by ducks and chickens roaming around the entrance. My daughter, having been supremely fascinated by said ducks, was in awe of them and soon reached out her hands to try to hug them in the same way she hugs our cat. They of course did not reciprocate these same feelings and walked/waddled away.
My little one wanted to hug the ducks in the pond.
The Farm has a number of animals and, in contrast to the Safarmi that we did while in pandemic lockdown months earlier, we were allowed to roam around and see the animals from a distance (with a few exceptions). Social distancing was easy to do as it was all outdoors and there was enough space to be able to stay far enough away from people.
My daughter wanting to hug a duck while I showcase the fact that there are washroom facilities.
OK.
I’ve never seen a peacock this close. I think I was more excited than my little one.
This was so much better than Plizzanet Earth.
Oh hi there!
While not a humongous facility, it was still a large enough to facilitate a number of sights and sounds to fill your entire hour time slot. There was a range of ducks, horses, cows, chickens, goats… and peacocks as well (and a few other animals we probably missed). We later found that we were able to enter the enclosure where the goats were in but most other areas were closed off.
This horse was quite friendly and open to having his photo taken really up close.
For my little one, it was an amazing experience as this was one of her first close encounters with farm animals outside of the books that she had read. The word “WOW” kept popping out of her mouth. She was a bit apprehensive with the larger animals (the horses and the cows) but was generally comfortable with goats and smaller.
While we continue to navigate this COVID19 pandemic, I want to encourage you all to still stay safe and follow the safety protocols as set out by BC Health. It is my experience that (as of writing) you can go outside and still enjoy yourself while maintaining social distancing, wearing masks as applicable and not congregating in huge crowds. If things change, let’s follow the guidelines so we can get back to a new normal quicker. We can do this… together.
And if you can’t go outside, there’s a ton of shows on Netflix and Disney+ available!
The COVID19 Staycation Guide - Chapter 3 - Formosa Nursery Blueberry Farm
With Summer having arrived, it was the perfect time to make a trip to a fruit farm and pick some fruits as it was fruit harvesting season. Despite the heat, we had a lot more fun than we thought we would.
With Summer having arrived, it was the perfect time to make a trip to a fruit farm and pick some fruits… and in this case, we decided on blueberries. Despite the heat, we had a lot more fun in the bushes picking blueberries than we thought we would.
Born out of the COVID19 Pandemic, this guide is here to serve as information of some places to consider going if you’ve binged all your Netflix, played all your games, baked all that sourdough bread and maybe just want to get out (or find things to do to stay in). As a family man myself and also a photographer who likes to explore, I found it difficult to find things to do to keep myself and my little one busy at home (there’s only so many times you can listen to "Baby Shark") so I thought that as I discover some of these experiences and places and shared them through my photography, it would help you generate some ideas to get out of the house and (following the proper social distancing and health protocols) get some fresh air.
You, of course, are responsible for taking the proper precautions and doing your part in social distancing and self-isolating if you aren’t feeling well. Always follow the BC Health Guidelines and do your part in keeping yourself and others safe. You can find the info here.
Blueberry picking is very much a hands-on experience and takes you out of the comfort of staring at a computer screen checking on memes (not that I do that…often…). I felt myself shedding away all of the thoughts of technology and concrete and animated gifs and just found myself focusing on grabbing all the blueberries I could reach while navigating my hands and face through branches and leaves to get the most ripe ones.
The literal fruits of our labour…
Our day started early at around 10am and it was hot that day. At the time, we could only detect maybe one other family so we were not concerned about being in a large crowd although I can imagine this place would get busy on long weekends. Once we paid our fees, one of the staff took us out on an all-terrain golf cart to our assigned blueberry-picking lane and dropped us off. This was our little one’s first blueberry-picking outing and she really enjoyed the experience of learning how to pick a blueberry from a branch and putting it in a bucket (she’s just under 2 years old so this was all new and exciting). As with most kids though, after a while she got bored with the blueberries and started playing with the grass and the branches and the leaves and occasionally snuck a blueberry into her mouth.
Before they were blueberries, they were flowers? …. SCIENCE!
Pick…
… and inspect.
We came home with a sizeable box of blueberries and have since frozen them for future use (there was no way we were going to be able to eat a whole carton of blueberries between the 3 of us in a matter of days without due consequence). Having been stuck indoors for the past few months, it was nice to be able to enjoy the outdoors responsibly and socially distanced from others while grabbing a sweet delicacy that we could enjoy later.
We filled up one of these boxes with about an hour of picking.
The COVID19 Staycation Guide - Chapter 2 - Centennial Beach in Delta, BC
With BC starting to go into Phase 3 of COVID19 response, a lot more people are taking this time to get out of their houses/apartment-units and looking for places to go. With Summer having arrived, a lot of people are heading to the beach. Having been inside since March, that was definitely where we wanted to go. We wanted a beach that was far enough away to (possibly) get away from the busy beaches… so we found ourselves at Centennial Beach.
With BC starting to go into Phase 3 of COVID19 response, a lot more people are taking this time to get out of their houses/apartment-units and looking for places to go. With Summer having arrived, a lot of people are heading to the beach. Having been inside since March, that was definitely where we wanted to go. We wanted a beach that was far enough away to (possibly) get away from the busy beaches… so we found ourselves at Centennial Beach.
Born out of the COVID19 Pandemic, this guide is here to serve as information of some places to consider going if you’ve binged all your Netflix, played all your games, baked all that sourdough bread and maybe just want to get out (or find things to do to stay in). As a family man myself and also a photographer who likes to explore, I found it difficult to find things to do to keep myself and my little one busy at home (there’s only so many times you can listen to "Baby Shark") so I thought that as I discover some of these experiences and places and shared them through my photography, it would help you generate some ideas to get out of the house and (following the proper social distancing and health protocols) get some fresh air.
You, of course, are responsible for taking the proper precautions and doing your part in social distancing and self-isolating if you aren’t feeling well. Always follow the BC Health Guidelines and do your part in keeping yourself and others safe. You can find the info here.
With all that being said, if you’ve baked way too much sourdough bread and have stored up enough toilet paper to last a life time (grrr…) and want to take you and your child to someplace that will allow them to get outside with enough space to avoid getting close to others… the beach might be your best bet.
I guess we’re here.
The last time we drove to Delta was just prior to the Pandemic lockdown and we were on a “treasure hunt” to find some interesting and elusive goods at the Thrift Stores in Delta and Tsawwassen. It was a lot of fun and we were planning to go back again later on when things changed and we had to amend our plans. This was back in early March.
Come July, Summer had arrived and this brought the sun (most days…although in BC it still rains every now and then even in the Summer) and this prompted us to look at ways to get out of the house since we had been in lockdown since July. With restrictions lifting, we still wanted to play it safe but also allow our little one the experience of the beach. Kinetic Sand just wasn’t cutting it.
As we drove through Centennial Beach, I saw some of the Thrift Stores that we had shopped at a few months earlier. They were closed. It may have been partly due to it being a Sunday, or it may have possibly been due to COVID.
We made a point to get to the beach early so as to avoid the larger crowds. We arrived at approximately 10am or so and while it was busy, it wasn’t super crowded and we were able to find some well-socially-distanced space off to the left side of the beach.
Centennial Beach has a variety of amenities, including a bathroom (this is super important to me) and a concession stand which is open later on. There is a playground available as well and a blue walkway leading from the amenities pavilion to the beach.
From Centennial Beach, you’ll get a distant view of both White Rock, BC and possibly Blaine, WA (in the USA) on a clear day. The day for us was overcast but the sun peaked out occasionally.
It was nice to get out to the beach. We made sure to socially distance and wear masks if appropriate (if we could not maintain a 6ft distance or if we had to go indoors in enclosed spaces). For the most part, since we stayed away from people, we found ourselves to be OK.
Random fellow walking by.
I can’t recall why this area was roped off but we made sure not to step into it. May have been to protect a certain plant species growing in this area.
Ah, outdoors. It’s good to see you again.
Why, hello there little guy. How’s your day going?
The sun started to peak out just as we left. It started to get really busy just prior to noon so we were glad to have made our exit at that time.