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:
The Chinatown Parade... LAST year (2018)
I’ve started to make it a habit to post up these Chinatown Parade photos a year later… whoops! Life does get busy and now even more so with my daughter’s arrival. However, this has allowed for a strange benefit: After having faced a Chinatown Parade in the freezing cold and then in a blizzard (literally moments ago… and the snow is still falling as I type), I now look back at the photos from last year’s parade and am able to enjoy them more after having let them sit and marinate for a year rather than if I had simply posted them straight away. There’s something about the passage of time that really matures a documentary photograph.
I’ve started to make it a habit to post up these Chinatown Parade photos a year later… whoops! Life does get busy and now even more so with my daughter’s arrival. However, this has allowed for a strange benefit: After having faced a Chinatown Parade in the freezing cold and then in a blizzard (literally moments ago… and the snow is still falling as I type), I now look back at the photos from last year’s parade and am able to enjoy them more after having let them sit and marinate for a year rather than if I had simply posted them straight away. There’s something about the passage of time that really matures a documentary photograph.
Also, after feeling the light singe of firecracker during the parade last year, I came back this year with a mouth cover and it somewhat helped in breathing in less of those firecracker fumes but golly…. stay away from those things!
Full Gallery below:
Getting Deeper Into the Chinatown Project
Since 2013, I've been continually photographing Chinatown and as the years went on, I found myself meeting people and getting more involved. Eventually, I ended up joining the Wong Association and well... here I am.
Since 2013, I've been continually photographing Chinatown and as the years went on, I found myself meeting people and getting more involved. Eventually, I ended up joining the Wong Association and well... here I am. This project ended up becoming much more bigger than I ever thought it would be. I find that this 5+ year journey has me now intertwined in the conversation of Vancouver's Chinatown.
The Hon Hsing is the "sports" arm of the Wong Association.
Thanks to my time here, I've now been afforded the opportunity to do documentary work that is beyond the usual street photography stuff. Being in and a part of this community has given me opportunities to document and get to know people and feel the true vibrant spirit of Chinatown that is not readily apparent from the streets. I've visited various Associations, experienced the battle over Chinatown's heritage and future and have made many friends along the way. It has truly been a blessing and I do hope one day that these photos will serve to remind future what was and inspire what could be.
Old and Young.
I am currently working on a book representing the first 3 years of my project and will later on make a second book to cover the next 2-3 years after. My Chinatown photos are strewn in various places on the web such as over two blogs and on various Facebook and Instagram posts (@jonathan_desmond_journal), so having a book will bring all my images together into one final item that I can show to future generations.
Below is a brief gallery of photographs I took while I attended the Wong Association banquet:
Yaletown Roundhouse Wedding - Ana and Matt
This wedding involved nerf guns. Yup.
Right after the first look and a few formal photographs, the bride and groom pulled out some nerf guns and started pelting each other and the groomsmen and bridesmaids with soft and harmless foam projectiles (yet another hazard wedding photographers have to watch out for on a wedding day. Hah! I kid!.... It's green goop and shaving cream).
All images taken while on seconding assignment for Jody Wiger Photography.
Yes, Nerf guns.
Note: All images taken while on seconding assignment for Jody Wiger Photography.
This wedding involved nerf guns. Yup.
Right after the first look and a few formal photographs, the bride and groom pulled out some nerf guns and started pelting each other and the groomsmen and bridesmaids with soft and harmless foam projectiles (yet another hazard wedding photographers have to watch out for on a wedding day. Hah! I kid!.... It's green goop and shaving cream).
Ana and Matt had an amazing wedding at the Yaletown Roundhouse Community Center surrounded by loving parents, friends and family. But let's step back for a moment to when I walked into the apartment where Matt and his groomsmen were getting ready. As Matt's Mom put the suit jacket onto her's son's shoulders, I could see a twinge of emotion. My hope, as a documentary photographer, is that moments and times like these are captured for the bride and groom and future generations to remember. I didn't tell them to do this and I definitely did not dictate the emotion or tell them to "smile" or "hey, do it this way"... it just all started to come together on it's own. In this way, it was truly an honest moment. In between the smiling at the camera and in between the hustle and bustle of the day, there are these small precious and honest moments that sometimes draw a tear to my own eye as I experience them while being a wedding photographer.
Thanks to Jody Nay Photography for the privilege to second shoot and experience this wedding.
