A Brief Reflection on 2015 - Documentary Moments

January 02, 2016 in Weddings, Events

As a documentary photographer who photographs many weddings, I’ve had the opportunity to observe people through the emotional tides that arises from a wedding day and it’s such a privilege to be able to be with brides and grooms in this amazing time of their lives. From anticipation to the sense of relief of having completed the ceremony (without tripping or losing the ring!) to the sense of celebration and exuberance at the celebration in the end, a wedding day is full of moments that are easy to miss in the hustle and bustle of things but are there. I’ve always focused on getting those genuine moment and telling stories through them.

Hazelmere Golf Course - Keith and Jeanine Get Married

December 13, 2015 in Weddings

That morning, as I woke up, I noticed that the sun was out. This was amazing. It was November. In Canada... on the Pacific West Coast. Just days prior, when I went to check the wedding site, it was pouring rain. That weather was expected. The sun was not. But there it was, gleaming and shining in all it's glory!

However, it was really cold. Frost was still in the air and as I made my way down to Hazelmere Golf Course, where the wedding was taking place, I could see steam clouds rising from the ground as the sun melted the cold morning dew despite the chill temperatures. Regardless, the sun was great to have that day and made for a great day to an already beautiful wedding for Keith and Jeanine.

My Unique Cat

November 08, 2015 in Personal Work

I don't post a lot of photos of my cat as I figured that there's a bazillion other cat photographs on the internet. However, Hikari has a special place in our hearts as he's been quite a spunky yet affectionate cat. Originally abandoned on a farm, the CARES Cat Shelter in Langley found him and took him in. We were the lucky ones to be adopted by this very personable cat and he has since taken a big spot in our lives ... and our hearts :)

Hikari is part Manx (a tail-less cat breed) and part Domestic Short Hair.

Walter and Marcy - Seconding Wedding Assignment

October 11, 2015 in Weddings

Culture shock. That's the best way to describe it.

My day started at the Italian Center located on Slocan St and Grandview Hwy in Vancouver. This was actually my first time ever stepping into the Italian Center and it was quite an experience to be exposed to so much Italian culture in a short span of time. While photographing Walter with his groomsmen in the Italian cafe, there was ordering of pizza and cappuccinos, soccer (Italy vs... ???), a gelato freezer and an Italian flag hanging right in plain view.

A "Colourful" Journey

September 20, 2015 in Personal Work

While I've heavily been a black and white shooter for a while, there's been a slight tugging to colour. I truly enjoy the tones and the mood that black and white images have. It forces you to look beyond shades of red, green, blue and straight into the geometry and also straight to the people's expressions and actions in an image.

The truth is though, I enjoy colour too but... I think I'm really picky about it. It HAS to be right. It's so easy for us to just explode images with colour without thought or to get it wrong or inaccurate. Colours play an integral role in a photographic image and, believe it or not, also in black and white imagery.

Film for me gets colours right.

(And, with some tweaking, digital images with film presets).

Marco and Bianca - Seconding Wedding Assignment

September 12, 2015 in Weddings

I have a lot of fun when I get a chance to be a second shooter at a wedding. For this wedding, I was privileged to work with Kirill Bordon Photography to create amazing memories for this amazing couple. Kirill and I are both film shooters and both have a great enjoyment for the medium we use. Film is fun and we love the results that we get to give to our clients.

Chinatown Has Changed... And It's Only Been A Year

March 29, 2015 in CHINATOWN

I recently walked around Chinatown with a good Pentaxian friend of mine Jack Simpson. While I enjoy walking on my own at times, it's nice to have a friend along to talk to. I learned a bit about the old Chinatown days while we walked and explored together and it's really interesting to hear about the changes that have happened since the days of long ago.

Being There In Chinatown

February 27, 2015 in CHINATOWN

I've grown to like Chinatown. It has it's character, it's charm, it's personality. I try my best to document as much of it as I can every time I'm in the area. While Chinatown is still quite vibrant in some ways, in other ways it is still an old shell of it's former self. It is unfortunate to see the "For Lease" signs in various place and hoping this continuous project will bring light to this great little area in Vancouver that has much more history than I could ever imagine.

DowntownandChinaTown - August8and9, 2014-3.jpg

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DowntownandChinaTown - August8and9, 2014-8.jpg

DowntownandChinaTown - August8and9, 2014-9.jpg

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The images above were mostly taken during a Summer festival that occurred in Chinatown (over a weekend I believe). Other images were my documentary observations of Chinatown when I visited.

Below are a set of images that I had taken inside a little shop called "Chinese Art Crafts". One of the things I've mentioned in various blog posts about Chinatown is the friendships I've developed through these projects. The people at Chinese Art Crafts are some new friends of mine. Please say hi to them if you're in the area :)

Riverway Golf Course Burnaby Wedding - Holman and Monica

November 01, 2014 in Weddings

Life gets really busy. Sometimes I find myself getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life and forget to slow down and just enjoy moments. Blogging is one way I sit down, play some light music, have a tea/coffee and bear my thoughts and my images to the world... and slow down! I hope you'll enjoy this moment with me.

Holman and Monica first met with me at a local Starbucks to discuss with them about the details of their wedding. It was really cool to convey to them who I was as a photographer and what they were looking for in terms of photography. The terms "documentary" and "not posed" came up in our conversation and immediately I knew that this was a couple for which I was a good match.

Being able to document the event of two people coming together in holy matrimony is a privilege that I truly enjoy every time I get to do it. Amidst all the craziness that can sometimes be a wedding, it's really rewarding to see and realize that my photographs are documenting this slice of time in people's lives for future generations to see.

The day started at Monica's home, then over to Burnaby Pacific Grace Church for the ceremony. The reception took place at River Way Golfcourse in Burnaby.

As usual, I'll let the images do the talking.

One of the bridesmaids looks on as Monica has her makeup done.

Smiles sometimes happen in the split of a second. Any earlier or later and this image would've been gone.

One of my personal favorites from the set. Monica takes a moment to relax before the day continues onward.

The best man helps out one of the groomsmen.

A moment of prayer just before Holman and his groomsmen step onto the altar and await the arrival of the bride.

Some of Holman and Monica's friends brought the altar piece to the reception and set it up again in the grass area just outside of the venue!

Walking My Usual Route

July 11, 2014 in Personal Work

I spend quite a bit of time by Canada Place in Downtown. With the summer season here, the place is bustling with activity as cruise ships bring people into the city. This area is kind of a tourist hub where you can visit the Convention Center, visit Canada Place and jump onto a hop-on hop-off bus to explore the city.

It's also a place where people in the Downtown core can go to relax and take in the sea-breeze. If I don't have a camera with me, I'm usually relaxing and taking in the fresh air and will usually grab some lunch. With camera in-hand, I go into documentary mode ... sometime with lunch still in my other hand!