Category Archives: Photo Walks

January 3, 2013

January Light Hunting

In the city I live in, the words grey and winter are generally intertwined.

So when a day like today happens, when morning fog covers the city but then shifts to wide open blue skies, it is something to be savoured.

I had to get out for a wander even though with Soulful Gathering starting on Monday and another super secret (and very exciting) project due soon, I probably should have been attached to my computer all day. I figured I needed to practice what I preach in my photography and video classes and step away from the computer. To just make space for some exploring. To fill up my creative well.

I wandered down to one of my favourite places to shoot nearby, a big factory turned art studio with gorgeous grafitti. Near the building is a beautiful community garden too so going on a photo walk down there gives me a perfect combination of urban and natural beauty to find. It did exactly what I hoped and I came home with a filled up memory card and my creative well filled up too.

Here are a few bits of todays light hunting and beauty seeking:

November 18, 2012

Culture Crawling

I had such a lovely weekend adventuring out in the rain to see lots of art studios as part of the Eastside Culture Crawl. It is a pretty incredible event where 400+ artists open up their studios for folks to come visit.

A piano concert, pottery, puppet shows, bluegrass, photography, installations and on and on. Every kind of art you could imagine.

It was especially lovely to get to see the spaces where people create. Paint splatters on the floor, works in progress, drawers of their supplies, the smell of woodworking studios (love that).

Its also a pretty incredible opportunity to chat with folks about art and I love the ‘open door’ energy of it. Both as a participant in it last year and someone exploring it this year, I had some really amazing chats with people about art and photography. Something I experienced last year was that almost everyone who came over to see my work had their own creative story to tell. Everyone had something creative in their life that drew them to this studio tour be it knitting, painting or a love of their iphone camera. Everyone was an artist (whether they showed their work or called themselves one). It was a beautiful chance to hear people’s stories of creativity.

Usually I find these kinds of events wildly overhwelming as there are crowds of people, but I’m so thrilled this year to have gone ‘crawling’ each of the 3 days of the event and seem to have found a way to experience it that was energizing rather than draining. It was a mighty social weekend too as I went ‘crawling’ with different friends each day. So good!

Plus, I got to try out my new ‘brelli. I’ve been coveting one of these umbrellas for 4 years now but oh my…they are an investment. So when I came across a super good deal on one during my last trip to Portland I absolutely squealed with joy to finally have one in my hands. Its beautiful to see the trees above through my umbrella and it makes an almost drum like sound when really big rain drops fall on it. Art exploring and a purdy new umbrella are definitely helping me get through the grey this November!

November 6, 2012

Comfort Zones

There is a small path behind my house running the length of my block.

Mostly it houses peoples compost bins and overgrown plants spill from backyards into the alley.

Where I used to live there was a ravine a block away and old unused train tracks across the street. I loved the natural space I could so easily wander through and take photos, without going far from home.

Since I moved here over a year ago, I’ve been really missing that natural space but as I go on more and more photowalks, I’m realizing that maybe I don’t need a 3 block ravine and a kilometer of abandoned train tracks. Maybe a tiny overgrown alley way is something special too.

For this months She is Three prompt (which gets posted on the 7th) I really wanted to shoot in front of a mural in my neighbourhood that I’ve never done a selfie in front of before. Mainly because it is at a corner that has oh so much foot traffic. That something I love about the area I live in, but sometimes it makes taking self-portraits be an experience that pushes me outside my comfort zone.

My comfort zone is definitely in nature, even if it is only a tiny alley way of overgrown goodness.

Are there places that you’d like to shoot that are totally outside your comfort zone, but that you’d love to shoot at someday when the time is right (or you feel like challenging yourself).

Are there places that feel like your comfort zone? Maybe inside your house or in your yard? Or maybe for some of you, your comfort zone is actually around a lot of people.

Just something I’m pondering today and if you’d like to share what locations are in and out of your photographic comfort zone, I’d love to hear!

Here’s a few shots from yesterdays photo walk, on a rare non-rainy day (the self-portraits were all taken in that little alley, my happy place)!

October 14, 2012

Rainy Day Photography

This week, our blissful extended summer shifted to the usual fall Vancouver weather.

One of my favourite parts of the rainy season and one of my big ways to get through the grey is to focus on what the rain does bring that is fabulous for photos, primarily those little water droplets. When I notice pauses in the rain happen, I head out for a quick stroll around the neighbourhood and see what droplet photos I can gather.

What I love about seeking water droplets is that it invites you to go even deeper into the art of noticing. An entire plant will be covered in water droplets and you get to focus in on which ones draw you in. It makes you look even closer.

Here are some glimpses of what I found in todays rainy pause:

October 4, 2012

Bike Ride Self-Care

Two wheels, one black bike, a pathway lined with dozens of hearts.

I knew it would be some good self-care to get out on my bike yesterday, but the heart lined pathway was a sweet surprise. Sometimes just getting out to the forest is exactly what I need. Today was one of those for sure. I ended up taking photos for 3 different projects and came back feeling more rejuvenated and inspired than I’ve felt in a long long while.

Oh, bike ride self-care. I need to remember to manifest you more often!

Here are some shots (and a silly out take) from yesterdays bike ride photo adventure.