Month: May 2018

A lot of sunsets!

Sunset Beach from Burrard Bridge, at that most magical time of day. Don’t really remember what I was doing there on a Monday night… but oh well, there it is.

Tuesday was the first night of VGVA grass league at Creekside Park. I’m not in that league, but was asked to sub. So I ambled on down the Seawall, taking a few shots of Science World as I got near. I remember trying to do this from Cambie Bridge and it went nowhere. No worries, I was just too far away. Science World is really pretty, all that spherical silver grid that turns gold in the setting sun.

(My first title for this post was “Silver and gold”, until I remembered that was a Pokémon game. So, pass.)

Wednesday, first night of grass league at David Lam Park, which I’ve sorely missed. All through my games, I was looking around, anxious not to miss all these gorgeous sunset shots. But I got enough: sunlight off the towers (around 8:35PM), some pretty golden clouds (also 8:35), and some pretty orange clouds (8:50PM. I think it was in the middle of our last match, in the break between sets).

Not quite a sunset shot, just Granville Street as I came home from work. It was just another perspective-y street photo that was all the rage last fall, until I noticed the sun was low enough that the west side was all in shadow, and the east side was brightly lit. I can’t say I planned this effect, but it looks hella nice.

And we end the week with a couple of architecture shots… which, in hindsight I’m kind of meh about. It’s a nice contrast between the hard corners of 737 Dunsmuir and the curves of 1050 Smithe, but I dunno. I don’t feel like there’s a story here.

Plus, it kind of breaks the sunset streak I had going. Is that something I want to do, have themes? Ehhh… maybe? Nah, themes aren’t what I need. They can’t all be great winners.

Sometime I want to push out, wander far, take in brand new sights. Sometimes I have all I need right here. So this half week is 80% me walking around, snapping pics of the West End!

On the way to Storm Crow for Wednesday quiz night, I said to myself, what could shake up the routine of taking amazing shots of False Creek, Kits and / or Granville Island? How about a shot pointing down at the waterfront? Yeah, that’ll do it. I didn’t dare point it straight down, because I was terrified of dropping my phone. As it was, it still kicked up my acrophobia a bit.

Thursday: dinner with a friend, then groceries, stopping at the Jim Deva Plaza. I started by taking pics of some pigeons wandering around, but they didn’t turn out to be so interesting. So I just sat for a second, looked over at Davie Street, and… there it was. The busy street, this little rainbow oasis, and the last light of the day.

And again. Nice way to end the week, I think! Is it lazy? Is it easy? Maybe, but who cares? I could fill a whole calendar year just with photos of Davie Village.

And a sunset from near the Inukshuk on Sunday. Out of several shots I took on that walk, I chose the meta one. And on a day like that, at that time, photographers have to duck around each other and apologise every 30 seconds because everybody wants to capture that sweet, sweet sunset.

It’s been a while since I took a picture of food, right? Actually I just checked, and it’s been less than two months, going back to our Easter tea crawl. Anyway, here’s some sushi, at the place where we usually eat after Taichi class. Never had this kind before, it’s yummy!

This is a hell of a milestone. On January 1st, 2017, I started my photo-a-day challenge. And 500 days later, here I am. If someone had told me I could take at least one photo a day for 500 days, without missing a single day, I probably would have laughed in their face.

I wanted something really special to mark this milestone. But special is in the eye of the beholder, and fuck it, this is special enough: a sunset over English Bay, taken after a spot of beach volleyball, and captioned with lines from one of my favourite songs from one of my favourite shows. No reason why, I just felt like it.

After weeks of on and off rain and grey and blah, the sun came out and stayed. Not all the last month, but most of it. And I enjoyed the hell out of it.

I took a walk through the West End, something I hadn’t done in a while.

I walked up Georgia St as far as Denman. I was kinda thinking I’d walk around Stanley Park to shoot Skalsh (formerly known as Siwash Rock) at sunset. That didn’t happen, because I forgot it’s halfway around the park and I was just not up to walking for a couple of hours. I did capture some nice public art.

(Then back to rain on Friday. Meh)

But then back to sun on Sunday!

And more public art!

The clouds came back for a bit, reflecting my mood about VGVA’s indoor season ending… but hey, this is not really an ending, but a beginning!

Oh, and a few night shots too. On the way back from Quiz Night I got Venus over Kits and Granville Island. Pretty sure my old phone couldn’t have managed that!

Saturday May 5 I finally got around to Skalsh, by way of Second Beach and Third Beach. It was a lovely evening, and I even got to see a heron. And yes, I walked back the way I came. I did consider doing a full circuit around Stanley Park, but it was getting dark, I was tired, and that was just a big nope.

Sunday, the VGVA AGM. I kind of did consider running again—not for webmaster since that’s still taken and the new guy is doing a fine job—but maybe for secretary or member-at-large. Don’t want to be a division director, that’s way too far out of my comfort zone. But in the end I decided against it. Though I miss being part of the action, I don’t miss it enough to run against people who want it more than me. Plus I’d have to make a speech and everything, ugh.

It’s funny how some photos that I don’t think too highly of when I take them, end up being really popular. Case it point, this fountain at Canada Place. It was just one of several things I shot at lunchtime, but somehow it struck a chord. Looking at it again, I can see why. The sprays and droplets are full of lovely detail that I just didn’t notice when I took it. Just goes to show.

Last Wednesday was gaymes night at the Storm Crow on Commercial. Instead of taking the SkyTrain I thought, fuck it, I’ll walk! Google Maps says it’s 55 minutes, totally doable. It was a lovely and warm day, and I saw some nice sights. Strathcona is gorgeous, and I learned some history.

I remember taking this exact same shot many years ago, after (I think) a Pride parade and on my way back to the burbs. It’s a call-back to a not very happy time in my life, but I adore this shot. The composition is perfect, the light is perfect (overcast, but with a hint of morning gold). So, let’s call it redeeming a memory, shall we?

Last Saturday was busy busy. My usual Taichi class, then zooming to Abbotsford for a friend’s birthday celebration at the Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery in Abbotsford. There I learned all about BC fish, how to fish, and we got to try it outselves (with barbless hooks, purely catch-and-release). I didn’t catch anything, and honestly part of me’s relieved about that. I was a little squeamish at the thought of holding a struggling fish and pulling the hook out of their mouth.

Later that night was Mr Spiked, VGVA’s end of year beauty pageant fundraiser where a bunch of hot guys strip down to their underwear and prance around for our pleasure. They also put on formalwear and answer penetrating questions like “Which of your fellow contestants would you fuck, marry or kill?” And sorry, the underwear / swimwear photos are not going on Instagram.

Sunday I went with a friend to Horseshoe Bay. Not to take a ferry, but to photograph them. He’s writing and self-publishing a novel that takes place partly on a ferry (and partly right in Horseshoe Bay, I think), and we scoped out a few possible covers for his book. That’s the first time anybody’s asked me that, and I was deeply flattered. And happy to help, too. Artistic collaboration FTW!

Monday, a few coworkers and I picked up garbage around Habitat Island as part of Gossamer Threads’ eco-challenge month. I jumped at the call when they asked for volunteers—I want to help make the world a better place, and it was nice to hang out with these folks outside of work.

And all of this leads me to…