Expressions .and. Photography

Historic and Picturesque Steveston

2010-10-26T01:25:00.000-07:00

Steveston, Richmond BC, Canada - "History is all over the place".

This is one hackneyed phrase locals would readily describe Steveston Village, in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. As a photographer, I would like to add the adjective "picturesque".

While Steveston is replete with a colorful past, it is also abundant in beauty in the present. I love to read about history. But I am not one who is highly steeped in academic history. What I know of Steveston's history is just as good as anyone else's. Nonetheless, I am always ready to engage anyone into a lengthy discourse as to how charming and scenic the place is.

Indeed, a photographers delight.

I do not live in Steveston --- I mean, the historic village itself. But I happened to stay for quite sometime in a strata complex in its environs. Literally it was a stone's throw away from where I stayed. How I wish I could live there until I grow old and ugly, but being historic and beautiful place making it my permanent address is not for me a feasible economic and financial option.

A "historic fishing village" they say. It was once touted as the salmon capital of world where the fish was harvested in hundreds of tons. Canneries lined up along its shores. In the 1800's up to the early 1900's, it was the hub of a commercially important fishing and canning industry in North America. It drew a motley and multi-cultural denizens consisting mostly of early European settlers, Japanese, Chinese and First Nation people.

Today, that multi-cultural demographic makeup is still very visible. Mind you, there is still a lot of fishing going on right now though as not as massive, understandably, as it was in the 1800s. You can still shop for fresh produce in the fishers' market. Here I took some images of the fresh wares from the sea other than the renowned salmon.

The Board Walks : As today and as they were in the 1800s they remain a
fixture in the Steveston historic landscape. In the past when these
solid planks of hard wood serve to facilitate the transport of tons of
salmon harvest and the commute of fish industry workers, now mostly
tourists use the planks in their leisurely stroll.

Yes, you can still buy fresh today. This big one was
aesthetically presented by its fisherman cum
trader hence I trained my camera on it for a shot.

As a dynamic community, Steveston continues to evolve through time. However, its residents have a way of keeping its colorful history intact and translating them into a scenic and exquisite present.

Photography gear used :

Camera bodies : Nikon D90; Nikon D5000

Lens: Sigma 18-200 mm zoom

Early Autumn Richmond BC 2010

2010-10-25T01:06:00.000-07:00

Steveston, Richmond BC, Canada (October 2010) --- "Too eager and too early"

This was the gist of the best advises friends and kins gave me when I decided to grab my Canon 50D early in October to shoot autumn's golden color. "Wait till mid-November", they quipped, "when Fall's full splendor shall fully unfold".

When I think of continuous drizzle day after day and sticky mud on my sneakers at the height of Fall, I decided to give it a shot while there are still two or three intermittent sunny days in a given week.

True to what was advised, autumn was still on its bud. But overall it was not a general let-down. Besides I was ready to hie off for a short, two-week trip back to Davao City in the Philippines and I couldn't wait.

How could more golden autumn colors be of use to me when the fields get soggy.

I must admit it was kind of haste. But to me it was an opportune time. Truly the haste just brought me in my immediate environs in Richmond. And where else but in nearby Steveston.

"I could do it again later if I couldn't get enough good images that would satisfy me", I reassured myself.

The result was not at all totally disappointing. Barely three hours of photo-walk yielded some rather passable results. However meager these are, may I share them with you.

Lens Used :

Canon EF 17-40 mm L

The Colors of Queen E Park in Summer

2010-10-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

Vancouver, Canada (Summer 2010) - My wanderings in Canada brought me again to Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver. I said "again" because it was third time to visit the place, and always during summer.

For what better time to hang out in Queen E but ideally in summer? But I still plan to revisit the place in Fall to see what images will I get when the leaves will display their bright and splendid autumn colors. At any rate, I can do that as Queen E is just a couple of minutes drive from where I live in Richmond, BC.

So this summer of 2010 when I got there again? - well it was not actually a planned visit but an alternative trip. Thing is - the original plan was to hang out in the beach in West Vancouver when one weekend the temperature rose to 29 degrees. But the beach was so crowded with people and cars. With literally no good place to park, the better option was to walk away.

Walking ( or say riding ) away from the crowded beach was a good opportunity to appreciate the colors of Queen E in summer. Here I took my time taking some images that interested me, rather in a very leisurely manner.

Literally, it was the proverbial "walk in the park". No pressures. I was not on any photo assignment. Nor did I compel myself to take stunning photos for a publication or anything. It was a casual have-fun stroll with my camera with me, firing away my Nikon D90 rather randomly.

Let me share the moment with these images. I could only post a few of the several images I took.

Living toys

2008-11-12T20:11:00.000-08:00

Photo Essay : Living Toys

Davao City, Philippines (12th November 2008) --- We love them; we take care of them - but it doesn't change the fact that our pets belong to our motley array of toys. The only difference is that these toys are beings with life on their own.

As living toys our pets give us a different sense of joy playing and taking care of them. We may be delighted with our latest version of our iPod or iPhone or our latest Canon or Nikon digital SLR. But our pets give us a different kind of meaning and happiness.

Unlike our electronic gadgets which we sometimes set aside in our storage bin if they run out of AA batteries, we can't do that with our pets.

Having those wiggly golden fishes in the acquarium meant you have to make occasional runs to the pet store to buy fish food. And of course, your naughty dog which punctually raps your bedroom door every morning at 6:00 am needs regular visit to the vets.

We make sacrifices for them. Maybe in their own world, they also make sacrifices for us. Man and pets tolerate each other, I suppose that's why they both live together in contentment with each other.

And even when they grow old and grumpy like human beings do, we continue to keep them. We don't discard them off for being old like our plasticky electronic toys. There are terms of endearment.

Photo Essay : Soggy All Saints Day

2008-11-09T23:05:00.000-08:00

Photo Essay : Soggy All Saints Day

Tagum City, Davao del Norte ( 1st November 2008) - It was a soggy All Saint's Day in Tagum City but it hasn't dampened a bit the enthusiasm of the towns- err(city) folks to visit the resting places of their departed loved ones.

The day started out bright. But past noon time, huge heavy dark clouds quickly loomed and soon unforgivingly spilled a heavy downpour. Strong winds and rain lashed at the makeshift tents people built around the graves of departed kins.

The motley crowd which trooped to the cemeteries and memorial parks scampered towards any semblance of shelter when the rain fell, like roaches in a dark basement stunned by the sudden flood of light.

Came high water, but the devout continued with their prayers to plead the cause of the departed from hell. Trivia abound even as ambulant pay-per-music gypsies offered, for a token, music comprised of incoherent beats from make-do drums resurrected from scrap materials
and gibberish lyrics.

The kids continued in their merry mood of trick-or-treat'en. Yeah, Halloween. The departed folks continue to lie still underneath the tombstones of their subterranean domain oblivious as to what the living do
to bring back memories of them while they were alive.

These all unfolded today on All Saint's Day this year. Next year will mostly be a repeat of what transpired.

Note : Images were taken at the Glorious Resurrection Memorial Park in Tagum City, Davao del Norte using Nikon D60 with Nikkor 18-55 mm VR DX lens and 55-200 mm VR DX.

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