Category: newsletter

  • A Couple of Baddies and Ethics in Street Photography

    A Couple of Baddies and Ethics in Street Photography

    Daylight has returned to my evenings. I’m starting to get over the fear of pointing a camera in people’s faces, and as a result, I take every opportunity to chase the light for as long as I can, even if it isn’t very far. But only when it’s dry. I’ve lived in this town for over 20 years, and photowalks in the rain still don’t have much of an appeal. Whatever illusions I have about moving farther north, this body is not built for cold, damp temperatures.

    Someone asked whether I would share the photo of my neighbour, but I demurred. I remembered reading these guidelines on the use of appropriate images to represent Indigenous people a while back, and I always try to keep them in mind when I’m taking photos of the urban landscape. However, I feel absolutely no hesitation about taking photos of non-minorities in urban spaces, possibly because I think they’re fair game.

    I think I need to unpack this a bit…


    It’s March Madness, South Carolina’s going back to the semi-final, and KIM MULKEY LOST AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

    Last One Laughing UK is a show where UK comedians are placed in a Big Brother-style house with other comedians, but if they laugh at each other’s jokes, they’re penalized. Not only is the show hilarious, it’s an interesting case study in social niceties.

    I feel bad about recommending this what with it being on Jeff Bezos’ internet, so if you can find another source for this show, you should.

    Alison Moyet went to art school and got her degree at 63 and shut up already, universe.

    Counterpoint: List of art schools in Europe

    Luvinya is a local (Vancouver) artist who is appearing at the Cherry Blossom Festival’s Blooms After Dark event, but it’s too cold for me to be out and I’ll miss her performance. I like her R&B-inflected sound.


    Thanks for reading, and enjoy the photos!

  • A Slice of Light

    A Slice of Light

    The original idea was that I’d come up with an essay or two for your enjoyment, but I get the feeling that you’re not here for that, so I’ll spare you the prose and make with the purty pictures instead.

    I’ve been thinking about making it possible for you to order prints. It depends on whether I can be bothered to fight with WordPress further. I should just move to hosted Ghost or Squarespace and be done with it.

    (more…)

  • Longing for Summer

    Longing for Summer

    Can you really call it “the doldrums” when there’s solid proof that democracy is collapsing in the West and your home on Native land is caught in a trade war with a country ruled by a despot funded by a Nazi?

    Vancouver is due for a whopper of an atmospheric river this weekend. While I am emotionally well-suited for late winter’s cold and damp, physically my body longs for summer.

    I’ve been thinking a lot about my creative pursuits and how I can appear unfocused. Occasionally, I feel bad about that, usually when I’m trying to figure out how to fund my latest obsession — an unrealistic prospect when I’m living on tuna and jasmine rice for dinner. I dream of travelling the world and documenting everything I see, not because I have ideas about being a great photographer, but because I think we’re living in a politically precarious moment, and I feel an obligation to sharpen my skills.

    You ain’t got to get ready if you stay ready.

    ——–
    Other things I’ve recently enjoyed:

    This is so satisfying!

    Dan Levy on creativity when the world is a garbage fire

    Tatiana Hopper’s YouTube channel has some of the best film analysis I’ve ever encountered, and her breakdown of the production of The Brutalist is yet another winner.

    Lights, Camera, Accelerate Action – MPB gathered a group of women photographers in honour of International Women’s Day to discuss access, representation, equity, and equality in the photography industry.