Sunday, December 15th | Skatin (Skookumchuck), British Columbia

About a month ago I met with the three Chiefs of the Douglas, Skatin, and Samahquam First Nations (the In-SHUCK-ch Nation, collectively) near Mission, BC, to discuss the possibility of producing a documentary on their communities. The In-SHUCK-ch are in the late stages of negotiating a treaty with the provincial government that give them ownership of their traditional territories, stretching from Mission to Pemberton along the shores of Harrison Lake and the banks of the Lilooet River, as well as create improvements in housing and infrastructure in the Nation's many isolated communities. The intention is to visit the communities often, before and after the ratification of the treaty, to witness these improvements and document the changes made over time in the lives of the people. This weekend I made my first visit to the communties, bussing from Vancouver to Pemberton before being driven down the single-lane dirt logging road connecting the communities of the Lilooet River Valley with the Mount Currie Reserve. On Saturday morning I was invited to participate in a sweat lodge ceremony, a first for me and a great priviledge, and on Sunday I attended an Elders Gathering in the community of Skatin, where I was treated to an early Christmas dinner and the stories of Morgan Wells, told in Ucwaimícwts, the language of the Lilooet people. More to come soon.

Sunday, November 23rd | Victoria, British Columbia

Goldstream Park, it's the perfect place for young lover's walks and it's ok to be curious about where the salmon die it's ok it's ok to be alone it's ok to be alone and when i see that spinning heart think of all the blood that's shed over battles great and small when all the salmon want is to get upstream -Aidan Knight, Northern Salmon Keep it Real

Thursday, October 23rd | Vancouver, British Columbia

I usually try to spend part of my time at Whole Village volunteering on the farm, partly to offset the cost of my food and lodging, and partly because there's no better way to develop the photographer-subject relationship than by breaking your backs together carrying baskets of tomatoes through a field. This approach backfired a little last month, however, as I spent a good deal of time seperating blight-ridden potatoes from healthy ones. Any chance of a repeat of last year's drought was mercifully drowned by late summer rains, but nothing evaporates gratitude faster than pushing your thumb into the gooey centre of a seemingly normal potato.

Monday, October 20th | Vancouver, British Columbia

Just beginning to wade through film from my trip to Ontario to revisit Whole Village a few weeks ago. More coming soon.

Sunday, September 28th | Somewhere over the Prairies

I just landed in Toronto and am preparing to head to Whole Village to continue some work on Salt & Earth. Back on the West Coast on Monday, October 6th.

Thursday, September 25th | Off Bowen Island in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia

A swath of phosphorescence, agitated by the boat's twin propellers, trails behind the Mustang in the Strait of Georgia.

Saturday, September 20th | Vancouver, British Columbia

Looking through last weekend's photos on a rainy Saturday.

Friday, September 19th | Vancouver, British Columbia

Today I explored Kerrisdale with Dan Mangan, a charming man and an incredibly talented musician, and it was wonderful getting to know him, and my own neighborhood, better. He beat me soundly at foosball and thankfully did not partake of a $15 shave.

Sunday, September 18th | Vancouver, British Columbia

More work for Forestry Innovation Investment: Gluelam beams in the roof of the new Trout Lake Ice Arena.

Sunday, September 14th | Vancouver, British Columbia

Said The Whale on the banks of the English Bay.

Friday, September 5th | Vancouver, British Columbia

Some work for Forestry Innovation Investment, a government agency that supports the forest sector by documenting BC’s environmentally progressive forest management, promoting product development and fostering international markets. Above, wood detail of the Olympic expansion to the existing Vancouver Convention Center. The Center's green roof, below.

Sunday, August 31st | Vancouver, British Columbia

The Main Offenders.

Friday, August 29th | Vancouver, British Columbia

It’s a small world.  Today I had the opportunity to spend some time with Daniel Dixon, who’s boat, the Samsara, is the boat that began my obsession with boats a few years ago.  I first saw his 32’ Atkin Eric at Shelter Island Marina in Richmond while I was working for False Creek Tugboats, hoisted from the water and looking likely to be forgotten in the sad and dignified posture adopted by many boats at Shelter Island.  At the time she was owned by a friend of our mutual employer (although our paths never crossed, Daniel was also a deckhand with False Creek Tugs), and a year and a half later Daniel saved her from a watery grave on Bowen Island.  He bought her for next to nothing and for the last 6 months has been, as he puts it, “living off the grid in this sailing pirate life”.  We met up in False Creek, where he spends the maximum allowable time at anchor before literally going where the wind takes him, and I was fortunate enough to witness his flag-dousing ritual as he prepared Samsara for departure on Sunday. I was less than elated to learn that the Tau Gallery closed it's doors earlier this month, so I no longer have a Vancouver venue for an exhibition of 'Salt & Earth'. I shall renew my search for a gallery to show it, however, and will share any dates when I have them.

Tuesday, August 26th | Point Roberts, Washington

Low-level owl and summer rain.

Monday, August 25th | Vancouver, British Columbia

Tying up at the Ocean Cement plant near Granville Island in False Creek.

Wednesday, August 20th | Sechelt, British Columbia

Sorting lines while waiting on a load of gravel at the Sechelt loading bay. Below, a variation on an old standby.

Monday, August 18th | Lake Cowichan, British Columbia

Driving the logging roads through Carmanah Wahlbran Provincial Park, a long sought-after source of old-growth lumber on Vancouver Island (below)

Saturday, August 16th | Sooke, British Columbia

Darcy and Holly had their wedding ceremony on a beautiful beach in Becher Bay, near Sooke on Vancouver Island. It was too good an experience to avoid putting a few photos up here.

Friday, August 15th | Tsawwassen, British Columbia

Leaving for the weekend to do some work with the Bonnie & Clyde side project and spend some time with the family.

I've also been looking for an excuse to re-post these photos from Tsawwassen from last Christmas, and i think I've found it.

Tuesday, August 11th | Harrison Lake, British Columbia

Photos from a rainy weekend sojourn.

Friday, August 8th | Vancouver, British Columbia

Bryan on his houseboat, K'mon Iwanna Lei-ya, in False Creek. A former iron worker and a creek live-aboard for the past 11 years, he says his Worker's Compensation Board pension of $530 a month leaves him with no other realistic housing option than to live on the boat he has owned outright for almost two decades.

Sunday, July 20th | Vancouver, British Columbia

I had the opportunity to spend this evening with Vancouver graffiti artist sueme in a small yard near downtown Vancouver.

Thursday, July 17th | Vancouver, British Columbia

False Creek dragon boat team 'Eye of the Dragon' cruises past the new 2010 Winter Olympic Athlete's Village (above) during a Thursday evening practice. Earlier in the month, the city advised paddlers to avoid the Creek entirely, as malfunctioning sewers near several construction sites had led to a drastic increase in fecal coliform contamination in the Creek's East Basin (read more in the Vancouver Sun here). Eye of the Dragon, fifty percent of whose memebers are either blind or visually impaired, placed seventh in its division at this year's Alcan Dragon Boat Festival. My father, a member (below), rests after a heavy set.

Tuesday, July 15th | Off Gabriola Isand in the Strait of Georgia, British Columbia

Crossing the Georgia Strait South-West from Vancouver to Nanaimo, a distance of about 38 nautical miles, motoring against the wind, fretting about dwindling fuel and light.

Tuesday, July 4th | Vancouver, British Columbia

Delivering letters of introduction to the False Creek live-aboards (photo courtesy of Christine McAvoy). A few years ago there were twenty or thirty "squatter boats" in False Creek between Science World and the Granville Street Bridge, occupying at no cost space within site of waterfront condos and a handful of upscale downtown marinas, and conveniently out of the jurisdiction of both the Canadian Coast Guard and the Vancovuer Police. In the last year, presumably in preparation for the 2010 Olympics, the City of Vancouver has successfully changed the mooring restrictions in False Creek, effectively evicting the False Creek live-aboards while maintaining the facade of a free port. I am in the very early stages of a documentary on the few live-aboards that remain, as they attempt to, as one put it, "continue living off-the-grid in this sailing, pirate life."

Tuesday, July 4th | Sechelt, British Columbia

Sky over the depot on another Sechelt run. I've been working as a deckhand for False Creek Tugboats, Ltd., a company operating from the fish dock near Granville Island Public Market. The company delivers barges of aggregate from the quarry near the town of Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast to the Ocean Cement plant at the entrance to False Creek in Vancouver. By car, the trip takes about an hour and a half; by boat, with a loaded gravel barge, the trip is closer to 6 hours, depending on wind and tide. The depot's gravel loader takes the shape of some prehistoric reptile wading in the bay, spitting sand as its massive tail rattles through the Shishalh First Nation reserve and disappears over the hill.

Tuesday, July 1st | Vancouver, British Columbia

Canada day. Apologies for being MIA for a while. Last week I was in Toronto photographing a couple of weddings with a fun little side project Christine McAvoy and I have been doing together for a while, entitled Bonnie & Clyde Wedding Shooters, and having far too good a time with friends and family. Rest assured, I am now back on the West Coast, preparing to sink my teeth (and a couple of oars) into the first of a series of Vancouver projects. More on that to come. A few exhibition-related updates: I have a small solo exhibition of 'Salt & Earth' opening at Tau Gallery (590 W. Broadway, Vancouver) at the beginning of August, official date TBA, and there is a chance that the same body of work will be on display at Pikto Studios in Toronto's Distillery District early in the new year. Also, the Ryerson Gallery has just released its 2008/2009 exhibition schedule, and they have given me the slot coinciding with next year's Contact Photography Festival for my exhibition of Salt & Earth. More information when it comes my way.

Friday, May 16th| Sechelt, British Columbia

False Creek Tugboats waiting on Evco 2.

Sunday, May 11th | Toronto, Ontario

Just winding down after an exhausting and inspiring week at the Magnum Workshop. Not much more to say, other than it was an amazing experience, hitting the streets and listening to a photographer I greatly admire share a little of his philosophy and experience. The exhibition of student work from the masterclass runs until June 10th at the Contact Gallery, 80 Spadina Ave, Ste 310, and if you happen to check it out after May 15th, be sure to stop by the Ryerson Gallery across the hall to see Dominic Nahr's exhibition of work from the Gaza Strip, entitled 'When Brothers Fight'.

Saturday, May 3rd | Port Colborne, Ontario

McAvoys on the shores of Lake Erie.

 

 

 

 

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