Travel Scenes: Vancouver /  by Christina Varvis

I went to Vancity for the first time in 2015 and took some ~snaps~ that I haven't shared until today. enjoy! 

Although it isn't the first Canadian city I have visited, Vancouver is the first one I took time to explore. During the ten days I was there with my sister, we covered a decent amount of ground, with walks from Yaletown to Gastown, and drives around Kitsilano and Granville. We even drove out to White Rock one afternoon, where we took in all the retirement vibes. This is also where I surprisingly happened to take most of my photos. Once I saw the quaint town overlooking the quiet ocean, it reminded me of my mom's village in Greece and how much I had missed it. I couldn't help but click away at my camera, especially as we walked down the pier, surrounded by people relaxing and enjoying themselves. Although White Rock is classified as a city and houses one of the largest populations in BC, it certainly doesn't feel like it. Granted, I only saw a very small stretch of it, so I'm sure other parts better reflect those facts.

About the neighborhoods within Vancouver, I absolutely loved exploring their distinct style and flavor, and observing the lifestyle of the residents. I don't think I could pick a favorite, but I know that if I could choose one to explore further, it would have to be the Downtown Eastside. It is one of Vancouver's historic neighborhoods that has been battling issues of crime, drugs, and poverty for years, while experiencing intense gentrification. I think it would be so valuable to document the stories found within its physical and human environment.

Back to the highlights of our activities, my sister and I decided to try out our outdoorsy side by treading across the Capilano Suspension Bridge and venturing to the top of Grouse Mountain, where we sat suspended over some seriously stunning views. Both sites were awesome to see and worth experiencing for any Vancouver newcomer. Naturally, the Vancouver Aquarium was on our itinerary as well, which was easily one of our favourite activities. As for the rest of our time, we spent it eating food, coffee shop hunting, doggo petting, and eating more food. Basically, we did all our usual habits, but in a much better climate and with an ocean view.

I have been to Vancouver twice more since, but the photos from this specific trip bring back more memories, especially because it was the first trip I spent with my sister where it was just the two of us, making it one for the books or blog in this case!

10/10 WOULD RECOMMEND
 

  • Earnest Ice Cream for ice cream! Check out their regular and rotating flavours on their website. You will want them all, trust me. They have classic flavours and unique ones like Peach Bourbon, Turkish Coffee, and Rhubarb Oat Crumble! They even have a vegan selection. My order: Lemon Poppy Seed and London Fog.
     
  • Yolks for Eggs Benedict sandwiches! These may seem really simple, but their value and taste comes from the quality of their ingredients, right down to the toasted English muffin. My order: Single Egg Double Smoked Bacon with Fresh Arugula.
     
  • Tacofino for tacos! I love this place so much, I even have their t-shirt, which I now only wear during special casual occasions, so it doesn't get too worn from the wash. My order: Fish Taco.
     
  • JJ Bean Coffee Roasters for lattes and muffins! This was a tough pick, because Vancouver has a strong coffee scene, but the one that always gives me withdrawals is JJ. My order: Vanilla Latte and Blueberry Lemon Muffin.

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
 

Super long story short: my laptop crashed that same year, and I actually lost these photos, along with thousands and thousands of others. (Don't ask for the details, please! I'm still recovering; no pun intended. Thank goodness for my terrible memory, because I'm starting to remember less and less of it all.) The photos that I shared here are all that I have now from this trip. I luckily retrieved them from a past blog of mine that I never published, and they are now backed up on - not just one drive - but three. Yay for learning from really stupid mistakes, with thanks to my Digital Asset Management class for teaching me how to be and do better!

Developing the Grain /  by Christina Varvis

Sharing my first time working with film; (If you thought this post was going to be about bread, I'm so sorry.)

In my first year of the Photographic Technology program, I had a course called Basic Camera Functions and Operations, where my instructor, Akemi Matsubuchi, taught the class how to shoot and develop our very own roll of film. I was really looking forward to this, because one of my clearest memories from growing up is my dad showing me all his old photos, negatives, and slides that he had taken when he was growing up.  I always wondered how he took them, but at that time, I didn't have enough interest to sit down and learn, probably because I was distracted by other things like Sailor Moon, Hello Kitty, and Cardcaptors. (Oh yes, baby.) And so, when this unit in the course rolled around, I was ready.

Each student was lent a film camera to use for a whole month, and we could take photos of whatever we liked. Then, once our roll was filled, we spent a class learning how to develop it in NAIT's dark room. Both the shooting and the developing was challenging for me, because I wasn't comfortable with determining the correct exposure of a scene without the help of a meter, and I still struggle with it today. To help me with the images I took above, I first metered the scene with my digital camera, and then took the photo with the film, just so that I could guarantee some decent-looking shots. With some, I did capture them without that process, and I'm sure you can tell which ones those are. Aside from the metering obstacle, I really enjoyed using the film camera. I loved the feel of it in my hands - it was light, compact, and it looked great, too. (I have to say, it bumped my outfits up a good couple notches.) Plus, its size, combined with the lens, was perfect for going on long walks and capturing street photos. 

Now about the developing process, that was a whole other challenge! I don't even remember anything of what I did, even though I followed a step-by-step guide and some things I did in the dark and involved chemistry, and ahhhhh it's all a blur now. What I do remember is that I had fun, and once I held my strip of film against the light, I knew the effort was worth it. However, I don't think I can shoot or work with film regularly on my own, even if I did become comfortable with the process. From what I hear, it's pricey, and as someone who is a low-key perfectionist who tends to overshoot everything, I don't think it makes sense for me at this point in my work.

Still, I love the idea of keeping it as a hobby on the side, especially since I now have my own film camera and friends who occasionally shoot with theirs, so I'm sure this won't be the last roll that you'll see from me!