Spring in Shawnigan Lake

Posted on 11th April 2017 in explored, nature, wandering

Shawnigan Lake is where I’ve been calling home for a while now. It’s a beautiful community along the Victoria Watershed, just north of the Malahat and Victoria, on Vancouver Island, in beautiful British Columbia.

Being an outdoors man, naturally I’ve taken to wandering with my camera in hand. Every month I get a collection of wander-clickings I’ve captured, and if you follow any of my social medias, you’ve maybe seen some of these images pop up at times. You know, when the mood hits.

Ever since I was first exploring these lands with my parents on summer vacations of y’or, I have always been incredibly fascinated with these old growth forests. They are unlike any other I’ve experienced, which isn’t to say they are better, but just that they have a special place in my heart that started when I was young. The giant roots crossing single-track trials covered in cedar branches and fir needles, with oregon grape and salal flanking as I meander up and down valleys. Oh, the depths of canyons found within trunks of a thousand year old fir trees.

This is what I’ve come upon.

tech specs // Sony a7 / Super Takumar 55mm f1.8 / Jupiter 11A 135mm f4 / Super Takumar 28mm

Shawnigan Lake - Ned Tobin Click here to read more.. »

Night Signs | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Posted on 6th December 2015 in adventure, architecture, explored, wandering

Lately I’ve been taking to wandering the streets of Vancouver at night. Part because I’m working pretty hard during the day, and partly because that’s when I find the walk most calming to my mind.

Old signs, new signs, not signs at all. I enjoy capturing landmarks of the Vancouver lower East Side as much as I enjoy capturing the people that walk the streets. Perhaps it’s also a little bit less invasive, and I’m just out to flow.

This particular series of photographs were all taken in one night’s walk: Strathcona, East Side, Gastown, Downtown, Yaletown, and back through Chinatown.

One thing I particularly enjoy about signs is the way that they glow, casting their light upon the surrounding darkness.

I am really quite undecided how I feel about the art of the Sign. When one is in an older city, there are usually a lot less neon signs that were so popularized by the mid 20th century. Then to a Westernized city like, let’s say Vancouver, a city block without a sign feels weird and lonely. On one hand, I really appreciate a great sign that makes sense and was clearly a colossal undertaking. But on the other hand, does this form of advertising need to exist? If you don’t know where you’re going, do you need to be bombarded with this madness?

How do you like the Sign?

Please Dismount Bicycle, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Please Dismount Bicycle, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

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A Plethora of Vancouver Urban Architecture

Posted on 3rd December 2015 in architecture, explored, wandering

Over the years I’ve gathered quite a large collection of photographs of Vancouver architecture. I’ve actually been having the recurring feeling that I take a lot of photographs as I look through my archives.

Vancouver is a fairly new city, compared to some of the other ancients found in most of the rest of the world. As a result, the buildings of Vancouver are an eclectic mix of various architectural building material and styles. Some built in the old European way, others built in modern glass and iron. At first glance, it could be a bit confusing. Once you start to know the neighborhoods though, you start to understand which ones are older. For example, Gastown is a very old district of Vancouver, but the neighboring Yaletown is a much newer part of town that mostly skyrocketed (literally) as a result of Expo ’86.

As one walks and looks closer, you can start to pick out heritage societies bright blue plaques that designate heritage buildings with a little bit more history about each building. Maybe stop next time and read what it says?

False Creek Vancouver

False Creek Vancouver

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Tofino, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Posted on 6th October 2015 in adventure, explored, nature, photojournalism, wandering

My brother is a nomad. He has a camper van and he likes to spend most of his time on dirt roads harvesting anything from mushrooms to blueberries. When he’s not tree planting that is.

I’m lucky enough to have him to call up when he’s off work and suggest journeys. He’s usually game without much of a fight, though sometimes I need to lure him with some kind of harvest or natural wonder.

This time we went to Ucluelet and Tofino, nestled deep within the great Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. We only actually went into Tofino once though, most of the time we’d spend in Ucluelet if we were anywhere near a city.

The day we arrived on the West side of Vancouver Island it was pouring rain, and also the final day of tourist season. That night the shorelines erupted with fireworks from the tourist hosts celebrating another season in the sun finished. We didn’t quite realize this was the case, which made finding accommodations rather interesting for us, as the campgrounds were closed. Queue camper van.

We’d spend our mornings trying to decide which beach we would go to, and spent most of our days huddling inside of driftwood barriers and huts some of the locals no doubt built as they waited for the surf to break. For my brother, this was pure bliss. Not a care in the world besides the suspense the author of his book decided to build. I, on the other hand, would find myself wandering as if conducting a science experiment.

Naturally, as I wandered I had my camera.

Ned Tobin - West Coast Tofino Ucluelet - PNW Click here to read more.. »

Wandering Vancouver in Autumn

Posted on 3rd October 2015 in architecture, explored, wandering

Lately I’ve been taking to the streets of Vancouver with my camera to photograph anything that I see. This is part my effort to begin studying what it means to be a documenter, and part my effort to learn the new camera I am using, the Sony Alpha7. It’s truly a remarkable camera and I have plans to do a full review of the camera shortly.

Vancouver is a city that I find incredibly beautiful, depending on the day. Some days, golden light shines through semi-tall buildings filled with multi-cultural citizens who spill out into the streets to enjoy the green city, some of them walking or cycling about their business.

Today was one of those days where the city is simply golden.

My path? I walked from Chinatown, to Gastown, to Granville St and Robson Street, back East through Yaletown, across the viaduct between Rogers Arena and BC Place Stadium, and back through Chinatown.

This is the architecture, graffiti and other nonsense I found along the way. Street Photography post can be found here.

Ned Tobin Vancouver Click here to read more.. »