FAUXHAWK?!

August 16th was our photo trip to Whistler! We spent a good two hours or so driving up there and getting frustrated with Tomtom (the GPS) and finally stopped at Rainbow Park/Alta Lake before Whistler. It was gorgeous! Too bad it takes so long to get there otherwise it would be a gorgeous summer hang out location. After shooting there for a bit and creeping little kids, we kept heading to Whistler. When we got there, we spent forever figuring out where the bike event was and finding parking space. Eventually we got it worked out and finally started looking around Whistler. There wasn't much to shoot of the bikers unless you have a telephoto and a huge love of shooting the sport. Neither of which I have. We walked around the village, going to Starbucks for Jeff, going to the Olympics store like tourists, and then we came to this nice, quiet creek. We shot around there and then found this really nice clearing/park so sit around in until dinner time. We played around with each other's lenses (I basically hogged Wilson's pretty 50mm like it was my own baby) and cameras and had lots of laughs. Everything from Jeff's surprise abs & treasure patch to the best picture of Wilson going "IT'S LIKE FAUXHAWK?!" after he saw it. This little place where we just hung out was one of the best parts of the trip, rather than Whistler itself. Then we went to Earl's for dinner. And started to head back to Vancouver.

Best car ride ever - the drive back. Backseat dance party to the most epic playlist?! Hell yes. I had the most laughs there and the best time when we got tired of rocking out and just chilled with slow songs. That quote where that person felt infinite at that moment. That's how I felt. We got back to Vancouver by the time it got dark and we decided to go up to British Properties to shoot the view of the city. Sooooo dark, sooo scary, but sooooo nice. It's funny how rich people don't need streetlights. We spent a long time driving up those winding roads and getting lost but when we finally found it, it was an incredible view. And the houses are insanely ridiculous. They're gigantic. What the hell. I need to see that place during the day.

















Overall, the Whistler trip wasn't the once with the most photo opportunities but it was the hanging out with these guys and creating moments and laughs with them that was the very best. Thanks for the memories :)

Hooowhat The Hell

August 15th was Leanh & Vanda's surprise party at Kathy's house. We all arrived at 5pm and planned to surprise them in the backyard where Leanh & Vanda would walk onto on the back balcony and look down to see the big sign and all of us yelling surprise. It was a half-fail because Vanda stepped onto the porch before Leanh did and we couldn't even see her there until a few seconds later because she was hidden behind some flowerpots and stuff.

Everyone basically started drinking waaay too early - before the sun even went down. Consequently, half the party was wasted by 9pm and there was nothing else left to do. It felt like the longest night ever. Everytime we looked at the time, it would only be like 10pm and that's still so early. Basically anyone who got wasted, sobered up again and partied again and it was still only maybe 1am.

Still, it was good times! I had a great time talking and laughing with old friends & new friends, sharing moments, talking about really random & awkward shit for the hell of it, and laughing at other people who were out of it.

22 Wishes

August 12th was the annual Perseids meteor shower. I watched it with Willie in his driveway until 3am. We saw 22 meteors! This was the shower that I fell asleep during and missed last summer. But this year definitely made up for it big time! Tonight's gonna be a good night ♥ In the morning, he also taught me how to make eggs. Which I consequently failed at when I tried to make them myself.

(Photo Credit)

One

On August 6th, Willie & I went to the aquarium! I didn't get a chance to ask Ivan or Sally if they could put us on the guest list but that's okay. I was also hoping I'd get to run into them when we were there but oh well! They seem like they're having so much more fun at work this year after I left! Aw :( Anyways! We went through all the exhibits that I've seen about 20 times haha but it was just as exciting as the first time. I finally got to see the dolphin show from the deck above which I never got to see while I was working there. I also got to see the new baby beluga and her mum from the underground viewing area which I never got to see before either. I love how she had these rings around her eyes that made her look like Harry Potter. So cute! We visited my favourites: the jellyfish, axolotls, and butterflies! And my now-favourite: the belugas. We also went to the new 4D experience thing which scared the heck out of me! I wasn't expecting THAT much of an experience haha. Like the parts where started blowing this ocean breeze into the air & the bubbles were really nice. BUT NOT WHEN THEY SIMULATE RATS SCURRYING BETWEEN YOUR LEGS! After the aquarium, we walked & sat around Stanley Park, climbed a tree (!), and then went to eat at Joey's. WHO KNEW THERE WAS A JOEY'S ACROSS FROM CACTUS CLUB. WHAT THE HELL.










Left: "They sound like my mom."

BAMF

August 4th was our shoot with Holly! We went to Waterfront and hit up the locations that we scoped out the previous day. It was fun although, after this, I realized that "urban" settings aren't my thing at all. It doesn't give me any inspiration and I just don't know how to work it into my photographs! I think I'll stick to nature-y shoots. I'm also glad Holly liked the pictures a lot! That's the best feeling ever when your model gets really excited about the photos you took of them and truly appreciates them.

Scoping Waterfront

On August 3rd, Wilson & I went to scope out Waterfront and find locations to do Holly's shoot. We went around some parking lots, Waterfront Station itself, the new Convention Centre, and Granville Station. Lots of ideas and lots of fun stuff!

WOWOWOWOWOW

August 1st was the day of the China fireworks. Megan, Amy, and I went to English Bay at around 4pm to reserve a spot for the others and when we got there, it was super packed already. We had to settle for this area behind this ridiculously tall log that you couldn't really see over the top of and in behind these crackheads. It turned out to be a really bad idea to sit behind the guys smoking in front of us because it smelled soooo strongly of weed the entire time, I could hardly breathe. And in the middle of the fireworks, those guys freaking stood up and started packing and all of us were like "SIT YOUR ASSES DOWN!!!" On the left of us were these Japanese guys who were hilarious when the fireworks started. This guy was like "WOWOWOWOWOWOOWOW!" every time a firework exploded and he'd do that until it dissipated in the air. He was also like "I liiike it!" "No problem!" in his really fobby accent. We were making fun of it the whole time and laughing so hard about it.

The fireworks themselves weren't as good as the Canada ones. Or, at least, that's my opinion. Most people thought they were the best ones but I didn't find them very exciting at all. They were mostly really small and didn't really have any rhythm and they generated SO much smoke, there was this huge smoke cloud in the middle of the show - not good for my pictures at all. And the smoke lasted for a long while after the show finished. We were like "Look at what China did to our air!"

After fireworks, we went to eat congee at some asian place on Kingsway. And then got a ride from a very nice bus driver who let us ride it one stop without fares. He also drove the rest of them home even though he was off duty already, they didn't have fares, and it was off his route! How nice! We thought he might be some psycho bus driver killer and would drive them off to somewhere secluded or something but he didn't. Just genuinely nice. Nice!

Highway

July 27th was our photo trip to the Greater Vancouver Zoo. It was one of those hella hot days and we were in the sun the whole time there. Killer! The zoo was a lot less interesting as I had expected. I thought it would be something like the aquarium where it's jam packed with animals everywhere and within close proximity. The zoo was basically a lot of grassland, chainlink fences, and tired animals sitting in the shade. It was a lot less interactive and visitor friendly than I had expected. And it wasn't great for photos because of the fences and the distance between you and the animals. But I love love loved the giraffe area! The little viewing balcony thing allowed the giraffe's to come up SO close to you! And they're massive!! The camels also surprised me in size. And I love how the peacocks are allowed to roam freely.













After a really sweaty few hours at the zoo, we went to Pitt Lake. It looked really nice in pictures! But alas, it's just a lake and it's not all that exciting to take photos of. But great to visit for the first time anyway!