Vancouver has always been one of the most desirable cities in the world to live in. We enjoy moderate and oceanic climate all year round and thus, are blessed with four seasons of beautiful nature. With Spring breezing by, the community in Kerrisdale shared a unique scenery of cherry blossoms throughout side streets and alley ways. All the pink-petals formed tree tunnels became perfect backdrops for professional photographers as well as social media enthusiasts to capture their version of art and through photography, presents it to the world.

In order to learn and appreciate the art of capturing such sublime setting, we invited Vancouver Photowalks, a group of energetic and experienced photographers, to co-host our third Gryphon Artisan Series workshop, sharing their vision and passion on the Art of Photography.

After the photowalk, we sat down with Ricardo, one of our photoguides and had the pleasure to learn about his story as well as his take on the Art of Photography.

How did you develop an interest in photography? How long have you been doing it?

I got interested in photography as a young kid. I was gifted a polaroid camera for my seventh birthday and I really loved going out and taking pictures of family, friends and the world around me. When I became a teenager, I started picking that up again as digital camera became more popular. I got my first photo published by National Geographic in 2008 on their online magazine. From there, I realized this was what I like to do and want to do, this is something people recognize that I am good at.

I enjoy photography because it is an ability I have to show people my view of the world. The world is as it is but each of us sees it a different way and this is what draws me to photography, being able to show people the way I see the world.

At Gryphon, we believe that art can be found across all trades in various shapes or forms. Would you consider photography an art form?

It’s a powerful artform that allow you to tell a story. The world “photography” literally translates as to painting and light in Greek. So that to me, is a hint as to it being an art form. I think photography is an art because it allows the creator or photographer to show his unique perspective of what might be in front of them. Even thought everyone can and will take a picture of the Eiffel Tower, but your shot might be different from mine. That in itself, is the power of photography, it’s an art form that allows you to speak your vision and to showcase it to the world.

Do you agree that “a picture is worth a thousand words”? How does your photo tell a story?

I think photography can definitely tell a story. It’s a powerful tool to communicate especially because you’re able to capture so much emotion if you wanted to. So much detail in a shot that really speaks volumes. When you capture a good wedding photograph, the couple might look at it 10 years down the road, and they will remember the exact moment and emotions they felt at that time. To me, that is the power of photography. It transcends even a thousand words, if I dare say.

Can you tell us the story behind Vancouver Photowalks? 

Vancouver Photowalks started in 2011 by our Founder Suzanne Rushton and we are just a group of very passionate photographers. Each of us have our own specialty of what we like to shoot, but most importantly, we love to share our passion for photography. We love teaching people and bringing people together to learn about this great art.

What are some of the things that you love about Vancouver?

I love so many things about Vancouver. I love the combination of cityscape and nature. One min you are in the city, the next one you can be in be up in Squamish and whistler amongst nature, having great hikes. I also love the friendliness of the city. Thepeople are so easy to get along with and it’s a beautiful city to photograph. I love to shoot nature and I also love to shoot cityscapes and so Vancouver really offers a good blend where I can curate a story through my photos.

Where is your favourite spot to photograph in Vancouver?

My favourite spot to photograph would have to be the waterfront area. You have the downtown skyline and cityscapes on one side and when you turn around, you get the north shore mountains and nature. It is just a perfect spot to photograph especially during sunset.