Photo of the Week: Chinatown Series

Feb. 2

Written By

Electricity flowed between them - a rhythmic current pulsing through their touch, expanding to every nook and cranny of their physical bodies. The feeling stretched them to the heavens – an uplifting spirit amongst uncertainty.

Crosswalks bleeping, motors revving, boots clopping, teeth chattering – the urban ballad harmonizing into mutual silence. In their world, the silence was not unsure; they wrote their composition. Some might say writing is a way to feel in control, yet profitable writing is undirected movement and holds unexpected feelings – a bond that fuses spirits with those it encounters.

They will reconnect on this night for years to come, only to return to the same places to reflect on their progress. Everyone will continue to be enveloped with their own realities and individual complications to intentionally forget how the world is changing as one.

Whether it is through the physical, spiritual or virtual, we can all find what connects us, sharing our perspectives to develop from infinite angles.

While I’ve been taking some time away from my blog, I’ve been busier than ever creating backlogs of content but more importantly, I’ve been focusing on being present when creating my art. Art is bittersweet; there are anxieties about fulfilling the artistic vision as well as general implications around the vulnerability during judgement.

Between working full-time in marketing and communications and working as a freelance photographer, I’ve always made it a priority to take a break from my professional commitments to go out and photograph my perspectives of the world.

My trip to Toronto’s Chinatown was a highlight of January 2022; with Ontario experiencing another COVID-19 lockdown, it was difficult to be inspired by the same four walls day after day. There was never a dull moment in Chinatown; there were always people bustling up and down the streets or choosing the ripest produce at market stands.

Photography can capture everyday moments and freeze a moment for as long as the physical remains stay intact. Photographs are only remnants of moments as there are perpetual interpretations of its enclosed narrative involving the events leading up, during, and after it was captured. Even the simplest of subjects have the most complex stories.