Working with MVRP

I first heard about the Park Photographer position from an Indeed ad they were running to find find candidates. Upon reading the details of the role and what my job would look like I immediately sent in my application. Rachelle was quick to respond and the next day I had an interview over Zoom. After a great interview I felt confident but had to wait a couple weeks for them to interview the other candidates. After 2 weeks I received and email saying that I secured the position. I was Ecstatic and couldn’t wait to get started. My first day was spent at the main office in Burnaby, meeting the staff members I would be dealing with in my day to day. Everyone was extremely welcoming and I had an instant sense of belonging with my new coworkers. After spending the day going over the on-boarding materials such as the shot list, notable events, and scheduling, I was ready to truly start my summer contract and prove to everyone that they chose the right candidate of the 60+ that applied.

During my first week working as a Park Photographer, I was unsure of where to really start. I had a long shot list filled with locations and projects from rural Aldergrove to the beaches of Vancouver, and my first challenge was deciding where to go first. I ended up going to parks I was already familiar with which definitely helped my confidence. I also got in contact with some wonderful people at Metro Van who were more than happy to show me around the parks that they maintain and operate. Getting these tours was an eye-opening experience since many of the projects that are done are invisible to the public, whether it be removal of invasive species, reforestation, or habitat restoration, unless you know exactly what to look for you can walk right past the project and have no knowledge of the hundreds of volunteer hours that were spent healing the land. This was the turning point for me where I started to understand my purpose as a Park Photographer. I realized that I need to photograph these projects in the best way possible so that we can show people all the amazing things that these amazing people are doing to keep our parks flourishing and healthy. Now that I had a clear vision in my head I set out to the parks with heightened spirit, knowing that I can play a role in helping bring life to the land I have called home for 26 years. I started doing more research into the impact each project had and the purpose behind each project, once I figured those things out I could reflect that in my photos to show people that every project, no matter how small it may seem, can bring major benefits to the flora and fauna of the park. I put extra care into the editing process of the photos, making sure I highlighted the important features and turned soil and branches into art that anyone could stop and appreciate. The more I put into the job, the more the job gave back to me. I began to capture even more magical moments and experiencing a lot more “right place at the right time” feelings. I loved what I was doing and couldn’t get enough of it.

During my time with Metro Vancouver Regional Parks, I was asked to photograph the youth summer camps that the foundation was hosting. I enjoy working with kids as they take me back in time to when I was a kid at summer camp and I can feel all of their excitement as they make new friends and create great memories. There were multiple camps held throughout summer in a variety of parks across the Metro Vancouver area where the kids would play games, participate in group activities, as well as complete some volunteer work whether it was removing invasive species, building new trails, or anything in between. The leaders at the camp were great to work with, being very accommodating and welcoming, as well as helping me with the itinerary so I new where to be and when. Overall the youth camps were very fun to photograph and as I joined the kids on their guided tours of the land, I was learning new facts about the habitats and the plants and animals that live there.

Overall, my time spent with MVRP was the happiest I’ve ever been and gave me an even greater appreciation for the place I call home. A big thank you to all the staff involved with the parks foundation, I could not have asked for more kind, welcoming people to work with. The work I did as a park photographer over the summer made my 10 years of being a photographer worth it. I finally realized that my passion can turn into the career of my dreams and I now have my sights set on a great future in the most beautiful place on earth.