FARTHER AFIELD: Slow Shutter in Vancouver

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“You know, the real world, this so-called world, is just something you put up with like everybody else. I’m in my element when I’m a little bit out of this world: then I’m in the real world – I’m on the beam. Because when I’m falling, I’m doing alright. When I’m slipping, I say, ‘Hey, this is interesting.’ It’s when I’m standing upright that bothers me… As a matter of fact, I’m really slipping most of the time. I’m like a slipping glimpser.” William de Kooning

From “Slipping Glimpser: William de Koonig’s Sublime Take on What it Means to be an Artist”: April 11, 2015. In “All That’s Interesting”

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My own slip involves glimpsing carp in a conservatory with a camera set to a slow shutter speed. I was in Vancouver, Canada, for a few days and a visit to Bloedel Conservatory was just the thing on a cold, rainy afternoon. The domed conservatory is filled with tropical plants and free-flying birds, a perfect antidote to the midwinter blahs. As we slowly circumnavigated the walkway a little stream appeared and sure enough, bright orange carp were swimming there, making lazy circuits under a little bridge.

I’ve seen carp in streams in other conservatories and I decided to do what I’ve done before: photograph those svelte bodies slipping through the water as blurry shapes, using a slow shutter speed. Here’s the result (except for photo #8, where carp and water are stopped for a split second). The camera was usually on shutter priority at .4 seconds. I was, as de Kooning said, a little bit out of this world as I gratefully fell, slipped, and found the beam.

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9. A watery interlude, sans carp.

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10. An earthly pause.

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11. The orchids slip, too.

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12. Especially when you move the camera.

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13. These visitors may or may not have been slipping glimpsers.

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Vancouver is a city of more than 2.5 million souls. By contrast, the city I frequent for my daily espresso is home to just under 18,000 people. Scenic, diverse, and stimulating, Vancouver is less than two hours from home but we hadn’t been there since the pandemic closed the border. I wanted a quick and easy change of scenery so now that we can travel freely, it was an obvious choice.

We zipped through customs the first day and amused ourselves with miscellaneous errands and a delectable meal at a restaurant called East is East that serves foods from the Silk Road region. As I warmed my hands on a cup of peppery chai, dark-eyed waitresses flounced back and forth with stylish grace and customers lounged on piles of pillows. The soft murmur of conversations was a pleasant backdrop to a flavorful lunch of dhal and Bombay roti. It was a good way to slide into a “foreign” city, for though we Americans and Canadians share a language and a continent, there are still differences. The pleasure of parsing them is a key part of spending time in Canada.

We explored a residential neighborhood where the houses looked more like certain Long Island and Connecticut suburbs than the houses in our town, which is so much closer. After an afternoon coffee, we settled into an airbnb in North Van (that’s what locals call North Vancouver). Dinner was a pleasantly low-key affair and we turned in early.

The next day we met a fellow blogger, Penny Williams, aka Walking Woman. She led us on an unconventional tour of her neighborhood, the highlight of which was actually a sprawling construction site, Vancouver’s SkyTrain subway project. Very impressive on its own, the site became more compelling when we stumbled across a pile of abandoned machine parts and building materials. Giant augers! Rusty rebar! Half-full dumpsters! I’ll save that for another post.

14. Seen on our tour, a totem pole that was carved many years ago by the Nisga’a First Nations sculptor Norman Tait.

That afternoon we went to Bloedel Conservatory, where these photos were made. The weather had turned rainy and the conservatory’s atmosphere was a welcome respite. As I reacquainted myself with old tropical plant friends (I used to work at a large conservatory in New York) a bevy of girls interrupted the quiet with a silly, tuneless song voiced with the sweet enthusiasm of best school chums on a break from classes. They were clustered together on the walkway, cell phones in hand, trying to get the attention of a cockatoo named Mali. After much effort, Mali began to respond with raucous squawks. She flipped her fabulous headgear up and bobbed back and forth in rhythm with the girls while eyeing them intently. She got so revved up that she had to pull back and rest at one point. Then she started up again, this time adding fancy acrobatics involving her beak, her feet, and her well-worn perch. Eventually, the girls left, waving goodbye with musical giggles. I watched the cockatoo draw her body inward, cast her eyes down, and grow still. She seemed diminished, saddened. I consoled myself with the thought that Mali probably goes through this regularly and gets over it much faster than we humans would.

We walked back out into the cold, found the car, and paused at a pleasantly trendy, friendly cafe where they roast their own beans. Fortified, we then braved the traffic-snarled downtown streets to work our way back to North Van. Well, Joe braved the traffic while I navigated by keeping my iPhone on. Thanks to the map app (mapapp?) we worked our way through the dark city streets toward dinner at an excellent Chinese restaurant recommended by a friend of Penny’s. It was the real deal, at least as real as you can get outside someone’s kitchen in Shanghai. The ambiance reminded us of many meals shared with friends and family at classic Chinese restaurants in New York City’s Chinatown and Flushing.

The next morning we left the city behind for an exhilarating walk across a suspension bridge hanging high over waterfalls and a rushing creek. The Lynn Canyon trail led us through a glistening temperate rainforest to a blue-green pool fringed with boulders and gnarled redcedar trees. Mindful of the time, we cut the hike a little short, promising ourselves we’d be back. The final treat was lunch and it was some of the best South Indian food I’ve ever had. Warm conversations with the owner and his wife, who came to Vancouver from Chennai, topped off a memorable meal. If only they could deliver across the border! We’ll just have to go back.

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54 comments

    • It was an easy, quick getaway and I hope we’ll do it more often. Unfortunately, the traffic was terrible on the way home so we waited at the border for a good hour but I think it was a long holiday weekend for British Columbians so we’ll try to avoid those in the future. Your friend’s daughter just has to get on a plane and visit her friend!

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    • That’s good to hear because I was pleased with what happened in the photo of the girls. They didn’t seem to know I was taking their picture even though I was close to them because I had the camera away from my eye and I was moving it while looking at the LCD screen. I’m going to try that again sometime. 🙂 Thanks for your good words!

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    • I think you’d have a great time. It’s an attractive blend of fabulous natural scenery and a busy metropolis with a pretty strong art scene. One place I didn’t mention here because I went there the last two times I visited Vancouver is the Univ. of BC’s Anthropology Museum – it’s fantastic. Thank you, Laura.

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  6. I enjoyed the artistry of the photos. I would never think to purposefully make them blurry. Your description of your travels took me to living in Burnaby and some of the days my husband and I would spend just exploring the city. Happy memories.

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    • I love those patterns and one of the best things about shooting that way is that you never know quite what you’re going to get. You can KIND OF see the result in the LCD screen but not really. I think those reflections look net-like, too. I could have used a quote about Indra’s net, which is a Buddhist concept illustrating the interconnectedness of all phenomena. But I love the wacky de Kooning one. And that Paul Simon song, yes. Thanks!
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra%27s_net

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  9. New stimuli for the senses are always important. Experiencing new places, new flavors, new experiences, new sharing…or new photographic looks, is always an asset to life.
    It’s these moments that make us feel more alive and full.
    I believe that these holidays and this post reflect all of that: that life is to be enjoyed with all the senses!
    Photos different from the average, but equally beautiful!

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    • Yes, new sensations are especially welcome in winter, when it seems that the world has been cold and gray for far too long. But Spring is beginning to arrive now.
      It’s nice to read that you can sense my enjoyment with all the senses and it’s true, we both enjoyed sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings. Thanks so much for your generous comment, my friend. Have a good weekend!

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  10. Your “William de Kooning” quote totally set the tone for your photos and narrative. Let the magic of the journey begin and capture your thoughts and behaviors. Exquisite and a very informative written journey. Thank you for your sharing.

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  11. Hi! Enjoyed reading about your adventures in Vancouver…your meals sound terrific. Your slow shutter images work beautifully- the Carp are great subjects for this dreamy look. And your other photos embody the de Kooning quote so well. Slipping glimpser! 😊

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  13. Lynn, You’re making it very difficult for me to pick favorites. I’ve been looking at these photos for 20 minutes now and I can’t pick a favorite. Having said that, #11 and #12 are beautifully composed.

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  14. Wow, the first series of pictures is amazing! I love them all. All these different patterns and lines, the idea of the fish or what we think it could be. Although 8 is rather “clear” in this series, I love the colours. Alltogether it has a sense of foil, a bit unreal or if it is painted. I hope this makes sense?! 10 is magical!!! As if the veins are flying away, detached! In the first moment I thought you made pictures through a glasshouse window. Seeing through is your topic, right 🙂
    Vancouver sounds like an exciting diversion, especially in food 🙂 I am glad you had a good guide and I am curious what else you will show us (unfortunately the link didn’t work!). I like your picture of this fascinating totem!

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  16. I’d have to say the patterns on the water are more interesting than the Koi, except in #8 – that one’s both sharp and warped in interesting ways. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Vancouver BC, apart from catching a ferry to Vancouver Island. Have you been to Victoria yet?

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    • No, we still haven’t been there yet and I hope we will before too long. I’d really like to get up to Haida Gwaii but that’s a serious undertaking. Meanwhile, there are still trails I haven’t seen right here on Fidalgo. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, Dave, and I hope the snow didn’t get you too bad.

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  17. You came to Van! How fabulous. I wish I’d been here to finally meet you. Next time.
    Your slippery glimpses of the carp are lovely, but I find the leaf, orchids and people more interesting. Thanks for the reminder to revisit Bloedel! They tried to shut it down a few years back and there was a huge outcry.
    I was pleased to hear you went to East is East. It’s one of our favourite places to eat. And I’ve made a note of the Indian restaurant.
    Alison

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    • East is East was wonderful…and the South Indian restaurant made excellent South Indian specialties. If you go, try the dahi vada. They’re very sweet people. I think you live in North Van? If it’s convenient, Westview Chinese was very good, too. And Melo Patisserie in Mt. Pleasnat I think – yum! You have so many great food choices! Bloedel was perfect for a rainy February afternoon and I’m glad the outcry prevented its demise. Lynn Canyon was gorgeous and different enough from where we live that we want to go again.
      I’m glad you liked the blurry people – I was happy with that one. Yes, next time! Thanks!

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      • No, we live in East Van (in the very southeast corner of the city down by the Fraser River). Mt Pleasant is pretty close – definitely close enough to visit and we have friends who live in that neighbourhood, so will likely check out Melo Patisserie at some point.
        A.

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  18. Such a joy to meet the pair of you — come back any time! Thanks for the appreciative words, and thanks too for showing me another way to slow-see the carp in the Bloedel: your pairing of images with de Koonig’s words was perfect. I know a Bloedel docent whose special love is the birds, not the plants; she talks about Mali with the informed tenderness that you & I talk would show in talking about a favourite human friend…

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  19. Nice trip to ‘Van’.. A bit of experimenting; always fun. I like the nervous movement in Nr5 better than the dreamy vagueness in the others. For me the dreamy approach works better with the orchids in Nr11. Almost looks like a multiple exposed shot. Enjoy the day! See you!

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  22. About the last thing I want to do photographically is shoot people. That said, I enjoy the work of others and your shot of the two people is wonderful. The reality appears to be a guy looking at this phone while a woman passes by but your long exposure makes them seem to be about to hug.

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    • You had me laughing with your first sentence, Steve…I try to use the word “make” photos instead of shoot photos because of the connotation that really stuck out here – but it did make me laugh! Anyway, I feel awkward making photos of people, too. But I was playing with camera motion, had just “shot” the orchids, and quickly decided to point the camera toward the girls (actually two older girls). They didn’t know what I was doing because I was moving the camera – they wouldn’t have thought that I was actually using it at that moment. I like your interpretation a lot…that’s what’s fun about intentional camera movement. When it works it can leave so many avenues of interpretation open. Thanks!

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