Here and Gone: Photos of an Ephemeral City

Here and Gone: Photos of an Ephemeral City is a virtual exhibition of street photography produced by the members of the Vancouver Street Photography Collective. Our collective celebrates a diverse, complex and often hidden Vancouver that challenges the tourist images of a pristine city bounded by mountains and ocean. In this exhibition, we will display photographs of Vancouver by our members, each of whom has a particular vision of the city. While we draw upon rich street photography history, we also come to the city with fresh eyes and a new duty to create a record of Vancouver as it exists today with all its complexity and nuance, whether it’s night-time streets of a changing Chinatown, the social complexity of the Downtown Eastside or the vibrancy of the Granville Strip. Vancouver is an ever-changing city where cultures intersect in complex and dynamic ways, giving rise to new spaces of city life. These spaces, while often fleeting and ephemeral, are important reminders of who resides in the city.

This event is part of the 2020 Capture Photography Festival's Events Program.

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Jan Nelmar Cabiladas

Carry On (2020)Change is permanent. Just keep moving forward.IG: @thurdygram — **Carry On (2020)**
Change is permanent. Just keep moving forward.
IG: @thurdygram

Rolf Erni

In 2008 the government-run housing site Little Mountain was sold to a developer committed to building mixed housing. The tenants of all 224 units were evicted, buildings boarded up, and yet more than a decade later the project remains incomplete.

IG: @henryhotshoe

Paul Fernandez

For LeaseAnother pricey space waiting for a tenant, Vancouver downtown. — **For Lease**
Another pricey space waiting for a tenant, Vancouver downtown.

Lost soulsCommercial Drive neighbourhood tradition, Parade of lost souls. — **Lost souls**
Commercial Drive neighbourhood tradition, Parade of lost souls.

IG: @on_my_badfoot

Allan Florendo

Colors in My MindWhat I love about street photography is the opportunity to observe people, places, things around me and how these converge to create an imagery.  I shot this at one of my favorite events, the Vancouver Mural Festival. … — **Colors in My Mind**
What I love about street photography is the opportunity to observe people, places, things around me and how these converge to create an imagery. I shot this at one of my favorite events, the Vancouver Mural Festival.

Slice of LifeI see through these tiny boxes, some empty, and some having a life on its own.  Everything converges in this magnificent architectural structure of concrete and steel, remembering people who have built it both inside a… — **Slice of Life**
I see through these tiny boxes, some empty, and some having a life on its own. Everything converges in this magnificent architectural structure of concrete and steel, remembering people who have built it both inside and outside.

Prints available., contact photographer at allan.florendo@gmail.com

IG: @poetryinpixels

Kathryn Ford

Look through any window (2020)Walking past a window on the outskirts of Chinatown, I looked up and saw this collection of random artifacts, along with the reflection.  Reflections in city windows fascinate me, always changing with the light … — **Look through any window (2020)**
Walking past a window on the outskirts of Chinatown, I looked up and saw this collection of random artifacts, along with the reflection. Reflections in city windows fascinate me, always changing with the light and the weather. And how did that elephant end up next to a smug-looking doll?

You always need an umbrella (2019)In the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, you’re always aware of humanity.  Every day brings a reminder about how quickly a person’s fortune can change: you have a home, but get injured, and then you get addicted … — **You always need an umbrella (2019)**
In the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, you’re always aware of humanity. Every day brings a reminder about how quickly a person’s fortune can change: you have a home, but get injured, and then you get addicted to oxy, and you lose your job, so you head to the city to try to find your way again, but things still don’t work out and one day you’re sleeping on a dirty sidewalk under an umbrella, nearly invisible. Nearly gone.

Prints available, contact photographer at katfo13@icloud.com. All proceeds from print sales will be donated to the Alzheimer Society of BC.

IG: @katymight

Doris Fiedrich

Ode to Fred (2018)A man stares into a book shop window. Maybe he is reminiscing about a time that is no more, but we cannot know his story. However, it is fortunate to spot an everyday scene in this ever-changing city that is not filled with contemp… — **Ode to Fred (2018)**
A man stares into a book shop window. Maybe he is reminiscing about a time that is no more, but we cannot know his story. However, it is fortunate to spot an everyday scene in this ever-changing city that is not filled with contemporaneous objects and accompanying devices.

I sometimes feel lost in this city (2019)This in-camera, double-exposure image is a view from Gastown that attempts to amalgamate some layers of Vancouver: its young, yet eclectic history, its ceaseless growth, its often unsavoury back alleys, and e… — **I sometimes feel lost in this city (2019)**
This in-camera, double-exposure image is a view from Gastown that attempts to amalgamate some layers of Vancouver: its young, yet eclectic history, its ceaseless growth, its often unsavoury back alleys, and even its fickle weather.

Limited edition fine art prints are available. Please contact Doris Fiedrich at dofiedrich@gmail.com

IG: @doris.allegory

Lily Hawrysh

Two concurrent yet contrasting worlds, five city blocks apart.

IG: @lilyhawrysh

Ian Heffernan

Smokie (2020)The hot dog stands on the corner of Granville and South Georgia are a permanent fixture of the city and something so familiar to anybody living here. This corner is one of the most vibrant in the city somewhere which I am constantly … — **Smokie (2020)**
The hot dog stands on the corner of Granville and South Georgia are a permanent fixture of the city and something so familiar to anybody living here. This corner is one of the most vibrant in the city somewhere which I am constantly drawn to shoot, given the diversity of people coming through this intersection.

Chinese New Year (2020)Chinese New Year in Vancouver. Chinatown is an area which is becoming more and more gentrified as time goes on and I believe as street photographers we have a responsibility to document this area and community. — **Chinese New Year (2020)**
Chinese New Year in Vancouver. Chinatown is an area which is becoming more and more gentrified as time goes on and I believe as street photographers we have a responsibility to document this area and community.

Prints available, contact the photographer at hephph@gmail.com

IG: @hephph

Jody Hill

Granite Windows (2020)Using the geometry of these magnificent buildings, 'Granite Windows' looks to cherish the history of our city and leaves our imagination to linger in the abstract of time. — **Granite Windows (2020)**
Using the geometry of these magnificent buildings, 'Granite Windows' looks to cherish the history of our city and leaves our imagination to linger in the abstract of time.

Prints available, contact the photographer at jodyhillcinema@gmail.com or @jodyhillphoto

Kris Hooper

East Vancouver Home from Back Alley on a Moonless Night (2019)East Vancouver is littered with eccentric detached homes, holdovers from a previous version of the city. They are deep expressions of those who live in them, while also being unattainab… — **East Vancouver Home from Back Alley on a Moonless Night (2019)**
East Vancouver is littered with eccentric detached homes, holdovers from a previous version of the city. They are deep expressions of those who live in them, while also being unattainable aspirational objects for the vast majority of residents.

Lillooet St at E 24th Ave (2019)East Vancouver is littered with eccentric detached homes, holdovers from a previous version of the city. They are deep expressions of those who live in them, while also being unattainable aspirational objects for t… — **Lillooet St at E 24th Ave (2019)**
East Vancouver is littered with eccentric detached homes, holdovers from a previous version of the city. They are deep expressions of those who live in them, while also being unattainable aspirational objects for the vast majority of residents.

Prints available, contact the photographer kris@krishooper.com

IG: @kris.hooper

Stephen Huen

Bike Repair (2017)In the middle of the lively and chic Gastown, tucked away in a hidden alleyway, a woman repaired a bicycle in front of her tent home. — **Bike Repair (2017)**
In the middle of the lively and chic Gastown, tucked away in a hidden alleyway, a woman repaired a bicycle in front of her tent home.

Flag Hanging (2017)In increasingly gentrified Chinatown, a man was having fun hanging a flag outside of a closed traditional salon. — **Flag Hanging (2017)**
In increasingly gentrified Chinatown, a man was having fun hanging a flag outside of a closed traditional salon.

IG: @stephenhuenphoto

Mark Klipa

We think of buildings as permanent, but often treat them as disposable. Low-rise real estate is on the way out and will soon be forgotten except in story. Photographs are my attempt to preserve the ones I see where I live and work.

The colour photo was shot with a Nikon film camera using Cinestill 800 film in November, 2019. The black and white shot was taken in May, 2019 with a Sony digital camera.

Prints available, contact the photographer at markklipa@yahoo.ca

IG: @thestreetparade

Shelley Lai

Home Again (2020)Home is an often intangible concept in Vancouver—a city marked by development pressures and pricey real estate, inadequate rental and social housing, and increasing homelessness. In 1975 the Manhattan Apartments narrowly e… — **Home Again (2020)**
Home is an often intangible concept in Vancouver—a city marked by development pressures and pricey real estate, inadequate rental and social housing, and increasing homelessness. In 1975 the Manhattan Apartments narrowly escaped demolition—rescued by its original tenants who mounted a “Save-The-Manhattan” campaign and later formed The Manhattan Co-operative Housing Association.
Prints available, contact the photographer at shelley.lai@icloud.com . All proceeds from print sales will be donated to the Alzheimer Society of BC.
IG: @ghostsofvan

Ivan Lee

Hidden in Plain SightAlleys are a common sight in downtown Vancouver, however, they're often disregarded and ignored, yet they are places full of colourful art and offer a unique perspective. Next time you come across an alley it might be worth your… — **Hidden in Plain Sight**
Alleys are a common sight in downtown Vancouver, however, they're often disregarded and ignored, yet they are places full of colourful art and offer a unique perspective. Next time you come across an alley it might be worth your while to stop and take a look, you never know what might find in this hidden world.

A Dog's World Vancouver is also known as a city of dogs as many can be seen along the streets and in our parks, but very few of us wonder what our city looks like from their perspective. A Dog's World captures one such moment in a busy downtown fe… — **A Dog's World**
Vancouver is also known as a city of dogs as many can be seen along the streets and in our parks, but very few of us wonder what our city looks like from their perspective. A Dog's World captures one such moment in a busy downtown festival, where the familiar scenes of a crowd of music lovers feels different from the world of our four legged friends.

Prints available, contact the photographer at ifunley@gmail.com

IG: @ivancityphotog

Chris McCann

Both of these images play with the notion of time in the ephemeral city. Shot on film using vintage SLRs to create a sense of timelessness, these photographs challenge the notion that the new, the bright and the shiny is always better and asks, how can we halt time in the modern cityscape?

Prints available, contact the photographer at fkatatsu@gmail.com. All funds received from print sales will be donated to Megaphone Magazine.

IG: @tatsu_is_tatsu

Daniel Mosquin

Granville Street in Reflection (2020)A dirty mirror provides a glimpse of a Granville Street scene on the weekend prior to widespread COVID-19 isolation. Even among the worries and tension, some still make the time for important things like feeling … — **Granville Street in Reflection (2020)**
A dirty mirror provides a glimpse of a Granville Street scene on the weekend prior to widespread COVID-19 isolation. Even among the worries and tension, some still make the time for important things like feeling the kiss of the sun or dancing to a street musician.

Waterfront Station (2020)The Iconic columns of Waterfront Station have presided over the theatre of the city's streets since 1914. Despite the ever-changing stories at their foundations, it is rare to see the columns themselves in an ephemeral way. … — **Waterfront Station (2020)**
The Iconic columns of Waterfront Station have presided over the theatre of the city's streets since 1914. Despite the ever-changing stories at their foundations, it is rare to see the columns themselves in an ephemeral way.

Prints available, contact photographer at daniel@danielmosquin.com

IG: @danielmosquin

Liza Navarro

Together we stand (2019) On September 27, 2019, over 100,000 people of all ages and cultures united on the streets of Vancouver for the global climate strike. This peaceful march that will live on for years to come raised awareness about climate … — **Together we stand (2019)**
On September 27, 2019, over 100,000 people of all ages and cultures united on the streets of Vancouver for the global climate strike. This peaceful march that will live on for years to come raised awareness about climate change and was characterized by the prominent and rising voices of the next generation that resides in this city.

Prints available, contact the photographer at navarroliza3@gmail.com

IG: @lizanav.photo

Craig Sheppard

Craig's images display glimpses of iconic Vancouver architecture while also hinting at other aspects ranging from social status to the climatic. Both are chance encounters in a city of limitless possibilities.

Prints available, contact the photographer at crgshpprd@gmail.com

IG: @streetnothings_

Daniel Sneep

Oceanic Plaza (2019)This view from my office window, during a February flurry, represents the seasonality of Vancouver, the order of its public spaces, and the resilience of its residents. The snow began melting soon after it settled, but remain… — **Oceanic Plaza (2019)**
This view from my office window, during a February flurry, represents the seasonality of Vancouver, the order of its public spaces, and the resilience of its residents. The snow began melting soon after it settled, but remained long enough to record the passage of all those still going about their business, despite the inclement conditions.

Royal Centre (2019)This scene to me reflects a typical office and public space in the downtown business district of the city, and the lone silhouette represents the seeming anonymity of those who make their living there. The tote… — **Royal Centre (2019)**
This scene to me reflects a typical office and public space in the downtown business district of the city, and the lone silhouette represents the seeming anonymity of those who make their living there. The totem is a vestige of the rich cultural heritage of our region, and the plants bring an organic element into what is an otherwise empty, almost sterile urban setting.

Prints available, contact the photographer at sneepd@gmail.com. All funds received from print sales will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society.

IG: @danielsneep

Barbara Strigel

After Brueghel (2020)Vancouver’s alleys are the back story. In this image, snow brings neighbors together to shovel their Kitsilano Alley. — **After Brueghel (2020)**
Vancouver’s alleys are the back story. In this image, snow brings neighbors together to shovel their Kitsilano Alley.

Circling (2020)Down below the Granville Bridge, a side street curves into a parking lot. Expressionist tire tracks transform the snow into a painterly scene. — **Circling (2020)**
Down below the Granville Bridge, a side street curves into a parking lot. Expressionist tire tracks transform the snow into a painterly scene.

Prints available, please contact the photographer at bcstrigel@gmail.com

IG: @barbarastrigel

Peter Toth

Untitled (2020)With an ever-present sense of change, and gentrification, neon lights take me to an era where Vancouver was not a metropolitan city with a growing homogeneity, but with its own sense of uniqueness and exploration. — **Untitled (2020)**
With an ever-present sense of change, and gentrification, neon lights take me to an era where Vancouver was not a metropolitan city with a growing homogeneity, but with its own sense of uniqueness and exploration.

Prints available, contact photographer at p.toth80@gmail.com. 100% of print sales will be donated to Covenant House.

IG: @peter_toth_photography

Stuart Weir

Sunshine and Street Food (2019)As many photographers and painters know, light is a key tool to bringing our subject(s) into focus, whatever they may be. For myself, I believe that one of the key elements of Fred Herzog’s work is that he utilized an… — **Sunshine and Street Food (2019)**
As many photographers and painters know, light is a key tool to bringing our subject(s) into focus, whatever they may be. For myself, I believe that one of the key elements of Fred Herzog’s work is that he utilized an often overlooked element in Vancouver: it’s unique lighting due to climate conditions and season, and how Vancouver light can have a “warm” glow at certain parts of the year. I’ve chosen this photograph not only for it’s humorous and relatable content, but also for it’s sense of place because of one of this city’s most Ephemeral elements: the light itself.

Prints available, contact the photographer at @lokelghost

Trevor Wide

Crow (2020)It's not just the people of this city, bit it's all living things. A symbol seen in many of our Vancouver streets, from when it became a city to today. A timeless reminder of what resides in this beautiful city. — **Crow (2020)**
It's not just the people of this city, bit it's all living things. A symbol seen in many of our Vancouver streets, from when it became a city to today. A timeless reminder of what resides in this beautiful city.

Noir (2020)The hidden timeless moments that Vancouver offers is a history of the people within it. A record of humanity in a city where an appreciation for how beautiful day to day life can be, now and then, here or gone. — **Noir (2020)**
The hidden timeless moments that Vancouver offers is a history of the people within it. A record of humanity in a city where an appreciation for how beautiful day to day life can be, now and then, here or gone.

Prints available, contact photographer at trevorwide@gmail.com

IG: @trevorwide_art

Sharon Wish

Rooms (2010)This photograph is resonant of Vancouver in the past. It was time when old structures were allowed to take their place and stand proudly in the fabric of Vancouver’s urban landscape with no judgement. — **Rooms (2010)**
This photograph is resonant of Vancouver in the past. It was time when old structures were allowed to take their place and stand proudly in the fabric of Vancouver’s urban landscape with no judgement.

Just Another Heartbreak In The City (2019)This photograph is resonant of Vancouver in the future. When a city changes too fast it not only effects one visually, but also emotionally. Sometimes it creates a heavy heart and yearning for what once w… — **Just Another Heartbreak In The City (2019)**
This photograph is resonant of Vancouver in the future. When a city changes too fast it not only effects one visually, but also emotionally. Sometimes it creates a heavy heart and yearning for what once was.

Prints available, contact photographer at lizardlips@gmail.com

IG: @bluechameleon

Jake Wong

The Green Building (2019)The swaying shayla caught my eye as she crossed this quiet street in Western Canada's oldest city, New Westminster. As I look at this photo, it reminds me of the importance for a city to preserve its past yet add to its mos… — **The Green Building (2019)**
The swaying shayla caught my eye as she crossed this quiet street in Western Canada's oldest city, New Westminster. As I look at this photo, it reminds me of the importance for a city to preserve its past yet add to its mosaic of different cultures. Shown in the background is the Columbia Theatre built in 1937 and in the foreground is the Al-Hidayah School.

Post-it and Say Goodbye (2019)Vancouver's window of sadness, heartbreak, love and goodbyes. The Chocolate Mousse Kitchenware had been in Vancouver's Westend for 33 years.  The post-it notes share a community message. A message of the sadness… — **Post-it and Say Goodbye (2019)**
Vancouver's window of sadness, heartbreak, love and goodbyes. The Chocolate Mousse Kitchenware had been in Vancouver's Westend for 33 years. The post-it notes share a community message. A message of the sadness of another locally owned shop forced to close. The notes cast its shadow on the ground laying to rest a store of once upon a time.

Prints available, contact photographer at wrwong@gmail.com

IG: @2xu2xu

Mike Wong

Prime Mover (2008)Beyond the popular steam clock, souvenir stores, restaurants and other tourist attractions in present day Gastown, there is a side to Vancouver's historic district that visitors often overlook. Avoiding demolition when a p… — **Prime Mover (2008)**
Beyond the popular steam clock, souvenir stores, restaurants and other tourist attractions in present day Gastown, there is a side to Vancouver's historic district that visitors often overlook.
Avoiding demolition when a proposed freeway project failed in the early 1970s, Gastown was Vancouver's first central business district during the late 1800s and a warehousing district for wholesale produce distribution during the early 1900s before it fell into a steep decline after the Great Depression.

I See the Work of Gifted Hands (2008)Probably gathering dust somewhere in a warehouse, the beloved Only Seafoods Cafe's neon sign was a fixture at 20 East Hastings Street in the Downtown Eastside since 1950 when Vancouver was the neon capital of … — **I See the Work of Gifted Hands (2008)**
Probably gathering dust somewhere in a warehouse, the beloved Only Seafoods Cafe's neon sign was a fixture at 20 East Hastings Street in the Downtown Eastside since 1950 when Vancouver was the neon capital of Canada.
Before its decline, the Downtown Eastside was Vancouver's central hub featuring: city hall - Holden Building (1924 to 1936), City Market Building (1898 to 1929) and 125 Powell Street (1886 to 1898); the Carnegie Library; the provincial courthouse (demolished) at Victory Square; the first city hospital (demolished); numerous banks; and the main shopping district.

Prints available, contact the photographer at sureshot_mikew123@hotmail.com. 100% of print sales will be donated to the BC Lupus Society not-for-profit organization.

IG: @sureshot_mikew123

Sergine Zougbédé

The Astoria (2018)The Astoria is a place that reinvents itself but persists as an emblematic venue of the Downtown Eastside in our landscape-changing city. A place where different cultures intersect for a moment. — **The Astoria (2018)**
The Astoria is a place that reinvents itself but persists as an emblematic venue of the Downtown Eastside in our landscape-changing city. A place where different cultures intersect for a moment.

Antisocial (2018)Van Mural Fest is the occasion to discover colourful back alleys, hidden treasures that shape the constantly-evolving face of the city. It also the occasion to witness the new intercultural spaces that rise for a fleeting moment. — **Antisocial (2018)**
Van Mural Fest is the occasion to discover colourful back alleys, hidden treasures that shape the constantly-evolving face of the city. It also the occasion to witness the new intercultural spaces that rise for a fleeting moment.

IG: @sergine.z

Did you enjoy our virtual exhibit? Have a favourite image? Please leave a comment …