What I’m doing now
April 30th from • Home in Vancouver, BC
Tomorrow is May 1st??? It’s crazy how fast this year is going. Except on days when the Vancouver weather forgets we’re fully into spring and decides to break our hearts with crappy weather. Can’t complain too much though, since we’ve had great weather on the photowalks I’ve led this last couple of months.
Speaking of the last couple of months, I’ve mentioned it everywhere online but if you haven’t heard the news, I launched a new online photography club called The Lightbox Club. The Lightbox Club is a welcoming and creative community for photographers of all skill levels.
Whether you just picked up your first camera or you’ve been at it for years, this is a place to grow, stay inspired, and connect with others who share the same passion. No question is too basic, there are monthly challenges which are a great excuse to pick up your camera, and we’re about to do the first live stream meetup of the club.
If you’re interested in joining the club, you can sign up by clicking the link below.
In other news, I participated in the Reddit Print Exchange Spring event for the second time and I highly recommend it. Twice a year, a group of photographers from all over the world come together for a print exchange. It's totally free to participate and you get to send some of your prints to someone around the world and receive prints from others. These are the prints I sent last week:
Go check it out and join by clicking here: r/printexchange subreddit. The next exchange is in the fall.
There's not a lot more to share since most of my time the last couple of months has been focused on The Lightbox Club launch and recording two new courses that I'll be releasing soon. So with that said, on to the media diet of the last couple of months.
Media Diet Highlights
Audiobooks
I’m on my second listen of “14” by Peter Clines and it won’t be my last. It’s a short story with this basic premise: “As the tenants turn into amateur detectives, they discover the building's purpose is rooted in fringe science”.
Read
“Annihilation” by Jeff VanderMeer
This is an incredible book. It's not interested in giving you clear answers to the plot. It's so weird and it will make your brain twist in new ways. I've seen it described with terms like "cosmic dread" and "hauntingly beautiful." There is so much subtext in the story that I'm sure I missed a lot on my first read. It's told from a first-person perspective, which adds to the anxiety since we only know what the protagonist sees. I just got the second book in the series on Libby and I'm excited to dive back in. I really enjoyed the movie with Natalie Portman for its weirdness and didn't mind knowing the overall story, but the book is very different in some ways and that adds to the experience.
“Twelve Months” by Jim Butcher
The return of Wizard Harry Dresden after 6 years of no new stories. I'm sad to report it's not as good as the other Dresden Files books. It's slooow, gloomy, and not as fun as the other 17 books in the series. Yep, I said 17, and they are worth your time if you're into urban fantasy and detective stories.
Movies / TV (Speed round edition)
The amaze, amaze, amaze category
“Project Hail Mary”- I read the book and looooved it. The book has more of the science stuff, but the movie was a perfect version of the story. Ryan Reynolds is undefeated in the comedy, action, heartbreaker actor pantheon. Rocky was brought to life exactly as he is in the book. Saw it twice in theatres and I'm tempted to go a third time.
The very good category
“Wake up Dead Man” - 4 / 5 Another fun ride in the Benoit Blanc universe.
“The Rip” - 3.5 / 5 - I enjoy the chemistry between Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. This is a goofy crime thriller with decent action.
“One Battle After Another” - 4.5 / 5 - Just for its weirdness and the performances it’s worth watching it.
“Black Bag” - 4.5 / 5 - I'm a fan of Soderbergh's movies and this slow burn thriller is a good one.
“Predator: Badlands” - 4 / 5 - Super fun action movie with the Predator we all love and Ella Fanning. Breaks some of the tropes of the genre in a really fun way.
TV
The obvious: Shrinking, The Pitt, Will Trent
The newcomers: The Detectorists (slow burn brit comedy), Rooster (with Steve Carell), Jeopardy! (addictive), Fisk (Australian goofy comedy)
January 2026 • Mexico City
It's been a while since I updated my Now page, mostly because the end of the year was a busy time. It's now 2026, and I'm officially ready to hit the ground running. In my latest newsletter, I shared some of my favourite photos from 2025, and I have to say I'm really happy with what I was able to create last year.
I still feel that I have some work to do when it comes to finding a clearer thread that runs through my images. I know it's in there but need to spend more time thinking about it. It's a bit of a curse when you enjoy a wide variety of subjects and composition styles. It makes it hard to show a cohesive body of work. How perfectly cohesive should it be? I guess I'm starting the year with interesting questions I need to explore.
If you're in Vancouver, I invite you to join me for the January Lightbox meetup/photowalk that's scheduled for January 17th. Check out the basic info here. Stay up to date on any changes to the date on Instagram at @lightbox604.
If you or someone you know is interested in learning the basics of digital photography and how to use your camera, I have my Digital Photography Bootcamp workshop coming up on January 24th. Check out the details here.
And finally, I’ll be sharing some news soon about a beginner Lightroom workshop, along with special Lightroom workshop that’s currently in the works. You can sign up for my newsletter to be the first to know all the details here
Media Diet Highlights
Audiobooks
Finally finished my re-listen of Pandora Star by Peter F. Hamilton. I enjoyed finding more details I missed the first time around and also some questionable plot points, but overall it was a good (crazy long) listen.
Movies/TV
"All of You" - 2.5 / 5 - A bit slow and not quite my thing, but I do love that footballer Roy Kent.
"Speak no Evil“ - 2.5 / 5 - Fun ride but gets a little dumb towards the end. Really like watching Professor Xavier do his thing.
"Tron: Ares" - 3 / 5 - Was REALLY hoping this wouldn't suck, and it kind of did? I'm a fan of the last two Tron movies, but the fact that it's not a continuation of the story was a bummer (thanks, Jared Leto). The 3D special effects were fun.
"Weapons" - 3 / 5 - This is horror? People I follow on Letterboxd love this. It was okay.
"A House of Dynamite" - 5 / 5 - Scary as hell. Incredible script, performances and pace. Katherine Bigelow can do no wrong in my book. It left me with the same dread I felt watching "The Day After" as a teen in the 80s...terrifying.
September, 2025 • Home in Vancouver, BC.
Well, this summer went crazy fast and tomorrow we’re officially in Autumn. I am very pleased with all the things I've done in the last couple of months both in my personal life and with my photography.
I started a monthly meetup / photo walk that’s open to everyone and of any photography skill level. The first meeting was August 8th and went really well. It was great to be outside on a beautiful sunny day with other photographers. Yesterday we had our second one and it we were surprised to enjoy a sunny day when the forecast called for cloudy skies. A great goodbye to the summer before Vancouver starts “Vancouvering” again.
My plan is to keep doing the monthly photo walks and if the weather is a problem then do it as a meeting over coffee. I'm rediscovering the social aspect of taking photos and I'm really enjoying it.
Media diet
Photography
I finally started printing some of my photos to hang on my home office wall, and it's been a great experience. It's been tough to narrow it down which photos to print to 6. Do I stick with a similar theme? Do I choose my recent favourites even if they have different styles and colour palettes? What about black-and-white photos? 🤯
I think this might be the final selection and layout.
In my quest to shoot more "street" style photography, I checked out the “Day of the Dog" event in my neighbourhood and was able to get some shots I'm very happy with. Approaching strangers was very easy since everyone was more than happy to pose with their dogs, which were dressed in costumes or wearing funny outfits.
I also went back to make some progress on my fine art photography project. It's been on the back burner for a while, but I'm hoping I can get it off the ground before the year is out. Ideally in a month so that I can promote it and see how it’s received.
Audiobooks
I finally got hold of a copy of "The Player of Games" by Ian M. Banks, one of the giants of science fiction. Even though it was written in 1988, the ideas don't feel dated at all. The world building is incredible and expansive.
After I finished "The Player of Games," I started re-listening to one of my favourite space operas, "Pandora's Star" by Peter F. Hamilton from 2004. Another British writer who creates huge and complex worlds and storylines.
On this second listen, I'm finding new things I didn't pick up on the first time around. This is no small commitment friends. The story is divided into 2 books. "Pandora's Star" is 1,152 pages long, and the second part, "Judas Unchained," is 1,230. The audiobooks are an ear-busting 37 and 40 hours long each…and I'm all in.
Watching
Movies
"The Amateur" - 2.5 / 5 stars
"Marvel Thunderbolts" - 3 / 5 stars
"Sinners" - 4 / 5 stars
"Superman" - 3.5 / 5 stars
"28 Years Later" - 3.5 / 5 stars
"F1" - 3.5 / 4 stars
TV
"Mr. Inbetween" - Totally underrated Australian crime drama series about a criminal for hire. It balances violence and comedy perfectly. It has a specific kind of humour, so maybe not for everyone. Loved it. Streaming on Disney+.
"Foundation" - Season 3 just ended, and it was a banger. AppleTV+ renewed it for a final season, which I think will wrap things up perfectly. The first 2 seasons were a bit slow and with a lot of exposition, but the third season ended with a big bang.
"Billy Joel: And So It Goes" - A documentary about the life and career of Billy Joel. Must watch for anyone who loves his music, especially Gen Xers who grew up listening to him. What a life he’s lived. Streaming on Crave in Canada.
June 10th, 2025. From home in Vancouver, BC.
The past few months were full of challenges, but they also came with The past few months were filled with challenges, but they also taught me valuable lessons that I’m grateful to carry forward.
I’ve cut down my news consumption to a ridiculous degree—and I feel great about it. I was lucky enough to visit Japan for a second time, and honestly, I could go back again. I’m still working through some of the photos I took there.
Right now, I’m planning my next photo walk (I’ll announce it in my newsletter this weekend) and organizing a regular meetup for photo enthusiasts in Vancouver. I’m also trying to soak up as much sun as possible—fully expecting to start complaining about the heat in a few weeks.
“Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion,
We must set ourselves on fire“
- Anonymous internet find
Photography
Currently processing photos from the trip to Japan and spending as much time outside with my camera enjoying the warm weather.
I’m amazed at the new Fujifilm iPhone app, the previous incarnation was horrendous, this one works perfectly. I learned that you can change the bluetooth setting on the camera to use 5 ghz bluetooth instead of 2.4. Why does Fuji set it at the slower speed as default?
Also, with the bright sunny weather I’m enjoying the photography of James Popsys, who I recommend you follow on YouTube as well as Instagram. YouTube Link
Media Diet
Listening
Podcast: The Rich Roll Podcast — Rich is an ultra-endurance athlete with a really interesting life story. His guests are mostly in the health and wellness space. I just listened to it for the first time because his guest was Craig Mod, an author and photographer living in Japan, who has a fantastic life story. Episode link here.
Music: A mix of my usual indie discovery playlists, along with the usual ’80s tunes — lately featuring a lot of hair bands. 🤘🏻
Reading
Reading Tiago Forte’s book Building a Second Brain. Tiago is the creator of the PARA method for managing projects and information.
I’m also constantly refreshing the Libby app to see if I’ve moved up in the queue for The Gift by Lewis Hyde — a book for artists and creatives that one online blurb describes as:
“In a climate where we know the price of everything and the value of nothing, Lewis Hyde offers us an account of those few, essential aspects of human experience that transcend commodity…. A manifesto of sorts for anyone who makes art, cares for it and understands that our most precious possessions are not for sale.”
Watching
So much to watch these days! Highlights include Andor on Disney+ — hands down the best Star Wars series so far. Everything about it is perfect: the story, acting, production… everything. Even if you’re not a Star Wars fan, I can’t recommend it enough.
For something lighter, I’m really enjoying the new series Murderbot on Apple TV+. I’ve read the books, which are super fun. Murderbot’s humor is hilarious, and the TV adaptation is very good.
On the flip side, I’m bummed to report that I didn’t enjoy the second season of The Last of Us (on Crave in Canada). It was sloooooow and felt like a completely different show from the first season. The more episodes I watched, the more frustrated I got.
As for movies, the last Mission: Impossible was…okay. The stunts were, as always, insane — but at nearly three hours, it was a bladder-busting experience that felt way too long and with not a lot of substance.
February 21, 2025. From home in Vancouver, BC.
I think the word “chaos” describes the start of 2025 pretty accurately. If you live on planet earth I’m pretty sure you also feel this way.
I’ve filtered my consumption of news to the bare minimum and it’s been incredibly helpful. I’m focusing on my photography and the things I can control.
I’m motivated by this phrase from one of the best humans of our times...
“Storms make trees take deeper roots“
- Dolly Parton
Photography
Revisiting photographs from some of the greats to get inspiration. Highly recommend you look at the work of Irving Penn and Fan Ho.
Media Diet
Listening
Podcast : Actor David Duchovny’s podcast “Fail Better” features guests discussing failure and its positive impact on life.
Also an obligatory mix of new music from up and coming indie bands and the new album from David Gray.
Reading
Still reading “Meditations for Mortals” by Oliver Burekman, one of my favourite authors. From the description:
“How would life open up if we stopped treating it as a problem to be solved?
The book offers ideas on how to tackle life challenges, like our finite time, the lure of distraction and the impossibility of doing anything perfectly.” You read one chapter a day for 4 weeks.
Watching
“Severance” on AppleTV. Didn’t think it could be weirder, it did and it’s my current obsession.