Flickr, the popular photo sharing site, began in Vancouver back in 2004. Now owned by Yahoo!, it has grown to over 50 million users worldwide. It offers Creative Commons licensing on images, privacy settings, a free version (as well a paid, pro version), and intuitive search functions.
I have been a Flickr user since 2004 and have been curating my Miss604 Flickr Pool for Metro Vancouver since 2008. The benefits are numerous but my top reasons for sharing my photos on Flickr include the licensing options, tags (for being searchable), and the community of people that will see (and potentially share) your work. John actually had a photo of his published in a book about craft beer in the Pacific Northwest after the author searched Flickr and came across his shots from Howe Sound Brewing.
The famous “kissing couple” photo from the 2011 riot in Vancouver was also posted to Flickr by Rich Lam and then licensed through Getty Images.
There are several other Vancouver-related Flickr Group to which users add their images so I thought I would profile a handful.
Vanishing Vancouver
Group Link: Vanishing Vancouver
Description: “This group is for photos of disappearing aspects, or little fragments of the city that won’t be around much longer. Maybe you have a photo of a house down the street that’s slowly falling apart, or perhaps a building downtown facing the wrecking ball, or maybe you’ve even got some photos of some places that are already gone. Then this is the group for you!”
What’s left of the Pantages Theatre. Vanishing Vancouver. Photo credit:
Photocat62 on Flickr
Vancouver Transit
Group Link
Description: “Photos and discussion about Vancouver’s transit system, including buses and trolleys, SeaBus, SkyTrain, and the West Coast Express.”
Vancouver Transit. Photo credit:
rbrtwhite on Flickr
Guess Where Vancouver
Group Link
Description: “In this group you should post intriguing pictures of something (people, places, things) in Vancouver. Vancouver is being defined by the group as the GVRD (now known as Metro Vancouver). You post a photo. We guess where it was taken. Participating is a great way to get to know the city — or show off how well you know your ‘hood.”
Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay
Group Link
Description: “Please add your photos of Medal-Bearers taking part in the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay. We would also love to see photos of community activities as the Relay passes through your town/city. All photos posted here will appear on RickHansenRelay.com.”
The Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay is currently in Alberta and will get to British Columbia on March 19, 2012.
Foncie’s Fotos
Group Link
Description: “Street photographer Foncie Pulice must have shot over a million people walking along Granville Street in Vancouver between 1946 and 1979. He’d hand you a ticket as you passed which you could redeem for your picture after 24 hours. There must be tens of thousands of these photos kicking around in albums, scrapbooks, etc. Do you have any?”
My Opa on Granville, captured by Foncie.
While the Foncie’s group doesn’t have very many members, I wanted to profile it in case there are any other Foncie photos out there. I wrote about Foncie Pulice back in 2007 when I first came across my Opa’s photo. His story is a very interesting slice of local street photography history.
To add your Flickr photos to a group click on Actions > Add to Group. Only groups that you have joined will appear in the list.
Be sure to read the group’s rules before adding your images as well. Some have daily limits on the number of photos you can share and others are very specific about the type of images they allow in the pool. Pay particular attention to the rules for Guess Where Vancouver, which can be a really fun visual trivia game.
Feel free to add your Metro Vancouver & Fraser Valley images to the Miss604 Flickr Pool to share with others and for possible feature on Miss604.com.
The Royal BC Museum, one of my favourite Victoria attractions, is currently hosting the Young Photographer Contest for ages 8 to 17.
How to Enter
Visit the contest page on Facebook and submit a photograph that you feel represents British Columbia’s wildlife.
Prizes
- A Pro Museum Photography Photo-Shoot
Spend an afternoon at the museum with professional photographers, use their photo-studio and gear to capture your very own museum-quality shots of an artifact chosen by you. Learn tricks from the pros and build your portfolio
- Special Royal BC Museum “Behind The Scenes” Tour
Exclusive look at some of the museums strangest specimens. Then, take your pick from a selection of artifacts to shoot in the Royal BC Museum studio.
- Make your own Print to take home
With the help of museum photo-lab staff and digital imaging software process your own photo. When you are done, create a beautiful museum quality large-size print to take home with you.
- Wildlife Photographer of the Year Book
Wildlife Photographer of the Year hardcover publication.
- One Year Youth Royal BC Museum Membership
Budding shutterbugs can hone their skills this spring break and submit their photos by March 24, 2012 to be entered in the competition. The Royal BC Museum will decide on two winners, one from the 8-11 age group and one from 12-17 years old, after a Facebook fan vote.
Grouse Mountain presents the Quiksilver Showdown Over the City, a 4-star event that is part of the Swatch TTR World Snowboard Tour.
Quiksilver Showdown Over the City 2011 from Alterna Films on Vimeo.
International and local snowboard talent will be competing for $15,000 in cash and prizes at Grouse from March 23rd to March 24th, 2012. Friday will have the qualifiers – for amateurs and pros – along with a night time rail jam session while Saturday will host the finals and other festivities. Registration for the qualifying event is now open.
Filmmakers and photographers can also compete to win prizes as they document the events.
Photo credit:
flynnkc on Flickr – Submitted to the Miss604 Flickr Pool.
Grouse Mountain has offered up a fantastic prize package for one Miss604.com reader and a guest. This includes one night in a deluxe suite at Hotel Le Soleil along with two passes for the Quiksilver Showdown Over the City complete with beer garden passes. Here’s how you can enter to win:
- Leave a comment on this post naming a pro or amateur snowboarder (1 entry)
- Post the following on Twitter (1 entry)
I will draw one winner next Monday, March 18, 2012 at 11:00am. Must be 19 years of age or older to enter and attend the beer garden at the event. Please enjoy responsibly. Hotel stay is valid for March 24, 2012.
Update The winner is Travis!
The jovial A-Maze-Ing Laughter statues in Morten Park by Chinese artist Yue Minjun have brought smiles to the faces of locals and visitors for the last few years. As a part of the Vancouver Biennale public art exhibition, time is running out on these painted bronze figures at English Bay. That is, unless the Park Board hears your thoughts.
Thanks to the Vancouver Public Spaces Network on Twitter I came across some new information about the piece: “The Vancouver Park Board has received an offer from the Vancouver Biennale Foundation to extend the public exhibition of this sculpture for a period of 20 years at no cost to the City, the Vancouver Park Board or residents.”
According to the source of this news, the Park Board is doing a public consultation, asking residents if they support the idea of keeping A-Maze-Ing Laughter at English Bay.
This is a regular part of the approval process for public art so to show your support, email pbcomment[at]vancouver.ca with the subject line of “Biennale Consultation” and “Attention: Coordinator, Arts and Culture”. Deadline for sending in your feedback is March 16, 2012.
The Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company announced today that it will be closing its curtains for the very last time on Saturday night after a final production of Hunchback.
From The Vancouver Sun:
The announcement was made Friday by the board chair, who said the decision was made at 4 a.m. after an emergency board meeting. “I’m overwhelmed by a sense of loss,” artistic managing director Max Reimer said at a press conference, which is continuing.
“The Playhouse will be remembered,” he told a crowd that included employees, actors, theatre directors and members of Vancouver’s theatre community.
It received a $1-million bailout last September by city council. The Playhouse had sought a $657,920 rental grant from the city this year but was granted only $500,000.
Last year, the city considered restructuring the lease the company has for the city-owned 650-seat Playhouse Theatre, which is part of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre complex. Reimer said the company has almost $1 million in debt and 15 full-time employees. He said the loss to the theatre community will be about $2.9 million a year, which was spent on actors fees, set design, props and costumes.
The Vancouver Playhouse’s first production was Brendan Behan’s The Hostage on October 2, 1963. It presented its first original Canadian play, Eric Nicol’s Like Father, Like Fun, in 1965. [Source: Vancouver History]
The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, one of North America’s most celebrated wine events, just wrapped up last week. Tickets may still be available for the 2:00pm and 8:00pm performances of Hunchback on Saturday before this 50-year old company takes a final bow.
