Staying present through scenes from the past

Photography has the power to preserve not only a memory, but the feelings associated with that memories. Turning to moments captured on camera can help recreate those same feelings to cope with burnout and restlessness, and thus build up resilience to get through the day.

For many people, these moments were found in nature. On the following pages are photos taken by students — both before and during the pandemic — that bring them solace in times of languishing.

Nathan Bawaan

“This photo I took of the mountains from Tower Beach in first year (which is also my laptop screensaver) reminded me of Vancouver while I was stuck inside my house.”

Charlotte Alden

“Going into the mountains brought me so much joy and peace over the last year! The first photo was taken on Mount Seymour and the second was taken on top of Locomotive Mountain in the Pemberton Valley.”

Mahin E Alam

Melissa Li

“Earlier this year, I found an old point-and-shoot film camera hiding in the bottom of my mom’s drawer. This is a shot of rainy Chinatown from my first roll of film that reminds me of the charm that can be found in everyday scenes.”

Polina Petlitsyna

“This photo is a real gem, taken just off the shore of Hornby Island, BC. This was my first time leaving Vancouver since the start of the pandemic, so I was feeling quite nervous about the trip. This stunning shot is something I like to look back on when I can’t see past the dark moments in life. It’s definitely the type of photo to make me feel hopeful about the future, and serves as a reminder to count the blessings around me.”

Lua Presidio

Thomas McLeod

“To me, these photos have charted isolation to varying degrees, whether it’s the imagery of the horizon evoking both vast loneliness and its transcendence, inevitable daybreak after a long night or the convergence of many smaller subjects into an isolated whole.”

“When you’re separated from people, the elements of the world become subjects and characters upon which you’ll project your own emotional circumstances. I hoped to capture that natural internality with these photos.”

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