HOPE IN SHADOWS 2010: Downtown East Side Photography Contest is in its 8th Year

Yesterday I was pleased to volunteer as the documentary photographer for the camera handout at Hope In Shadows photography contest. Hope In Shadows is produced by Pivot Legal Society, and provides residents of Vancouver’s Downtown East Side an opportunity to photograph their neighbourhood from their perspective – showing the lighter side of an area that most outsiders mistakenly dismiss as a dark and dangerous place. Contestants lined up outside the Interurban Gallery at 1 East Hastings to register for one of 200 single use cameras. With only 26 exposures each to capture their vision, some 4000 photos will be narrowed down to 30 winners, and then further reduced to the 12 that are then published in next year’s calendar. It’s quite amazing the emotional and aesthetic qualities in the photographs that result.

A Hope In Shadows contestant showing off his winning photo at the InterUrban Gallery

Some people might challenge what the net benefit of a contest like this is. I think that some of the more privileged residents of this city may believe that purchasing a Hope In Shadows calendar somehow excuses their ignorance of the oft-shunned ‘bad cousin’ of Vancouver’s family of communities. Knowingly or unknowingly they might even be contributing to the oppression of the Downtown East Side neighbourhood simply by going about their daily lives. Yes, I do believe that buying a calendar does provide some people and some organizations that vehicle. But on another level, I think about what the contest has brought to the neighbourhood – one, an uncommon opportunity for the contest’s participants to have a little creative fun with the excitement of pretty decent prizes and recognition. Two, the official vendors who sell the calendar on the street pocket 50% of the $20 price for every calendar they sell – this can provide a substantial income to some people for a portion of the year. Third, and perhaps the biggest impact is that the calendar may actually reach some people and change their perceptions… perhaps some of those people living a more privileged life are moved enough to ask themselves whether that community should be walked on, ignored, and misrepresented as it so often is. Case in point – myself. The first time I saw a Hope In Shadows calendar three years ago, it piqued my curiosity just enough to take a closer look at a neighbourhood that I was once afraid to enter (because of its portrayal in the media). Now, I’ve been volunteering there for over two years, and while I wouldn’t quite call myself an advocate, I could certainly be considered a conduit for advocates of the neighbourhood.

A Hope In Shadows volunteer shows a contestant how to operate the flash

In addition to photographing the camera handout this year (my photos have been published by Hope In Shadows by clicking on the photo above or here), I was also on the panel at the photo workshop (where contestants learn how to take better photos with a single use camera) and I just received the good news that I will also be one of four jurors in the selection of this year’s photos.

This is Hope In Shadows’ 8th annual contest and my second year volunteering – it’s quite an honour indeed. I’ve also embedded at the top a short news clip from 24Hrs Vancouver, who were on site to cover the event along with CBC, CTV, 1130AM Radio, and other media.