The Homelab Year in Review
What a year it’s been in local real estate. As always we’ve been busy busy at the lab, something that in our current market I can attest to nothing more than our constant and at times all encompassing grind.
When I started at The Homelab it took me a little while to come to terms with the fact that my career was switching gears. I’m not sure why, I guess maybe I thought that there was something lame about that. As in, if I had set out to be an action sports photographer, then changing that - before all goals were achieved - I guess sort of felt like giving up. But people change, times change, surroundings, circumstances, paths, they all change and the last three and a half years have seemed like a constant repositioning of my work.
It took us a while to hit our stride, not that that’s super surprising, it’s natural when getting things off the ground. At first I hated the images, they were sort of the real estate status quo: blended exposures, blue light out the windows, bright interiors shot with the lights on and as wide angle as we could manage. Though as time wore on we cut our own cloth, we built own our style and we created our own path. Now, we’re creating media that all three of us (Jamie, Jody and myself) can all really get behind.
So as my focus has shifted, I’ve been home more than ever, I have a solid foundation of work here that I like, so freelance projects aren’t as risky. New goals in action sports and beyond are being made and paths to achieve them created. After all of the worrying and posturing and resistance subsided a new normal has been formed and things are creatively, better than ever. I guess a part of me still thinks that my work is only interesting if it’s in that niche or genre the I started out in. Possibly a construct of the photo industry drilling into young photographers that they need to be one certain type of photographer and stay that course. Something that in itself I have always struggled to fit in to. I’ve always just wanted to create beautiful images, people, sports, fish, and now homes. The process has been a steep learning curve but it’s something that professionally has become so satisfying to create an images I really believe in.
What a year it’s been in local real estate. As always we’ve been busy busy at The Homelab, something that in our current market I can only really attest to our constant and at times, all encompassing grind. Between our team’s incredible staging skills and our new style of photographing the word is getting out, momentum is building, clients are seeking us out and our reputation is constantly growing.
As the year hits the middle of it’s final quarter and the real estate market has slowed, it’s nice to have the time to look back on the year and all of its great image creating opportunities. Theres some big things in the works with us for 2020 so keep an eye on our Homelab socials for all of the updates and images.
Homelab Real Estate
141 E 4th Avenue,
Qualicum Beach, BC, V9K 2C4.
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Thoughts, comments?
Shore QB
Early this year the town of Qualicum Beach put out a call for bids on their long standing waterfront staple; The Beach Hut. Whispers were running wild around town with the news that we’d be getting a new, updated take on this local classic
The beach hut on Qualicum Beach is back; with a breath of fresh air.
Early this year the town of Qualicum Beach put out a call for bids on their long standing waterfront staple; The Beach Hut. Whispers were running wild around town with the news that we’d be getting a new, updated take on this local classic. Around the same time I had an email in my inbox from Lindy - the new restauranteur -saying ‘I’m starting a new adventure and I’m gonna need some help’.
It wasn’t long after Shore QB opened that I got a chance to stop by and try the food. The menu reads like any good beachside haunt should; fish & chips, fish tacos, great homemade burgers and of course coffees and ice cream to perfectly round out any lunch date. As someone who could easily be classified as a foodie I was so stoked to find that Lindy and her husband Steve had really figured the food out before opening. This wasn’t some attempt to rest on the venue and views as the main draw, they did it right and the food reflects their effort.
Lindy and Steve really recognized that there was no need to veer off into foreign territory or risk losing a devoted audience, they just hit the staples and hit them well. My favourite has to be the fresh fish tacos; perfectly seasoned batter with fresh made pico de gallo, a crunchy kale slaw - that’s not overdressed - and then it’s all topped with a chipotle mayo drizzle…a good single word description would be unbelievable. They’re one of the dishes that I would just want everyone to have at least once. Maybe I’ll find a way to give some to clients one day…
Photographically the shoot was super fun, I absolutely love food and I’d been researching food photography for a long while starting to set my sights on some local spots I could reach out to. We had near perfect weather to light the food with natural sources and I was able to us a Mexican blanket for some balance in colour and some reclaimed boards I had in my carport to establish a weathered, textured yet clean backdrop to juxtapose the dishes. I also picked up a macro lens earlier this year so when required I was able to draw right in on the food and shoot nice and close to fill the frame.
So if it hasn’t become clear yet; I’m a fan…and I think you will be too. If you want to check it out Shore Qb is open Tuesday to Sunday 10am - 8pm March(ish) til October(ish) each year and they’re located right on the seawall beside four poles at Qualicum Beach.
Shore QB
2831 Island Hwy W,
Qualicum Beach, BC, V9K 2C4.
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