(WRITING WHEN I HAVE TIME...) • JULY, 2026
Note: Throughout this blog you'll notice some bolded text. Those are hyperlinks, so if you're curious (and I hope you are), make sure to give them a click!
Hey there!
If you found your way here... Congrats! I don't know how you did it, but you're here! I genuinely wasn't sure if this blog would survive longer than that 1 post. Well... somehow it's been over two years since I first nervously hit publish on that very first blog post. Back then I had absolutely no idea where any of this was going (I still don't shocker...). I wasn't sure if this would become a habit or just disappear forever (which... admittedly did). Looking back now, I think that's part of the charm. It wasn't planned. It was simply me documenting life as it happened.
So... what has changed since then?
Quite a lot, actually.
Life has a funny way of doing that, doesn't it?
You set out with one plan, blink, and suddenly two years have gone by.
Somewhere between travelling, studying, going to film school, leaving film school (more on that in a second), working, tried new things, made some mistakes, and simply trying to navigate adulthood as a 23 year old. Photography occasionally had to take a back seat. Not because I stopped loving it, but because... well, life happened. Sometimes you're so busy living that you forget to document it. Other times you're just trying to figure things out one day at a time.
I'm still figuring it out, if I'm being honest.
Perhaps the biggest change of all happened this year (2026).
After calling Vancouver home for several years, I packed up my life and left Canada. Vancouver was where I learned to live independently, and where so many memories—both good and difficult—were made. Leaving wasn't easy, but it was a decision I knew I needed to make for my own growth and well-being. It wasn't simply moving countries. It felt like closing a chapter of my life that had shaped me into the person writing this today. At the same time, it reminded me that sometimes growth means letting go of places you love. Not because they've stopped being important, but because they've already given you everything you needed from that chapter.
As scary as big moves are, they also make room for new stories. And if these past few years have taught me anything, it's that some of life's best chapters begin with not knowing what's going to happen next.
Despite all the big changes, theres always been one thing that has been a constant in my life...
Photography has always been the constant.
Over the last two years I've photographed multiple countries, wandered countless streets with a camera around my neck, and experienced places I had only dreamed about visiting. Some of my favourite photographs weren't planned at all—they happened because I decided to take a different street, wait an extra five minutes, or simply slow down enough to notice something everyone else walked past.
I think that's something photography has slowly taught me.
The best moments usually aren't the loudest ones.
Recently, I've been getting back into film photography. I've been shooting film since 2021, even before I started this blog, and despite everything that's changed since then, that excitement of loading a fresh roll into a camera hasn't faded. There's something incredibly satisfying about not knowing exactly what you've captured until much later. It forces me to trust my instincts instead of the back screen of a camera. Every frame feels intentional because it has to be. In a world where everything is instant, film reminds me that some things are worth waiting for.
I even took a class dedicated entirely to developing and printing black-and-white film in a traditional darkroom. Seeing the very image above slowly appear on a blank sheet of paper under the safelight is a feeling that's difficult to put into words. It gave me an even greater appreciation for the craftsmanship, patience, and artistry that photographers relied on long before digital cameras existed. Daydreaming of one day owning my own darkroom.
Travelling has also changed the way I think—and, naturally, the way I photograph.
The more places I visit, the more I realise how little I actually know.
I can be anywhere at anymoment, whether it's Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Canada or Thailand... every place has challenged assumptions I didn't even realise I had. Every culture has its own rhythm, its own way of seeing the world, and its own little everyday moments that locals probably don't think twice about but completely fascinate me.
Sometimes it's just an old man travelling in a bus.
A busy street in the middle of the day.
Someone waiting quietly for the train.
Those moments tell me more about a place than any postcard, movie or a tv show ever could.
Outside of photography, life has been... interesting.
I went to film school.
Then I left film school.
That probably wasn't the plot twist anyone expected, myself included.
Even though I ultimately decided it wasn't the path I wanted to continue, I don't regret it for a second. It introduced me to some incredible people, gave me hands-on experience working on film sets, and confirmed something I had always suspected—filmmaking is every bit as collaborative, chaotic, exhausting and rewarding as it looks from the outside.
Despite how that chapter ended, there were so many parts of it that I'm genuinely grateful for. I spent time working on productions, met people from all kinds of creative backgrounds, and learned that filmmaking is every bit as collaborative as I'd imagined. It made me appreciate not only directors and cinematographers, but every role working quietly behind the scenes to bring the movies and TV shows we love to life.
Being on set—carrying way more gear than anyone should, solving problems on the fly, adapting to whatever challenge came next, and seeing how dozens of people come together to create something from nothing—taught me lessons that I know I'll carry with me for years to come. While not every experience was a positive one, every set taught me something new, whether it was about filmmaking, teamwork, or even myself.
Yes, that's a candid shot of me - on a set. (I don't remember who took it but thank you! LOL)
During that time, I've also met some incredibly talented and passionate people whom I'm lucky to now call friends. I had the privilege of learning from instructors who brought years of real industry experience into the classroom and were always willing to share not only their knowledge, but also the realities of working in film.
Turns out life doesn't always follow the script... which, fittingly, is a lesson I learned while studying scripts.
It also taught me something as equally as important.
Sometimes the right decision isn't to keep pushing forward out of obligation, but to step back, reflect, and make sure what you're doing still aligns with why you started in the first place.
I've also learned that no opportunity, job, school, or person is worth compromising your morals, principles, or values for. It's okay to be kind, to be patient, and to be understanding—but it's equally important to have boundaries. Don't let anyone convince you that respecting yourself is selfish or that success should come at the expense of who you are—something that, as I would later discover in film school, turned out to be a little foreshadowing of my experience there.
There will always be people who push against your boundaries, intentionally or not. Learning when to stand your ground, when to say "no," and when to walk away has been one of the most valuable lessons I've learned over the past two years. At the end of the day, careers can change, enviornments can change, and even dreams can evolve. Your character is one of the few things that stays with you wherever you go. Protect it.
Even though I eventually decided to step away, I don't see my time there as fully wasted.
If anything, it helped confirm what I enjoy, what I value, and the kind of creative environment I want to be part of moving forward.
Sometimes an experience doesn't have to last forever to be worthwhile.
Ironically, during this time I've become more confident technically, I've become less interested in chasing technical perfection.
Yes, I still enjoy talking about cameras (especially on a hidden Reddit account...). The deeper I've gone into the technical side of photography, the more I've realised it's actually sharpened the way I think. It's like exercising a different part of my brain. I've become far more intentional with why I make certain creative decisions, and I genuinely enjoy helping others who are just getting started or are looking for advice.
That said... I still wouldn't exactly call myself the sharpest tool in the toolbox. And I'm still learning every single day.
If Photography has taught me anything, it's that there is always room to grow, no matter how experienced you are. Inspiration can come from absolutely anywhere—a conversation with a stranger, a movie, a song, a rainy afternoon, another photographer, someone from a completely different creative field, or simply taking a wrong turn and stumbling across something unexpected.
I think that's one of my favourite things about creativity. Nobody ever truly "finishes" learning. The moment you believe you've mastered everything is probably the moment you stop growing. And funnily enough, the more I learn, the more I realise how much I still don't know.
But you also have to remember, nobody remembers a photograph because it was shot at f/1.4 or because it had the sharpest lens. They remember them because of how they made them feel in that moment, or because they evoked a memory, emotion, or perspective they hadn't considered before.
Currently, one ongoing project of mine that became incredibly special to me over this past year was photographing TWICE (yes THE Kpop group—you've probably heard of them, but if not, you should totally check them out cuz they are great! {my spotify playlist of their music!}) during their 2025-26 'THIS IS FOR' world tour. What started as simply bringing a camera to the concerts slowly evolved into creating fan project around my photographs from this tour. Meeting fellow ONCEs around the world, and seeing people genuinely excited to see the photos I took reminded me why I picked up a camera in the first place.
A little sneakpeak below, hehehe.
Photography has always been about people.
Even when there aren't any visible in the frame.
Perhaps the biggest change, though, has nothing to do with cameras.
When I wrote my first blog, I talked a lot about wanting to understand people, challenge misinformation, and encourage conversations instead of assumptions.
I still believe every word of that.
If anything, I believe it even more now.
Over the past two years, I've realised that being heard and listening to others aren't opposites—they go hand in hand. I've never wanted conversations to be about proving someone right or wrong. I've simply wanted people to feel heard, myself included, because I believe that's where understanding begins.
Not every conversation needs a winner.
Sometimes people just want someone willing to listen without immediately deciding who was right.
Curiosity leads to conversations.
Conversations lead to understanding.
Understanding leads to empathy.
And empathy changes the way we see the world.
It's funny reading my first blog now. Some parts make me cringe a little. Some parts make me smile. But I'm glad I didn't wait until I felt like a "real photographer" or a "real writer" before starting. If I had, this post probably wouldn't exist either.
I'm still learning.
Still travelling.
Still taking way too many photos.
Still carrying far too many cameras.
Still trying to figure things out one step at a time.
Maybe that's the point.
Among the plethora of things I'm still trying to figure out, there's one that has been on my mind more than ever lately.
Finding my own voice.
Not just as a photographer, or as someone who enjoys writing, but as a storyteller.
I'm still discovering what I want to say, how I want to say it, and what kind of impact I hope my work leaves behind. I don't think that's something you ever truly finish figuring out, and maybe that's the exciting part. Every photograph I take, every conversation I have, every place I visit, and every person I meet adds another small piece to that puzzle.
Maybe that's the point.
So here's to documenting another chapter.
More countries.
More stories.
More photographs.
More conversations.
And, hopefully, getting just a little bit closer to finding that voice.
Life has a habit of moving faster than I can write about it and I may disappear from this blog again... (bad habit sorry). If you'd like to follow along in the meantime, you'll find more live updates on where I am, what I'm up to, photos, and maybe behind-the-scenes moments or whatever project I'm currently obsessing over, over on my social media.
Until next time.
— Carina
P.S. Go outside more. You never know what you'll find around the next corner.
P.S.S. I'm still figuring things out... and maybe that's exactly how you find your voice. ( ͡❛ ᴗ ͡❛)
