The David’s Wedding, 2021
Photos & Video by myself & my wife on Digital
Additional photos by Aidan Matthews on 120 Film and Digital
May - September, 2020 on 120 Film
Jardin Botanique de Montréal, Summer 2020 on 35mm
April - May, 2020 (Start of Quarantine) on 35mm
New York, 2019 on 35mm
At the end of October 2019, myself, my then girlfriend, and my baby boy rented a car and drove from Montréal to New York for the weekend. It was an extremely scenic route driving through upstate New York in the fall time. When we got to the city, however, we were greeted by Friday night rush hour and unfamiliar streets that confused the hell out of us. We missed many turns, and most importantly, an entrance to the first available bridge to Brooklyn. This delayed us quite a bit. It was hectic, but we were happy to be there. We even turned off our music, rolled the windows down and soaked up the sounds of the city. The sun was just starting to set as the colossal buildings, bridges, river and skylines surrounded us and filled us with excitement. From that moment on, New York had sunk its teeth into us. The overstimulation, the cinematic scenery, the people, the streets. The whole time we were there I wasn’t able to focus much on making photographs of the city, but I’m still satisfied with the little bit I was able to capture.
We stayed at an airbnb in Brooklyn for the weekend. It was a very cool and cozy space, but definitely not suitable for my young family. The building was super noisy and the walls were very thin. We could hear all the heavy footsteps on the stairs as if each person were walking in the middle of our bedroom. We could hear the sounds of the busy street and our temporary neighbours screaming and partying well into the night. But with all that being said, I feel like that’s exactly what we signed up for. It was the full New York living experience.
On the first night we ventured out into Williamsburg and just roamed around the neighbourhood. Mady and I are avid consumers of food shows both on traditional television, and on the internet, so we were well equipped with spots that we wanted to try while we were there. When looking back I realize that we actually planned our weekend itinerary and routes around the places we’d be eating at. Roberta’s was at the very top of my list because of shows like The Pizza Show on Youtube and Huang’s World on Vice. The wait was so long for a box of pizza that after we ordered we had time to leave, walk around the sketchy-industrial-hipster/homeless friendly block, browse some cool stores, go to a bakery for some vegan cheesecake, go to a coffee shop, and back. We took the pizza back to the apartment and it ended up living up to my expectations fully and completely. Night well spent.
The next morning we planned to head into Manhattan for our busiest, most tightly packed day. We took the subway, and wow was that not a child friendly experience. Luckily Mady had researched how the system worked prior to the trip. If she didn’t do this my stress levels and confusion would have been at an all time high. We hit up Katz’ Deli, a cupcake shop I forgot the name of, Washington Square Park, the Guggenheim, Central Park and anything that caught our eye on the way and in between. Our plan really didn’t take into account how hungry, sleepy and tired of walking all three of us would end up being. We craved moments of just sitting on benches, or taking a breath in a coffee shop or bakery. Katz’ was a hot mess. Filled to the brim with tourists, but we were able to find a seat, even with our baby in his stroller taking up more room than people would like him to. Ordering there is complicated but ultimately just another microcosm of the chaotic experience that is New York. The food was good, but I think Montréal wins the smoked meat battle by a landslide. Mady loved the cupcake shop. Washington Square park was cool to see after all these years of only experiencing it through episodes of Friends and countless other tv shows and films. The forum of the Guggenheim was a magnificent feat of architecture that we didn’t even spend more than 15 minutes inside of.
Every corner of the city is photogenic. Every block has its own unique character. But I find the rhythm of the city to be so rapid that you’re not even allowed the time to process the beauty that is in front of you, behind you, beside you and above you. I would love to come back for a longer period of time to really just walk around a Borough at a time and take it all in. More slowly. More intently.
Although I loved almost everything that we did, ate, and saw, nothing was more important than our final destination, Central Park. This is the place Mady was the most excited to see. This is where she wanted to spend the most time. This is where I had planned, unbeknownst to her, to ask her to marry me.
We walked around for quite some time, but through it all I was waiting for the right moment and looking for the perfect location to pop the question. I was simultaneously very anxious and excited on the inside. I had planned to ask her if I could take a portrait of her on my medium format film camera, and then take the ring out, say my piece, ask the big question, then take another photo of her as my fiancée. I wanted to wait until the light was just a little past golden hour. After eating a hot dog from a street vendor and stopping at a Starbucks to refuel our tired selves, we walked through the park in search of a washroom. While Mady lined up to go, Zay and I walked off to an empty little field beside the washrooms that had a strange twisting tree in the middle of it. The sun had about 10-15 minutes left before it set for good and Mady was still in line. I figured that this was as good a place as any to ask. It had a memorable tree, an amazing view of the buildings that surround the park, a beautiful pond directly in front of it, and best of all, it was quiet and not crowded. When she came out of the washroom I had my camera out and the ring in my pocket. Zay was in his stroller being a little fussy, but I needed him to stay in there for just a moment longer. I asked her if I could take her photo in the amazing light. I ended up underexposing it quite a bit, but thats just the nature of film photography I guess. The second photo is seen below, and I think it perfectly incapsulates what we were both feeling at that moment. Mady was clearly crying but smiling and laughing joyously. I’m forever grateful that she said yes, and I’m happy that we have this life changing memory captured on film.
I have so many mixed feelings about New York. In my youth I envisioned myself so clearly moving there, being apart of the music scene and making art. In my present I could never imagine that becoming a reality. I am no longer attracted to the noise and chaos. I am so heavily attached to and in love with my quiet neighbourhood in Montréal and my lifestyle with my tiny family. But now New York will always hold a special place in mine and my fiancée’s hearts. We will always look to that spot in Central Park with reverence and love. We will always remember it as one of the truly important landmarks in our life’s story. What a weekend.
