Many times a day, the people you see crossing the street or meet in your travels make you smile and wonder, “What is their life like? What is their story?” A photographer is compelled to capture these individuals’ image to communicate their unique stories—to take a portrait that reflects their personality and the world they live in. For me (@tallulahphoto), this evolved into a passion to photograph these everyday people, whose unique souls reflect not only the zeitgeist but the joy and colour that comes from living on the West Coast.
Portraits from the Vancouver People Project will be featured in Vancouver Is Awesome as a precursor to a future photographic exhibit featuring the wonderful characters who contribute to the fabric of Vancouver.
Robert Wong
My Chinese name is Garbok, but just call me Bob or Robert.
Age: I was born in 1935, Year of the Pig, so that makes me 78 years old.
Born: Taishan Village, Guangdong Province, China
How long have you lived in Vancouver? Since 1949.
Occupations: My first job was at age 14 at the Grand Café Restaurant in Prince Rupert, B.C. My grandfather, who had come to work on the Canadian Pacific Railway in the 1800s, sponsored my immigration to Canada. In 1957, I took a shoe repair course at the Vancouver Vocational Institute. After securing a lease I opened Bob’s Shoe Repair in1959. To make ends meet, I delivered Chinese food in the evenings.
Passions and Interests: Shoe repair, watching hockey on TV and the Vancouver Canucks.
What do people know you for? Shoe repair and good service.
Thoughts on Vancouver? Vancouver is freedom, you can do anything you want with no restrictions, there is good weather and no air pollution. ( rain is better than snow.) Vancouver is the best city. I love it, there is nowhere else like it.
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Tallulah’s Musings
The moment I met Bob, I was charmed. I popped into his shop quite a few times, just to hear his history, stories and his views on life. I always left feeling happier. Bob has a very warm personality, and his customers always get a smile and a chat. Bob seems to be very content, despite the fact most people his age are retired. He told me he is the luckiest man in the world to have his own business. I photographed Bob in his shop on Oak Street, which is crowded with shoes and repair equipment. Bob wouldn’t meet me anywhere else for a photo, as he runs his store full time.
