An Okanagan photographer/videographer is looking to uplift his fellow creatives.
Jonathan Shewchuk got into photography three years ago while travelling through Europe with his wife.
Throughout his years of documenting his journey statically, Shewchuk decided to dive into the world of videography and says he took to it quite naturally. He started a Youtube channel shortly after and the rest is history.
“I just wanted to be able to easily share our travelling experiences with friends and family in a unique way,” said Shewchuk. “One thing lead to another and now I am here."
Shewchuk had been living in Texas up until two weeks ago when he returned to Kelowna. Upon his arrival, he reconnected with his lifelong friend and fellow photographer Landon Hemmes, that is when the idea sparked.
“I told Landon I wanted to shoot with him and make a short video that shared a bit about him and what he does,” said Shewchuk.
The pair got together and spent a day shooting around the city, ending up with a quick yet impactful video that gives viewers a bit of insight into the man behind @landos.photos on Instagram.
“It really wasn’t until I uploaded the video to YouTube that I had the idea of turning this into a series,” said Shewchuk. And thus the Okanagan Creators series came to life.
The series will feature Okanagan creatives doing what they do best, all the while fostering a sense of camaraderie and offering the community a chance to get to know the people who capture our city so beautifully in a wide variety of ways.
“I thought it would be a good way to get some collaboration going, It can be really powerful when creatives come together,” said Shewchuk.
So far, Shewchuk has six creatives on the roster, but he is eagerly searching for more who are interested in collaborating with him.
“The project is still in its infancy so I am still looking for more people, but they don’t have to just be a photographer or media creator, it can be anyone who feels like they have a good story to tell,” explained Shewchuk.
“I just want to showcase people who create happiness, positivity or joy and put that out into the community.”
Shewchuk won't be charging for the collaborative videos, instead, he will be making it more of a philanthropic venture.
If the individuals featured feel inclined to make a monetary donation to the project, he will give 50% of the funds to the Central Okanagan Hospice Association, with the other half going toward travel expenses on shoot days.
For more information on how to get involved, click here!
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