The next time you are out at a Richmond event this summer, don’t forget to smile pretty for the camera.
That’s because Rachel Kwan will be focusing her talents chronicling people (particularly youth) and events for the Richmond News during the next couple of months.
Kwan, 18, a graduate of McMath secondary this June, developed quite a reputation at her high school as the person to capture school life in photos and video.
Although hardly shy, it was being the person behind the lens she enjoyed most, said Kwan, who started toting a camera around in Grade 10.
“I never like being the centre of attention. I like documenting events so people have those memories they can look back on,” Kwan said. “It’s kinda cool — it connects me with everybody. And I’ve made a lot of friends that way because they have seen my photos and videos.”
Kwan said she gets her artsy, visual side from her older sister, Megan. And Kwan’s mother provided a love of comedy and writing.
It’s those two talents, plus a scholarship, Kwan will be putting to use when she attends Langara College this September where she is enrolled in creative writing courses, with an ultimate view of getting into writing as a profession.
“But I am going to always have film and photo on the side,” Kwan said, adding she credits her photography teacher at McMath, Anil Sharma, for encouraging her.
Away from the classroom she will be playing soccer for the college team which is another passion of Kwan’s.
“I have so much energy. That’s why I play competitive sports,” said Kwan, who was also a provincial level field hockey player before choosing soccer as her main pursuit.
“I can’t just focus on one thing. I’m kinda hyper. I need to do a lot of things all at once.”
As for the rest of summer, Kwan will get that opportunity to be busy on a regular basis with her trusty camera.
“It will basically be what I did at McMath, just on a bigger scale,” she said. “That should get me out and off the couch.”
— Philip Raphael
