Jared VanderMeer completely credits his relatively new Island environment as the backbone of his career as a full-time content creator on TikTok.
The North Saanich resident moved there from Alberta in late 2020 and says he’s never going back.
“I packed up in Edmonton, where we have our agency, and everyone moved remote,” VanderMeer said. “Coming to the Island was the shift for me to change my mindset to try something I always wanted to do.”
He now had south coast environment, free from never-ending snow and fields, with shoreline, mountains, fields and forests. “The Island gave me the ability to follow this passion.”
The environment stoked his creativity.
@jared.vandermeer Inbound ✈️ harbour flight capture with this #mobilephotography tip. 📱📸🤷♂️ #photoideas #vaseshots #victoriabc ♬ Fly – Marshmello
READ ALSO: Pluto’s Demotion Day a chance to salute the disinherited dwarf planet
While in marketing, VanderMeer always had interest in photography and took that artistic background to the social media world. After losing clients during the pandemic, he decided to commit to the work on accounts he’d already created on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
VanderMeer said he knew from a marketing perspective the work required. Previously posting two to three times a week, consistently, he had to up that.
“If you actually want to chase social media and garner a following you have to post lots and it has to be good within your niche – quality and quantity,” he said.
READ ALSO: Former B.C. Apple Store employee Sam Sung auctioning off business card for charity
VanderMeer feels his early productions weren’t very good. Slowly and surely he got better, working on them daily. As he got better, they gained traction, developing an audience as he slowly discovered Vancouver Island while honing the craft.
“Five hundred videos later we are where we are now,” he said, now a full-time content creator, sharing behind-the-scenes and creative photography reels. “It really did help me discover the Island. Everywhere we go is still new, because we’re still new here, but it has allowed me to use fresh eyes.”
Do you have a story tip? Email: c.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.
