A well travelled explorer is finding himself and his photographic journey in “The Hub” of Vernon.
Photographer José Larochelle is inviting guests to venture through some of his experiences, via his images, when he holds a photography exhibition at The Hub Arts Collective for the month of March.
Larochelle has lived in Vernon for three years with his wife, Karen, and his passion for the outdoors, and natural eye for photography, have proven to be a great combination with his lengthy resumé of travelling.
“I want to show rarities that exist in places most people haven’t heard of,” he said.
Many of the photos in this collection are from Larochelle’s five years as first officer aboard tall ships owned by the Sail and Life Training Society in Victoria, during which he circumnavigated the Pacific.
“The job was amazing and gave me opportunities to invest in people and in the world,” he said. “I visited over a dozen countries and logged over 33,000 kilometers at sea.”
Larochelle’s photography has been featured in The Globe and Mail, The Morning Star, and Vernon Tourism publications, as well as in various periodicals and websites.
His work is best described as having forced allure.
“A lot of his images deal with truth in nature,” said The Hub’s owner Matt Brown. “There is something that exists in José’s eye and the way he captures images that you look for in great photographers. Whether the picture is haunting, bold, exhilarating, or the essence of beauty, José sees and captures something in his images that he wants to share with the rest of the world.”
The show will also include some of Larochelle’s commercial body of work that is nothing short of brilliant in its own artistic nature, added Brown.
Beyond captivating images, Larochelle is also known for being involved in the community. He runs various youth programs throughout the year, plays music, instructs skiing at Sovereign Lake, and never runs short of offering a helping hand.
“José’s helped me out in more ways than one, and has never failed to find time to do so. I hope this show allows our community to get to know José and surprises those who don’t know just how talented he is,” said Brown.
While at The Hub, Larochelle will host a drop-in photography workshop on Saturdays through the month of March.
The opening gala for the exhibition is Saturday at 7 p.m., at The Hub, 2906-30th Ave. Partial proceeds from a suggested donation of $5 will be donated to Kids Sport. Music and refreshments will be served. For more information, visit thehubartscollective.com, or larochelleimages.ca.
