From Here and Away in Wild Saint Boniface

A little after 9am on Saturday morning, From Here and Away founder Joey Visser stands on a bench outside Café Postal, calling together a group of young photographers. After telling us a little about the long history of the area, Joey invites us to think like children - when we see broken concrete and stone jutting out of the wilderness, to imagine ourselves discovering a prehistoric world. 

With a laugh, he steps down and guides us through residential streets toward patches of lush wilderness. He pauses intermittently to tell us stories and offer tips. We buzz around, taking different paths, pausing over a particular rock or branch, calling over friends to get into shots, watching quietly while others work.

The morning is loosely structured, and yet it all comes together. I meet people whose work I've admired on Instagram for years. We joke about our Instagram handles being more familiar than our names. The sense of community is both easy and eager, and I come away from the experience with a deeper appreciation for Saint Boniface as well as the extraordinary time and effort Joey has poured into his work.

From Here and Away is an organization that supports emerging artists and puts on photography workshops like the one I participated in on Saturday. No matter your skill level, you're invited to join in its workshops, participate in its community, and stop by the studio to chat with Joey at 255 Vaughan.