What a miracle Chuck Chin was.
He became a Prince George social media darling as a senior citizen and he did it not by crafting a personality but just by being his relentlessly positive and curious self. And he did it using photography, a medium much older and traditional than Facebook and Tik Tok videos.
Up until his sudden death over the weekend at age 73, Chin realized that photography is special because it freezes moments in time, giving us a unique perspective of ourselves and our community.
He more than compensated what he lacked in technical skill and formal training with enthusiasm. In other words, he cared far more about what was in front of the camera than the camera itself.
A retired pulp mill worker, Chin’s hobby was photography but his passion was to show as many people as he could the beauty of Prince George and its residents.
The difference between Chin and David Mah, another dearly missed photographer beloved by Prince George residents, is Mah was a news photographer who ran towards the sound of sirens and the tragic moments found there as enthusiastically as he approached beautiful scenes in nature.
Chin focused solely on the good and was proud of it but he didn’t do it for himself or for the compliments and gratitude he received so often over the years. He wanted Prince George residents to see their neighbours and their surroundings with the same appreciation he did.
He attended all of the community events – sports, arts, holidays, fundraisers – where residents came to have fun and be their best selves.
The cynical minded would dismiss that as a Hallmark card perspective of Prince George but that ignores Chin’s broader vision.
In every single photograph he ever posted, Chin was reminding all of us of who we are and who we can be when we come together.
His passing draws attention to the challenge he left behind: to love and treasure one another and this city we call home, to keep coming together as a community to create the joyful, memorable moments that sustain us through difficult times.
Let’s not let him down.
Neil Godbout is the editor of the Prince George Citizen
