← Back to essayFrank Chen · Capstone
The Journey · Nov 2025 — May 2026
Worst to best, in order.
Forty-one frames, chronological. Each one is an attempt to balance the four values — Story, Feeling, Meaning, and Technical Perfection — and to stop privileging the last one over the first three. The scores below are my own, generous on some days, honest on others.
- 01 / 41Nov 01, 2025Under the bridge
Vanish
Self-grade
Story★★★★★2/5Feeling★★★★★3/5Meaning★★★★★1/5Technical★★★★★1/5 - 02 / 41Nov 05, 2025Underpass
Laughter, Overexposed
Self-grade
Story★★★★★2/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★2/5Technical★★★★★2/5 - 03 / 41Nov 09, 2025Burnaby Lake Park
Composite Geese
Self-grade
Story★★★★★3/5Feeling★★★★★3/5Meaning★★★★★3/5Technical★★★★★2/5 - 04 / 41Nov 13, 2025Riverside, foggy morning
The Aim
Self-grade
Story★★★★★2/5Feeling★★★★★3/5Meaning★★★★★3/5Technical★★★★★3/5 - 05 / 41Nov 18, 2025Back alley fence line
Rose on the Fence
Self-grade
Story★★★★★3/5Feeling★★★★★3/5Meaning★★★★★2/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 06 / 41Nov 22, 2025Riverside, foggy morning
Standoff
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★3/5Meaning★★★★★3/5Technical★★★★★3/5 - 07 / 41Nov 27, 2025Downtown Vancouver
Thurlow & Pacific
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★3/5Meaning★★★★★3/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 08 / 41Dec 02, 2025Riverside, foggy morning
Ground
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★3/5Technical★★★★★3/5 - 09 / 41Dec 07, 2025Metrotown, Burnaby
Metropolis, Blue Hour
Self-grade
Story★★★★★3/5Feeling★★★★★3/5Meaning★★★★★3/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 10 / 41Dec 12, 2025English Bay Beach
Black Bag, Red Rose
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★3/5 - 11 / 41Dec 17, 2025Vancouver Art Gallery
Emphasizing
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★3/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 12 / 41Dec 21, 2025Stawamus Chief, Squamish
Self, with Mountains
Self-grade
Story★★★★★3/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★3/5Technical★★★★★3/5 - 13 / 41Dec 26, 2025Vancouver Art Gallery
Reading Room
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★3/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 14 / 41Dec 31, 2025Empty parking lot
Two, Looking Out
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 15 / 41Jan 04, 2026Community garden
Allium, Upside Down
Self-grade
Story★★★★★5/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★3/5 - 16 / 41Jan 09, 2026Denman St
Rose, Up
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 17 / 41Jan 14, 2026Stanley Park trails
The Runner, Caught in Light
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 18 / 41Jan 18, 2026Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden
Garden Path
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 19 / 41Jan 23, 2026Jug Island Beach Trail
Quiet on the Bench
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★5/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 20 / 41Jan 28, 2026English Bay Beach
Tankers at Sunset
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★5/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 21 / 41Feb 02, 2026Backstage, lion dance practice
Lion in Motion
Self-grade
Story★★★★★3/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★3/5Technical★★★★★2/5 - 22 / 41Feb 06, 2026Spring garden
Among the Blossoms
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★5/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 23 / 41Feb 11, 2026Granville Street, Vancouver
Cruiser on Granville
Self-grade
Story★★★★★5/5Feeling★★★★★5/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 24 / 41Feb 16, 2026Playground, late evening
Beneath the Rings
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 25 / 41Feb 20, 2026Classical Chinese Garden
Looking Up at the Magnolia
Self-grade
Story★★★★★5/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 26 / 41Feb 25, 2026Studio shelf
Mask in the Box
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★5/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 27 / 41Mar 02, 2026Classical Chinese Garden
On the Roof
Self-grade
Story★★★★★5/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★5/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 28 / 41Mar 07, 2026Lynn Creek, North Vancouver
The River, Untouched
Self-grade
Story★★★★★3/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★3/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 29 / 41Mar 11, 2026School hallway
Through the Glass
Self-grade
Story★★★★★5/5Feeling★★★★★5/5Meaning★★★★★5/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 30 / 41Mar 16, 2026Lynn Creek, North Vancouver
By the Current
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 31 / 41Mar 20, 2026Forest trail, autumn
Thumbs Up in the Rain
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★3/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 32 / 41Mar 25, 2026Jug Island Beach Trail
Under the Moss
Self-grade
Story★★★★★5/5Feeling★★★★★5/5Meaning★★★★★5/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 33 / 41Mar 30, 2026North Shore lookout
The Lions, Wrapped
Self-grade
Story★★★★★5/5Feeling★★★★★5/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★5/5 - 34 / 41Apr 03, 2026Hannah Peak approach
Found Something
Self-grade
Story★★★★★5/5Feeling★★★★★5/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 35 / 41Apr 08, 2026Hannah Peak
Alpine, Clean Air
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★3/5Technical★★★★★5/5 - 36 / 41Apr 13, 2026St. Mark's Summit
Howe Sound, From Above
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 37 / 41Apr 17, 2026City stop
Waiting for the 408
Self-grade
Story★★★★★5/5Feeling★★★★★5/5Meaning★★★★★5/5Technical★★★★★5/5 - 38 / 41Apr 22, 2026Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Vancouver
Spring at the Gate
Self-grade
Story★★★★★4/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★4/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 39 / 41Apr 26, 2026Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Vancouver
Tea, Brush, Quiet
Self-grade
Story★★★★★5/5Feeling★★★★★4/5Meaning★★★★★5/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 40 / 41May 01, 2026Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, Vancouver
Willow, City Behind
Self-grade
Story★★★★★5/5Feeling★★★★★5/5Meaning★★★★★5/5Technical★★★★★4/5 - 41 / 41May 04, 2026Gastown Steam Clock
Gastown, After Midnight
Self-grade
Story★★★★★5/5Feeling★★★★★5/5Meaning★★★★★5/5Technical★★★★★5/5
"Most people chase technical perfection. I'm trying to remember the other three."
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