Accidentally Wes Anderson, intentionally April Carandang

by Oscar Pantaleon Jr.

April Carandang frames Red River College’s downtown campus in the Exchange District, highlighting its brick façade and neat symmetry worthy of a Wes Anderson scene. (Photo by April Carandang.)	April Carandang brims with optimism, believing the most transformative images are often the ones she hasn’t made yet. (Photo by Joan Ballester)

Who would have thought that Winnipeg is awash with scenes that feel lifted from a Wes Anderson film? From the pastel charm of Roslyn Square and the elegance of the Fort Garry Hotel to the open greens of St. Norbert Provincial Park, and the historic façades of the Exchange District, the city reveals a quiet theatricality.

In 2021, Tourism Winnipeg featured April Carandang, who captured the colours and symmetry of filmmaker Wes Anderson, in a series titled Accidentally Wes Anderson: Winnipeg edition. Through her lens, familiar corners became cinematic tableaux.

Beginnings in film and finding community

“I’ve always loved taking photos,” says April, a University of the Philippines alum who is now a travel and documentary photographer in Canada. “After university, it became a way for me to chronicle my travels, my friends and family.”

April recalls her introduction to photography. “I took a course in university where we learned how to operate an SLR camera, shoot on film, and develop photos in the darkroom. That experience really grounded me in the basics.” Soon after, her father gave her a digital camera, which she used to document her travels across the Philippine islands.

When she immigrated to Winnipeg in 2015, photography became both compass and community. “I joined photo walks to get to know the city. That’s where I met great local photographers who inspired me to take my work to the next level.”

Beyond her photography, she is deeply involved in grassroots community work. She is currently co-chair of Women’s March Winnipeg, helping organize initiatives that raise awareness around issues affecting marginalized groups, and she also serves on the council and marketing team of Bahaghari Pride MB, where she supports programming that centres and uplifts the Filipino 2SLGBTQ+ community.

From the Prairies to the Arctic

April’s portfolio stretches from the Prairies to the Arctic, but one of her earliest pivotal moments happened close to home. “The photo I took of the 2018 Canada Day Celebration at The Forks was probably the turning point for me,” she recalls. “That image won awards and opened the door to working on more projects.”

The recognition led to an assignment documenting Via Rail’s reconnection to Churchill for Canadian Geographic. The project would test her in new ways. “I had to capture the story as it happened. There were no do-overs.”

She had never been to Churchill and had never done a documentary project of that scale. “It pushed me to trust my instincts and work intentionally. It gave me confidence as a documentary photographer.”

Since then, her body of work has included projects for Destination Canada, Air Canada, and Travel Manitoba, alongside collaborations with arts and sustainability organizations. In 2024, her stop-motion short Tiny Leaf, Tiny Forks won at the Architecture + Design Film Festival Winnipeg, celebrating the idea of “third places,” communal spaces where people gather and build community.

	April Carandang’s award-winning 2018 Canada Day photograph at The Forks opened the door to future assignments with Canadian Geographic. (Photo by April Carandang.)

Telling stories that matter

At the heart of April’s practice is a commitment to people and place. “I’m especially drawn to stories from communities that are not always visible. Meaningful work for me is about capturing and sharing stories that need to be heard.”

Reflecting on how her craft has evolved over time, she shared, “I think I’m more focused now on capturing the actual stories rather than just what looks good or chasing that wow photo. My approach is more intentional, and I pay attention to the people, moments, and context.”

And for emerging photographers, her advice is simple: “Take lots and lots of photos and keep sharing them… Over time you’ll discover your voice and the right audience will find and appreciate your work.”

In the coming years, April will be homing in on things that matter. “I’ll be building my travel writing and documentary photography portfolio. I’ve realized these are the things I love doing the most.” Ultimately, “I want to keep creating work that tells meaningful stories and connects with people.”

Closer to the horizon, April is working on a series of photo collages for an upcoming group exhibit, depicting scenes that echo life in both the Philippines and Canada. “I’m excited about how it reflects memory and living between cultures,” she says. Would there be hints of Wes Anderson aesthetics in the exhibit? We’ll see!