This week marks the end of an era at The Times.
Photographer John Gordon, who has taken thousands of photographs and met an enormous number of Langley residents in his 22 years here, is leaving. The Times will not be the same without him.
Gordon has been much more than simply a newspaper employee. He has made many strong connections in this community. He has published two photography books about Langley, and has instructed hundreds of budding photographers in both the mechanics and art of photography.
His photos are to be found all over the community — in people’s homes, in Township hall, on murals and even on electrical panel boxes in Langley City.
He has been a wonderful ambassador for The Times as he met many people over the years, and has won numerous awards at the provincial, national and international level.
He’s not leaving Langley. He will be an integral part of the community and will conduct workshops, offer photography shows and stay involved in other ways.
Gordon has a big heart for the less fortunate. His interest in Tristan Smith, a young boy with arthrogryposis, sparked a wonderful photo essay that struck a chord with readers and led to a drive in the community to help out the Smith family.
A trip he made to Kenya inspired him to begin working with the Langley Rotary Club to raise funds for Third World education projects, and also for a meal program at Nicomekl Elementary.
His interest in people in other parts of the world has been fostered by many trips he has made to other countries. His photos from these trips are among those he regularly shows.
When The Times organized a farewell luncheon, he requested that as a going-away gift, employees donate funds toward providing mosquito nets for children in West Africa, where mosquito-borne diseases often dramatically shorten lives.
John Gordon is a photographer with a genuine interest and delight in people and a global conscience. He’s an integral part of Langley, and it’s been The Times’ great good fortune to have him.