Ty Gerace of Kelowna travels around the city in his wheelchair taking photos.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Ty Gerace
April 08, 2025 - 6:00 AM
Kelowna's Ty Gerace gets an interesting view of the city he loves as he cruises the streets with a GoPro clamped to his wheelchair.
He photographs items left behind by the homeless population in some of the roughest and more industrial parts of the city, contrasted against sunsets or blue skies.
“I like the industrial areas where maybe someone who isn’t well off has left something behind like a shopping cart. I travel in areas downtown, places where there are interesting people," he said. “Mostly I enjoy the golden hours, so late afternoon where the sun is sort of setting and you can capture interesting photos that way.”
Gerace has been a quadriplegic since surviving a car accident two decades ago and only has limited movement in his left arm. He's able to use technology, and creativity, to maintain his independence and take photos.
“I’m pretty capable, I have a lot of abilities and with technology can do quite a bit," he said. “The GoPro is an older one, it’s pretty basic and I use a jaw clamp attached on my footrest or somewhere lower on my chair because I like that perspective, and I use my phone as the view finder,” he said. “I can see what the camera is pointing at through my phone so I can line up what I want to take a picture of, basically hit a button on the phone and it takes a shot.”
An abandoned cart sits on a quiet street in Kelowna.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Ty Gerace
One of Gerace’s favourite things to photograph is shopping carts he finds in alleyways, turning an everyday thing into art.
“I have other photos of things that aren’t shopping carts but I like the ugly sort of nature of things and mixing that with a beautiful sunset,” he said. "These little things can tell a story about a city."
Gerace said he is curious about the people in his city and when he's out cruising the streets, people are comfortable approaching him for conversation, which he doesn’t mind. They will also offer help when he is parked in one spot, believing he might be stuck.
He said he wants to talk to those living rough on the streets to hear their stories and ask to take their photos, but doesn’t feel safe enough as a quadriplegic.
“I worry it’s more dangerous nowadays to get close to people and because I can’t defend myself if there’s an issue, I tend to stay away," he said. “I’ll see a homeless person and don’t judge at all, I’ve been in low places during my life. I’d love to roll up and ask to take a picture of them with their cart, but I don’t know how they’ll receive that.”
Blue skies and a setting sun are seen through a grocery cart in a Kelowna parking lot.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Ty Gerace
Gerace would love to see his unique street photography displayed in a local restaurant or cafe where people can purchase them or “just admire them.”
He recently moved to a new neighbourhood he is exploring.
“I just attach the camera to my chair and go for a roll,” he said.
Go here to see more of Gerace's photographs.
This grocery cart was left behind in an industrial lot in Kelowna.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Ty Gerace
A homeless person's cart full of belongings is pictured at sunset in Kelowna.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Ty Gerace
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