But where are the holds? Herein lies the beauty and the differentiator between gym climbers and rock climbers — in the gym, there’s a general beta which you can dial and repeat-send. In the outdoors, there are suggestions (from either leftover chalk residue or a book that you can purchase from the park centre) but the real skill lies is in reading the rock and trusting in your ability to top out. Think of it like a high stakes game testing your ability to real-time solve a problem in relation to your current skills and attributes, and move intuitively with confidence that you won’t fall (because falling can be dire).

Dream Chase Or Bust - Toronto, Canada.

Hands down, one of the coolest moments ever was getting to watch my cousin Dave open for one of his biggest musical idols Zel Bautista of December Avenue.

Going by David Ursolo now, I remember first meeting him as a kid in the Philippines — both energetic and full of life, it was literally like he was bred to sing.

canada, photography, photoshoot, torontoUrvil James VillaruelNovember 27, 2025portraits, musicians, music

The Difference Is In The Dose - Toronto, Canada.

The real key is understanding the ramifications of your decisions and to realizing that you do have a choice. Just because I was brought up eating Filipino food, doesn’t mean I have to make it my go-to choice for every meal. Just because heart disease, diabetes and cirrhosis of the liver are all common to Filipinos doesn’t mean I have to fall victim to these diseases. Just because I was brought up believing everyone’s body breaks down and you just have to live with disease doesn’t mean that that has to also be my fate.

Anonymity & Unlocked Doors - Toronto, Canada.

As a practicing photographer for over 10 years now (fun fact: Tara actually taught me how to shoot photography — Wab taught me how to shoot video), it never ceases to amaze me in regards to how much access and anonymity you can get just by holding a camera.

canada, torontoUrvil James VillaruelJune 19, 2025obc, events, event photography

Don't Sleep On Halifax! - Halifax, NS, Canada.

For all you gamers out there, Halifax’s boardwalk kind of reminds me of Final Fantasy 8’s Balamb Town, and is loaded with many great spots to eat, with some of my top recommendations being: The Bicycle Thief and Dave’s Lobsters (home to easily the best Lobster Roll in Halifax—trust me, I tried a bunch!). Though, if you’re in for a bit of a drive, my other top two recommendations in Halifax would be The Canteen and The Knot Pub.

canadaUrvil James VillaruelOctober 16, 2024halifax, travel, travel photography

Petroglyphs Provincial Park - Woodview, ON, Canada.

Located roughly two-hours away from Toronto next to Peterborough in Woodview, Ontario, contains the largest collection of Petroglyphs in North America with carvings dating as far back as 6,000 years ago with newer carvings etched in as early as 600 years ago.

canadaUrvil James VillaruelJuly 15, 2024petroglyphs, travel, travel photography, traveller

Discovering "awe" in the Canadian Rocky Mountains.

It’s often been said that spiritually is prodded forth by the revelation of our own mortality, and I have yet to discover another place that makes me feel my own mortality as strongly compared to the Rockies.

Still got it!

It’s been a minute since I’ve had a chance to pull out my sword (er… camera), so when I heard that we needed product shots of some new apparel at work, I jumped at the opportunity; despite it not really being in my portfolio.

toronto, canadaUrvil James VillaruelAugust 26, 2022obc, product photography, clothing

Future Naturopathic Doctor.

I always hear that I wear many hats, but that’s only because you get to see all of the things that I do (Marketer, remember?), but, personally, I think all of the hobbies I partake in pales in comparison to all of the unseen things that Tara Rawana does…

photoshoot, toronto, canadaUrvil James VillaruelApril 25, 2020naturopathic doctor, tara rawana

EMO LIVES!—in Bird Problems...

Taking on creative inspirations from classic bands, this band is what I’d consider to be the “budding” Kendrick Lamar of post-hardcore. Keeping strong to the roots of what once was, they carry the ethos and essence of what the genre once was on their backs.

photography, photoshoot, canadaUrvil James VillaruelFebruary 29, 2020music, musicians

Global Climate Strike, 2019.

Solutions are necessary, but solutions require extensive research, critical thinking and logic. Climate change is very real, that’s undeniable; but what we are going to do about it is still up in the air.

canada, torontoUrvil James VillaruelOctober 2, 2019climate change, global climate strike

Newton Mixed Martial Arts.

I’ve been to many different gyms and practiced many different styles over the years, and I can safely say that (in my experience) quality is an attribute that is hard to come by.

photoshoot, canadaUrvil James VillaruelSeptember 22, 2018martial arts, newton mma, carlos newton, the ronin

The Isle Of Underwater On Flowerpot Island, Canada.

However, to the dismay of most individuals who are afraid of reptiles, garter snakes can be found en masse throughout the entire island when one decides to veer (not-so-far, but still) off the beaten path.

travel, canadaUrvil James VillaruelAugust 23, 2017flowerpot island, snake island, ojibway

Locating "El Dorado" In Hamilton, Canada.

For those seekers wishing to check out the majority of these falls in a single day, good luck trying to fit more than five falls into your schedule!

travel, canadaUrvil James VillaruelJuly 12, 2017waterfalls, hamilton, ontario

Connecting Cool In Montreal, Canada.

Contemporarily, Montreal is highly regarded as "Canada's Cultural Capital," according to Monocle magazine. The region holds a tradition of producing both jazz and rock music, alongside producing many talented artists in the fields of: visual arts, theatre, dance and even mixed martial arts.

travel, canadaUrvil James VillaruelJuly 7, 2017montreal, culture, arts