Do or Don't

Photographing people in desolate situations could invoke a diverging emotion within one's self. I took this photo of Gael, 10 years of age, as I was looking for a photo of daily life for work. He was scavenging the polluted shores of Manila Bay for plastic recyclables to be sold. I was really disheartened as I followed him wading through all the garbage on his bare feet. A child this young should be studying; or even just be playing instead of risking his health and safety to earn cash.

Yes, a lot told me that it was a nice photo. But it should be more than that. Taking photos of people in such conditions and showing it to the world could sound very cold; heartless even. But personally I felt that these realities, coated with all the harshness, should be seen. A lot would argue with me on this one but at the end of the day it all boils down to the subject. I never took this with a prize or acclaim in mind. I took this because it evoked certain feelings and realizations of how unforgiving life is for a lot of people. And that I intend to share.

It is a constant dissenting stand that photographers around the world face in my own opinion. Photographers are the eyes of a lot of people whether it is life's most beautiful moments, down to the worst things mankind could ever see. I do believe that these images are to be shared, not just as a pretty photograph, but with the essence of the subjects that come along with it.

Roam Magazine

Roam's premier issue is out now. It's my first time to contribute to a magazine and I never thought it would be such a delightful feeling to see your work published in one. Get your copies now, you'll love it!

Feature Picture

Getting assigned to do features and have the freedom to show the world what caught your attention is one of the best things I love doing for the wires. Slow days like today allows me to explore a the city I live in and the intriguing daily life scenes that come along with it.

Dimsum and Doggies

It was my day off, and my parents were home since it's a holiday. I just got last month's paycheck and decided to treat them out to lunch at this fantastic dimsum place in Chinatown, a new discovery for me courtesy of Derek. I never had fresher, tastier dimsum in my life.

We basically wanted to try everything on the menu, so we did. Everything was made right in front of you and everything we had was fantastic. Pork, vegetable, mixed dimsums; fried, steamed, with soup and noodles; even the seafood omelet. We were stuffed, and it just cost me a little over a thousand pesos to take my parents out to a good meal. Quality time with them nowadays has been hard to come by, and sharing good food with them really hit the spot.



We went around the area and it was interesting to find out that my parents had their dates there. They were so nostalgic, and made me start to realize that time really can just pass by like a breeze. Everything could happen so fast, without us realizing it. I know I am in my last few years living with my folks; some even move out years before my age now. So I really want the most out of it, even just by having an afternoon like this every once in a while.



I was in a spoiling mood and I thought of buying my dog Bono a few pieces of steak to make up for lost time. I always have the tendency not to spend time with him because of work. He grew up so fast, without me noticing it - badly needs grooming too. Being too enthralled with work can really take you away from a lot of things.

Painting With Coffee

Today's assignment was very much more interesting than the usual. Went to Marikina with TV to do a feature on Filipino artist Sunshine Plata who uses coffee for her artworks. Plata, 28, produces different shades of brown by mixing varying quantities of instant coffee with water. Her works have been exhibited locally here in Manila and even sponsored by coffee giants such as Nescafe. Her artworks have gone as far as being exhibited all the way in the Ripley's museum in New York and was even featured in the Martha Stewart show. Her works currently sells for $895-$1791.



But the road towards her success is one that was not paved smoothly. Sunshine always wanted to take up a fine arts at her Alma Matter of the University of Santo Tomas. But instead, she, in her own words, halfheartedly took up Psychology and became a preschool teacher for five years. She eventually gave it up to concentrate her life for the one thing that she truly loved - painting. I admired her for living her dream. Quite suitingly, she gets all the ideas for her artworks from her dreams. All the images she paints come from images she sees and remembers whenever she sleeps.


Sunshine admitted that she didn't have the access to expensive materials that the typical artists use when she started. A trip to the Ripley's musem was where the idea of using coffee as paint sprung when she saw an exhibited 19th century artifact with a signature that was written using coffee and thought that if a coffee signature could be preserved for a long time, what more for a painting? Apart from painting full time, she advocates the promotion of using coffee for artworks by giving out workshops from time to time.

Romanticizing Poverty

People often ask me the question "why poverty?" It's usually followed-up with "can't you go shoot something else?" It can get pretty annoying. But yes, all the queries led me to think why I am so lured by this unremitting issue that is so strongly considered something already timeworn. Why do I risk my own safety and on certain occasions, my life even day in and day out just on exploring a myriad of slums for something people think is overworked? Cliche even.

To start off, I don't think I ever had a proper acquaintance with poverty. As I grew up, the superlative notion of poverty for me were the beggars panhandling for money while you are inside your car. Yes, I was that superficial. As I became a photojournalist, I slowly started to see on my own what poverty was and the actualities that come along with it. I was shocked to see people hoard trash for a living; to see people actually living and having communities under bridges; people setting up floating shanties along the shorelines because they didn't have any land to squat anymore.



Seeing all these things and knowing that they exist made me open my eyes that my world is not just about school, home and getting wasted. There were so much more going on, even just in Manila. I know well that poverty is not the only issue that the world should be concerned about, and a lot of people think that I am building my works just on that issue. On the contrary, it was stepping stone to further my inquisition and thirst for experiences and knowledge about the environment I live in.



Sadness is something is the feeling that is usually evoked when it comes to this subject. I always did feel awful, but at the same time it has been my experiences with people dealing with the situation's harsh realities that I have experienced and felt the true beauty of us as humans. I never have thought that unbelievable resiliency, compassion and kindness could be seen even in the darkest corners of life here in Manila. Somehow I've always felt at home and and at a distinct sense of calm whenever I am in these places.

Poverty is dear to me since it has renewed me as a person more than anything. It has inspired me and has grounded; along with its realities that have to be accepted. Yes, a lot of people would say that it's the most overused of subjects photographically but it is a personal thing for me. I have been naive and shallow before all of this and I am just beginning to see all of this just now. Romanticizing poverty, I must admit. Because it does matter to me.

Downtime

Me and Luis on a very busy day

Ulan

Rainy days are here again. Gotta love the different milieus only possible when it pours.

Cushion

Falling flat on your face has the surprising effect of showing the true colors of the people around you. I have succumbed to my temper the past few days and I got mixed reactions for the way I have been. Some friends just walked away. Some give you a kiss on the forehead and tell you that you did the right thing only to comfort you. Some would even say something as harsh as they themselves would've punched you in the face without even trying to comprehend nor assess anything. But there will always be that one truthful soul that will stick it out with you. Even through thick stubbornness and the vast gap in wavelength; clashes of tempers and frustrations, that person is still there. Waking you up instead of sympathizing.. Constructively arguing with you instead of preaching.. Tapping your chin up instead of giving you faux sips of comfort. I never had the experience to have somebody to do those things. I just hope it lasts.