RoManciNg the CLay

A slideshow of an unfinished picture essay bout the dying culture and industry of pottery in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Philippines. The photographs are from and copyrighted by a good friend and gracious host during my short stay in this idyllic place. Thanks much indeed, Pie Verzosa. I hope i did justice to your pictures =)

ChaRcoaL PoRtRaits 2

Same old stuff. dif'rent day.

Colors, Concept & Chuva

Form versus content, highlights and shadows, lines and colors, ethics or the Rule of Thirds. Whatever the fuck they may be, i don't care. Just shoot!

ChaRcoaL PoRtRaits

This series of photographs are studies of my ongoing essay on the "dark side" of charcoal making. With the implementation of Republic Act 8749 or the Clean Air Act, people in this community northwest of Manila, especially the children, are in the brink extinction.






Hunger is imminent as they now face eviction from their homes. Losing their livelihood comes next. They have live each day breathing with their damaged lungs but, staying alive with an empty stomach is another story.

Cutod

My last blog was dated six months ago. I told myself then that I will do blogging side by side with my photography. No, I haven’t stopped fiddling my camera since then but the photographs I have been taking were not worthy posting, much more write about.

So much for the excuse and I hope you will forgive me for posting another Good Friday photographs.

Via Cruxis or the Way of the Cross was the main activity that day in Barangay San Pedro Cutod, San Fernando, Pampanga (a 2-hour drive from Manila). This cultural tradition dates back from the late 50s and has been a staple for photojournalists, documentary makers, camera clubs (hobbyists) and even cinematographers from all over the planet. The come on of this event is the crucifixion of some flagelants which to my opinion, only crazy people from a crazy country will do this crazy stuff not even sanctioned by the Roman Catholic Church.

Devotees flock pilgrims, tourists flock Cutod. The swarms of people did not come from the faithful. They come not to pray but to watch a show. I went there to shoot and to get some sunshine. I got a few snaps and too much of the sun.

Cliche

A friend sent me an SMS commending me for my blog. Kinda flattering but i told her that this is just an experimentation or "wala lang magawa." Technically, i really have about 20 million things to do in life and blogging is at the least of my priorities. 132 days ago I tried to be serious about photography, make that street or documentary photography. I wanted to do a story of some scum trying to stay alive despite life's fucking misery. It would be a day in a life of whoever catches my attention--not camera shy and is willing to share and spit out all his shitty nuances and stupidity.

From the rubbles of the demolished shanties along the rails at Sta. Mesa I stumble upon a group of earthly creatures salvaging metal scraps from torn down houses. Though the temperature was humid that day, the light however was awesome for taking snaps. A fine start to what Henri Cartier-Bresson would call "the decisive moment."

I met "Manong." I wanted to focus my story on him because I thought that he was Mighty Thor in disguise. Manong could easily pulverize a wall with his sledgehammer and cut irons with an instrument which I don't know what its called. Oh well, I can't profound my photography. All I know is that I need to shoot, to document, to tell a story.

It's fuckin' hard pretending to be NORMAL.

Losing My Religion

Oooopsss. Got you there! You thought you'll hear REM's piece. Nwey, here's another experimentation of shitty pictures... In an attempt to escape the howling chants of my neighbors one good(?) friday, i decided to pick up a dust gathering, paper weight dslr and comb the streets of Pasay for some "not so usual" activities. With just a few steps and several puff of cigs, in one of the alleys, I was met by a queue of hooded men. Their bodies were all drenched in blood brought about by their endless self-beating with something made of bamboo and some occasional necking of their skin with a razor blade (to make the blood flow). I won't talk bout religion, i hate it! I don't want to get in the way of some fucking Aquinas or Nietzsche wannabes... The bottomline is that this is all I can show after shooting around 400 frames! Peace be with you. Amen.