SKY IS FALLING
The Metropolitan Chronicles 2011

Shooting the Streets with Pedring

After hearing the announcement that all offices have been suspended on Tuesday as TYPHOON PEDRING battered the Metro and the rest of Luzon, I didn’t have second thoughts.  Somehow my journalistic instinct kicked in instantly.  I have to see what’s going on outside and document it as much as I can.  If not anywhere on the real battlefield, at least I need to be somewhere in the streets.  So I hurriedly picked up my coat and ran down to EDSA and started taking pictures.  

The street was full of people, most of them commuters battling their way to work against Pedring’s strong wind, many are getting off and on the buses as quick as they could, some struggled to keep their umbrellas intact, while others ironically acted normal as if they were invincible.

While on the street, I noticed how some of the buses have interesting moist on their windows, and I know right away that somewhere later I’ll find someone that’s going to wipe off the moist and peek outside.  It took me several hours waiting, before I decided to go back to the apartment to upload some photos taken that morning.  In the afternoon, I went back to the streets and waited again for that scene I’ve envisioned.  Soon enough, few feet away, a bus stopped and I saw this girl peeking out the window, with moist just as big as her head has been wiped off. I ran as fast as I could and framed the shot, then started to take about three frames before the bus ran away. 

I have been saying how vision, patience, and instinct go together, and how they influence your photograph.  This is maybe just one of the many instances out there, so better work on those three as soon as you can. 

2011 © Larry Monserate Piojo

REMEMBERING THE WORST TROPICAL TYPHOON.

On the eve of September 25, 2009 heavy rain falls shrouded the entire metro. The following day, on September 26 (Saturday), unimaginable amount of rainfall was recorded, dumped more rains than Katrina and brought enormous flooding in different parts of Luzon. Ondoy (International name Ketsana), the worst tropical storm in Philippine history left almost 500 people dead, damaging about USD140 million in agriculture, and USD93 million in infrastructure.

Tropical Typhoon Ondoy brought damages beyond belief to the country, but it also brought inspiration and something that any Filipinos and even other countries can be proud of. It is when true Filipino heroes where reborn, true Filipino spirits are re-awakened. It was the time of friendship, of love, and of giving hope

Click image for more photos of the aftermath.

2009 © Larry Monserate Piojo
Marikina City, Philippines

Alfon The Guardian
Mt. Pulag, Philippines 

The Photographer, The Snap shooter, and The Collector

This has been going on my mind for quite a while, most especially if I see people almost anywhere with cameras hanging on their necks like a bunch of 800 gram neckties.  True enough, DSLR nowadays have become fashion accessories – not against the idea as I too take pleasure from the ever evolving fashion in this world.   But at some point it is a little bit upsetting especially if you consider yourself a true artist. 

Over a year ago, I wrote about my own perception regarding the importance of Stories over Gear; that I’d prefer having the simplest tool and able to tell stories that inspire others rather than having the best one in the world but produces crappy pictures.  It is more about storytelling and less about technicalities, that having the best camera does not make you create the best photographs.

People who shoot less and care less of what photography is all about, who rather enjoy more on the beauty of a camera and how it performs, are the people who consider themselves a Collector.  They collect from the oldest, to newest, and to the most unique models they could find.  Some chooses to collect photographs in print and have them displayed in their personal galleries, offices, or homes.  They don’t take photographs as much, and they brag of the most advanced gear they’ve just acquired, or the most vintage ones they won in an auction.  Collectors can be former photographers who find collecting stuff more pleasurable to them than taking photographs.  But, I know people who are very good at taking pictures who consider themselves true artists but at the same time die-hard collectors of different kinds of camera.  

Someone who goes out with a camera and click away crazily without considering what he includes in his frame and does not think about storytelling is a Snap shooter.  A common misconception for a lot of people who thought buying the best tool makes them the best, so they thought a simple click on a shutter button will give them amazing pictures instantly. Shooting rapidly at anywhere at all times eats too much space in your disk, you save hundreds and thousands of photos… useless photos.  That’s mediocrity.  Though surprisingly, most photographers have gone through with this stage one way or another.  Buying a new toy makes you excited, thus makes you go out and shoot just about anywhere aiming and clicking at anything your camera focuses on.  Eventually, you turn into a hobbyist who gives little bit of importance to a story in a photograph.  That’s why we see a lot photos taken in the streets with captions like “cruel world” or “hope for a child” because you associate your thoughts to a photograph in order to send out a message or tell a story.

To become a good photographer, in my opinion, is not about getting the most expensive and the most advanced gear.  Instead, you have to have a very good vision. You have to learn to visualize and incorporate this vision in your photograph to represent and create a very compelling story.  Be responsible and try to understand that whatever you put in your frame is a crucial part of the message you are sending.  If a writer is being careful in choosing a word to produce an interesting line, you as a photographer have to be careful of what you include and exclude in your frame for an interesting photograph.  Set aside gear, visualize, adapt, be responsible, and be a storyteller.  That makes you a Photographer.

Mt. Pulag
Kabayan, Benguet
Philippines

Children of Palansa Elementary School in Benguet receives crayons and pencils from the Black Pencil Project.  

The Black Pencil Project (BPP) drives to promote education to children in remote and indigenous communities in the country. It also aims to inspire individuals and groups to start a cause through the simplest ways, to make a big change for the society.

“We would like to think that the campaign is really all about inspiring people; to start their own cause no matter how small it is” —- Black Pencil Project

Learn more about the Black Pencil Project.

Thanks to BPP’s founding members Mon Corpuz , Zer Cabatuan , and @Edwin Karganilla for the opportunity to capture, witness and observe the Black Pencil Project in Bokod, Benguet last August 21, 2011. It is an honor to be a part of such great cause.

Fishing Cycle
The Metropolitan Chronicles 2010

Quest for Timeless Photographs

Few days ago, I’ve been reading about images being ‘timeless’.  Many regard timeless as being from such period when the photograph was taken, then made its way to this ‘changing world’.  I read somewhere that someone has commented on a photo wherein the place looked so much like those places from the history books, but the subject is wearing modern fashion which in turn made the him out of place, or maybe he would’ve been a good subject after all if he was in a much modern place.  Fact is, the world is relentlessly changing, everything change, and photographs witness and record this rapid change.  But you can’t go back to the past to capture timeless moment and yet everything around us is already a story to tell, a timeless masterpiece taking place.

So what exactly makes a photo timeless… it’s not the place nor the way the subjects are dressed, though true enough, the photograph becomes more interesting and appealing if the subject and the place are both in character.   But if you’re in a place where traditional costumes are no longer worn at all times —- such as the Philippines, then it doesn’t mean you cannot take timeless images anymore.  Timeless images are images with timeless stories told in it. And it is created the moment you intensely understand your subject, then passionately compose and capture the story in your frame; it doesn’t really matter which era you’re from.  It doesn’t even matter what clothes your subjects are wearing, and the place doesn’t matter at all.  Although I must add, it’s not you who can tell instantly that you just shot a timeless image.  It’s not you who can decide that your photograph is timeless.  It is those who’ve seen the image, absorbed the relevance of the story you’ve captured, and will remember it despite of the changing world, simply because it inspires them.  Then that’s timeless.

Solvent
Parola Compound, 2008

“You go out and you see evil things, bad things and you want to do something about it, so what you do is you take the picture to show it.  But not everybody’s gonna like what they see.  You have to understand that they might want to shoot the messenger.” — Kevin Carter, from the film The Bang Bang Club

Batad, Ifugao
2008 
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A photographer went to a socialite party in New York.  As he entered the front door, the host said ‘I love your pictures - they’re wonderful; you must have a fantastic camera.’  He said nothing until dinner was finished, then: ‘That was a wonderful dinner; you must have a terrific stove.” — Sam Haskins

Emilio, Bacolod City
Spirits & Smokes 2011

Run Free, Love, Run

Sometimes it’s better to suffer the most unbearable pains all at once than torture yourself with it bit by bit.  It’s a terrible thing to go through in order to let go, but I guess it heals a little bit faster.

Critics are not to be feared of, they’re friendly foes that hone your craft into perfection.

So keep a smile on your face, even if it hurts.

Faces & Tales 2011
Bacolod City, Philippines