#105 Tending Nets

www.PostcardsFromManila.com

www.PostcardsFromManila.com

Now why would a single fisherman need so many nets?

Actually, we don't know if they all belonged to him, but there are at least 12 nets on that pole and I have a fairly good hunch why he would need so many. You see, we stayed in this hut along the edge of the lake. And in-between shoots, while lounging around enjoying the view, we observed them darting across the water on their dugout canoes, collecting small fish trapped in these nets they'd strung along the pathways between fish pens.

Several times a day they would row along the length of these drift nets, lift them out of the water a section at a time, and find an unlucky 6" fish tangled in it. There would usually be only one or two fish in a net about 8 or 10 meters long. To provide three full meals a day for an average family of five, would that explain why they need so many nets? Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: Let's try a math quiz. This picture looked like it was taken with a 50mm lens from 10 meters away. Since I actually used a 500mm lens, how far was I standing from the fisherman? Make your math teacher proud!)

Where in the world is the Lake Sebu in South Cotabato?

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For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)

#104 Lake Lahid

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www.PostcardsFromManila.com

Our story of the three lakes of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato isn't complete without a photograph taken on the shores of the third and smallest lake, the mystical Lake Lahid.

Lake Lahid isn't nearly as developed as the other two. Instead of an endless expanse of fish pens, there are only random patches of aquatic weeds and plants. Why has this portion of the lake escaped man's touch? One reason might be it's too shallow, or maybe the amount of fresh water flowing through this lake isn't enough to support the fish densities required. Whatever the reason, remaining untouched gave us a glimpse of what the other two lakes might have looked like in the past. Made me realize opportunities to capture scenes just like this, once passed, are gone forever. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: It was about noon. I had to look for other elements to soften the harsh light and make the photograph more interesting. This large strand of hanging bamboo helped, as did the little boy we found fishing in the shallows.)

Where in the world is the Lake Sebu in South Cotabato?

Sign-up to receive new postcards weekly by email 
Past postcards at www.PostcardsFromManila.com
Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com
But wait, there's more...

For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)

#103 Caged Lakes

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www.PostcardsFromManila.com

Is this a landscape photograph? Or a photograph of a lake overrun by man? 

This week's photograph was taken on Lake Sebu, the name of their main lake and also of their town, in South Cotabato. The portion we saw that morning was an idyllic scene right out of a storybook: a mirror-like lake surrounded by hillsides of green under a clear blue sky. Then we noticed more fish pens than we've ever seen, completely blanketing its surface. I guess people here got to eat too, and the fish in these pens were their main source of protein. There's a tug-o-war going on here, and I was determined to capture it in a single postcard. Let me know what you think. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: Sometimes you don't get it on your first try. I started with more traditional compositions, with several variations of fish pens in the foreground and verdant hills on the horizon. But in the end this was the one that worked for me: the muted reflection of a landscape trapped within man's need to survive. Taken with a polarizer set at maximum.)

Where in the world is the Lake Sebu in South Cotabato?

Sign-up to receive new postcards weekly FREE Older postcards at www.PostcardsFromManila.com
Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com

But wait, there's more...

For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)

#102 Dawn on the Lake

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www.PostcardsFromManila.com

If any of my photographs successfully captured how life really was like on Lake Seloton in South Cotabato, I thought this was it.

Lake Seloton is blanketed with tilapia fish pens, the biggest source of protein for the locals there. Someone told me there weren't any 30 years ago, and wondered aloud if we should've dis-figured the lake in this manner? But every coin has two sides. The population has grown all these years. And with more mouths feed... what is a people to do? For twilight photographers... our job is simply to travel to the far edges of our beautiful country... to capture these moments at twilight... for posterity. The thorny questions, we'll leave them to you! Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: Photographing in the dark, you could be surprised at the results. It was pitch black at 4:30am, but I knew fishermen would be at work by this time, tending nets and collecting breakfast from drift-nets they'd cast the night before. I also knew that taking a longer exposure at very high ISO will allow me to see what the human eye can't. Pointing the camera towards the direction of sunrise, and estimating the fisherman's location from the gentle splashing sounds he was making, one of my shots caught him in the act, and the birth of a faint dawn glowing just below the horizon. f/8, 1/15s, ISO 1600)

Where in the world is the Lake Sebu in South Cotabato?

Sign-up to receive new postcards weekly FREE Older postcards at www.PostcardsFromManila.com
Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com

But wait, there's more...

For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)

#101 Mirror Lake

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www.PostcardsFromManila.com

Combing the shores of Lake Seloton for photographs, I was greeted by a dear old friend who I often meet during my travels. Let me explain.


You see, reflections are one of my best friends when shooting at twilight. They can multiply the ebbing colors of a twilight sky and brighten-up my compositions at a time when most light and color have left the land. To be able to continue shooting long after the sun has set, reflections are great friends indeed. Enjoy.


(Pixel-peepers: Most people stop shooting after the sun drops below the horizon. The light may be soft but the angle of the light produces the best reflections over still water. You'll need a third friend of course, your trusty tripod, because it's usually too dark to handhold these type of shots. Now don't tell me three's a crowd!)


Where in the world is the Lake Sebu in South Cotabato?

Sign-up to receive new postcards weekly FREE Older postcards at www.PostcardsFromManila.com
Say hello: Bobbyw59@yahoo.com

But wait, there's more...

For those who've inquired about buying prints of my postcards, you may purchase them directly from master printmaker Arnel Murillo (murilloarnel@yahoo.com), one of the country's foremost fine-art printmakers.  Arnel uses archival inks and museum-grade paper to ensure his prints will not fade. You will not be disappointed. (All my images are provided gratis to help showcase the beauty of our country. But if you feel generous, help me uplift the lives of the Children of Payatas.  No donation is too big or too small. Get in touch with Fr. Aldrin Suan at aldrinsuan@yahoo.com of the Vincentian Missionaries in the Philippines. As always, thanks and enjoy.)