#129 The Old Potter

I previously wrote about vanishing professions, professions that are in danger of disappearing due to the march of progress. This potter's craft could be one of them.


Our first stop was in Lezo in Aklan, on a street where a community of potters lived. They made pots, bowls, bricks, vases, all from red earth. I immediately noticed no young people were at work. Everyone looked like they've been at it for a generation. I learned this community had been doing this for as far as they remember, since the time of the grand parents of their grand parents. It's an art and a profession that has sustained them. Unfortunately unless their children take it up, photographs like this week's postcard may be a thing of the past. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: The sky was cloudy and the weather muggy, casting a grayish hue on our subjects. A gray balance didn't help as there was little life left in the colors. To avoid an unnatural saturation boost, I decided to render it in black & white.) 

Where in the world is Lezo, Aklan?

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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.)

#128 Just Another Day in the Office

It's a Monday morning in the city, and I'm sitting at my desk wondering why I'm not a hundred miles away, stalking my next postcard. My mind drifts to a recent trip, to a little boy who was also at his own desk-of-sorts, except that his desk was out in a verdant field and surrounded by an endless mountain range cloaked in fog. And did I say it was actually a pile of firewood overgrown with wild flowers? 


We were on our way to Panipiason, Madalag, in Aklan, bouncing up and down on our motorbikes, when we came to a clearing beside the raging Dumalaylay river. We took turns crossing the river on a small bamboo raft, skillfully maneuvered by a pair of boys below the age of 12, and that was when we found this third kid on the other side waiting to be paid. The river crossing wasn't free of course, and it set us back twenty pesos per person per way (about 4 US cents.) But we were happy to pay twice the going rate for the locals, knowing that it helped the kids earn a living, and kept our socks dry for another day.


Could that little boy be wondering what it feels like to have a real job, on a real desk, in an air-conditioned room in the city?  Keep the job kid. Just ask for more money next time. Enjoy.



(Pixel-peepers: My light meter chose the wrong time to run out of juice so I had to chimp my way to the correct exposure. Fail. Photoshop rescued this photograph.) 

Where in the world is Madalag, Aklan?

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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.)

#127 Blue Lagoon

Luck favors those who are there.


We had just shot the sunset along the beaches on Buruanga, Aklan. We were pretty happy with what we captured, but soon thereafter all color and light started to fade. It even started to drizzle. The folks who strolled the shore along-side us had all gone home. We looked at each other, and then at the empty composition in front of us. It's time to call it a day. 


But as they say, it's not over until the fat lady sings. Just when we thought it's time to go, a couple of night fishermen hauled their boat from the river bank towards the surf. The cascading ripples in the enclosed lagoon instantly framed them, creating a picture-perfect opportunity. And the dying light of dusk, from a camera sensor's point-of-view, painted everything a brilliant blue. Some people think we're such awesome photographers, but in truth the most important part was just being there. Enjoy.


(Pixel-peepers: The color temperature of our cameras are normally set for daylight, so during dawn and dusk, photographs can look a brilliant blue. I elected not to color-correct this image because it works for me.) 

Where in the world is Buruanga, Aklan?

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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.)

#126 The World Within

Do you see what I see?


We were at the Katunggan It Ibajay (Mangroves of Ibajay), a protected mangrove park in the town of Ibajay in Aklan. Nothing we've seen or read about this place prepared us for what we saw. It's primarily a protected national treasure where 80% of indigenous mangroves are found. And we all know the role mangroves play in the health of our reefs and marine life.


But the surprise is that the inside of a well-preserved mangrove forest can be such a photographer's haven! Walking through an elevated bamboo walkway, we were quickly surrounded by mangrove trunks and branches. The forest floor is flooded and the fast moving water from the rising tide turns the multitude of reflections into an avalanche of quivering patterns and colors. We were stunned. This week's postcard features a living mangrove tree and the reflections around its base. Do you see what I see? Yes, within a mangrove forest, beauty is everywhere. Enjoy.


(Pixel-peepers: The best time to photograph inside a mangrove forest is when the sun is bright and when the tide is rushing. The combination of bright light and moving water creates lots to shoot. I used a tripod to help me slow down and visualize my composition. And when I'm ready, I take a deep breath and hope everyone else around me stops shaking the bamboo walkway. )

Where in the world is the Ibajay in Aklan?

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.)