It was harvest-time in Mindoro when we stopped to photograph some locals at work. These folks don't own the harvest, but rather, just hired to lay out the moist grain to dry. They are paid seven pesos per sack, and each sack of grain needs to be spread out to dry over a two day period. That works out to about P150 to P200 per person per day, an honest day's wage in those parts.
I chatted with this chap, but only so briefly, as he had to spread his quota of grain. I wondered what his story was, until I met a 4 year old boy and his mother on the way back to the car. Yes, he had a family waiting for him, and now I had a story to accompany his photograph. But by some weird twist of fate my photograph managed to caption itself.... at first glance it showed a man hard at work, but upon closer inspection he appeared to have cast a shadow of himself carrying his 5 year old son on his shoulders. I guess that was what it was all about. Goose bumps. Enjoy.
(Pixel-peepers: We instinctively prefer to shoot with the light behind us because it lights up our subjects. But if you try shooting against the light, you can reduce your subject to a mere silhouette. And you may just find the resulting image simpler and much stronger.)
I chatted with this chap, but only so briefly, as he had to spread his quota of grain. I wondered what his story was, until I met a 4 year old boy and his mother on the way back to the car. Yes, he had a family waiting for him, and now I had a story to accompany his photograph. But by some weird twist of fate my photograph managed to caption itself.... at first glance it showed a man hard at work, but upon closer inspection he appeared to have cast a shadow of himself carrying his 5 year old son on his shoulders. I guess that was what it was all about. Goose bumps. Enjoy.
(Pixel-peepers: We instinctively prefer to shoot with the light behind us because it lights up our subjects. But if you try shooting against the light, you can reduce your subject to a mere silhouette. And you may just find the resulting image simpler and much stronger.)
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.)
Posts
Just loved reading! am sharing this with Facebook!Lisa Travelers
ReplyDelete