#214 A Fish Tale

We arrived in the dead of the night on Ambuklao Dam in Bokod Benguet. I wondered what the fuss was all about getting here before sunrise as there wasn't another soul in sight. And then they started to arrive.

Fishermen magically appeared, hauling crates of fish from boats along the water. Fish vendors arrived in small groups, tying groups of fish together and spreading them onto makeshift displays on the ground. Soon the road is filled with vendors, their fish, and customers. It's a whole ecosystem that provide vital protein in this community's diet. And I thought they only grew vegetables in Benguet. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: It was very very dark and my camera didn't exactly have great ISO capability. But shoot we must, using all the available light we can find. There was a street lamp nearby, but this vendor's headlamp was all the light I needed.)

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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.)

#213 Reflecting Gold

I didn't plan to stalk the dawn that morning, but fate woke me early and saved me a spot on those watery slopes in Buscalan. We arrived while enveloped in mist and without a clear view of the horizon, but when the sun re-appeared, its magic was everywhere.

If only I was there as a mere observer, with nothing more than my eyes, I would remember much much more. But alas, my camera came along for the spectacle, so I will let my photograph tell my story. Enjoy.

(Pixel-Peepers: No filters were used for this shot. At dawn, the sky can be much brighter than the landscape, making exposure difficult. But there is a brief moment at twilight when the difference in brightness fits the exposure latitude of our camera sensors, ever so briefly. You don't need a filter to catch that.)

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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.)

#212 Just Hanging Around

Just like you and I, the folks in Buscalan in Kalinga also hang their laundry to dry. But when you live in the hills, your backyard can look pretty awesome!

One thing you will notice, the hills are bereft of trees. Sigh. Where rice paddies can be carved-out to grow their staple, we understand. But where it's too steep to farm, the trees are gone as well. They use wood to build their homes and as fuel to cook. Eventually, they run out. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: It was mid-day. A light haze is rising from the valley. Sometimes, there is little you can do.)

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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.)

#211 First Light

When you're on a mountain-top during a rather misty sunrise, the light can be both diffused and golden. Photographs taken at this time can be very dreamy and unreal.

We were on a slope of a massive mountain range surrounding the town of Bontoc in the Mountain Province, patiently waiting for the sun to return. When it did, and because the light came from the horizon, only the shoulders of those mountain facing the sun lit up. We were there to photograph sunrise, but it sometimes pays to look away to see how the rest of the landscape looks like at this time of the day. Exquisite. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: The contrast can be very high because it's very bright in some places and very darks in others. Try underexposing by a stop or so, your photographs will be a lot more moodier.)

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.)