#272 A River with a Story

The Pansipit river is how overflowing water from Taal Lake finds its way to the sea. Narrow in many places and shallow all throughout, it's hard to believe Spanish galleons ever navigated it. But navigate it, they apparently did. How? West of the present river is a long meandering valley that certainly looked wide enough and deep enough to be the ancient sea channel. And because they found shells and artifacts there, the locals believed they've uncovered the answer. Believe it, or not? Enjoy.

(Pixel-Peepers: The river banks were so lush I really needed a wider lens to do them justice. But since I now travel with a one lens setup... beggars can't be choosy.)

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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.)

#271 A Salty Lake

That's Taal Lake in Batangas. Salty, you say?

It's a fresh water lake today, but it hasn't always been. In the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors actually sailed their galleons up here through a sea channel that connected it to Balayan Bay.  Fish and sea snakes found in the lake have adapted to fresh water after volcanic eruptions in the 1700's sealed this channel. It's an amazing piece of trivia, and those whose interest I've piqued should dig deeper. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: In the early hours of the day, the light is directional. The landscape can be very bright but also filled with shadows. Expose for the brightest parts of the scene and allow the darker areas to go into shadow. After all, that's how it looks in real life.)

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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.)

#270 Children of the Corn

Mang Mellecio and his wife farm this hectare of land, planting it to corn twice a year. The first harvest nets him 8 tons of corn while the second one, within the rainy season, nets considerably less. He relies on middlemen to finance his seeds, fertiliser, and pesticides, for which he will repay with half of his harvest. And then another slice goes to the landlord. With what's left, they managed to send all three children through school. A story of perseverance and hope. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: To tell his story, I took several environmental portraits of Mang Mellecio with his newly planted corn field. Ironically, the best shot was when he looked away.)

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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.)

#269 Follow the Leader

"Hi-ho... Hi-ho... it's off to work we go..."  And so the Disney tune goes... 

On the way to Cauayan City in Isabela, we chanced upon folks working in a rice field along the road. Shooting from a single vantage point, all our pictures started to look alike, so I walked further afield to explore other opportunities. Just when I discovered this pile of bags and slippers in the bush, a bee-line of farmers were walking towards me. I thought a unique composition was about to unfold. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: Hyper-focal distance focusing is a concept from the days of film photography, where you couple a small enough aperture opening with an interesting enough foreground object. When you get it right, both near and far objects appear equally sharp. Worth a try.)

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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.)

#268 Life Boat

In barrangay Nagcampengan, in Cauayan City Isabela, we found long wooden boats parked among corn fields. The boats looked weary and tired, but will likely still float if a flood rolls in, which turns out is exactly why they're strewn in the fields.

These corn fields are beside the mighty Cagayan River, which in the rainy season can overflow and rise up to 6 feet in these parts. When a flood rolls in, nearby residents, and their belongings, head for these boats to weather a few hours of rising water. When the water recedes, they return to what's left of their homes, leaving these boats parked in the fields, until destiny strikes again. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: Encircling my subject in search of a composition, I saw leading lines created by a concrete pavement, rows of sapling corn, and even lone trees aligned in the distance. However you choose compose your work, numerous options abound if you look from all possible angles.)

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.)