The Badgaos

So much is written and seen about these sea gypsies that inhabit the sea of Celebes and Sulu although not much is yet to be desired in seeing their plight as among the poorest of the poor. I did had a close encounter with these people while waiting for my relatives at the sea port in Cebu.

It was past 6am and having taken taken just enough of my strength to wake up early for the long ride towards the port, my wife's relative announced through text that the boat they were in would be delayed. Though dismayed of the announcement, I chance upon the opportunity to shoot as I had a window of one hour and a half of waiting. I was glad I took my camera with me as soon as I started flicking towards the glorious sunrise, some of the Badjao came with their pitiful children in tow in their fragile boat to ask for dole outs.

They as far as my exposure to these people is concern have always live on the dole outs of people by tossing coins to them or to the sea from the bigger commercial ships while they swim to retrieve them. Their was nothing to be scared of these people drowning as these tribe make a living in the sea. They are very good swimmers having taught their children to swim at a young age. It is a pitiful sight though to see these fragile children, so young being exposed to the elements. I think their doing it in purpose though to exact pity on people faces.

The government tried to help them by giving them jobs inland but they seem to be lost in translation as they always comes back to the sea for where they seem to belong.

One Love

Of the many photos that I have made or perhaps uploaded in Flickr nothing beats the excitement of taking shots with my wife and my two year old Sofia. Perhaps a fitting description for the girl who besides being my wife, takes the shot of everything from money matters to household decision making except though for my photographic indulgence.

They are the most celebrated of my photos garnering a third of all and a runaway winner for the most treasured. This isn't a consequence of being part of my family nor because I don't have willing models to pose for me (which is actually true) but because they in the first place gives me the reason for living as much as God gives solace to our existence. They care and they support, their words of encouragement gives me the momentum to enjoy what I do and be the best that I can be as giving father and a wonderful husband and a budding photographer.

New Beginnings

My journey towards the world of photography has been one hell of a beautiful experience for me. When I got hooked three months ago through a friend who lend me his old dslr, I've never though I could have the the eye for it, much more to have the creative juice to do post processing. I am greatly surprised by it and until now could not have imagine being part of the community of photographers.

Nevertheless, photography has been a wonderful journey about life both bad and good. I see the most beautiful things that ordinary people see as mundane and boring. I see also the sad plight of the poverty that has stricken so many of my countrymen. In the end, whenever you see both spectrum of life, you become more open minded and less critical. This is probably one contribution of the art on me that I regard with the highest respect and admiration.

As far as my journey is, it has only began... where the world is my playground.

Keep on shooting!

Epoy