#245 Bunot@Work

It's been said that photographs taken along the way often rival those at the destination. In the town of Alcala in Cagayan, I couldn't agree better.

We flew into Tuguegarao, climbed into a van, and headed north to stalk the sunset in Buguey. Along the way, we spotted some color in the distant fields and instinctively knew we had to stop. It turned-out to be a group of farmers uprooting rice saplings for planting, an activity they called bunot. The narrow dikes limited our mobility, and the soft ground tested our resolve, but in the end persistence won the day. Truly, the journey did present unrivaled opportunities. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: When you don't have a polarizer handy, you can saturate your colors by under-exposing your shots, by half a stop or so, sacrificing some color-fidelity for colors that pop.)

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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.)

#244 A New Day

Some mornings you just need to drag yourself out of bed.

We were in a fishing village in Buguey Cagayan waiting for the sun to appear. I strained to contain my yawns, wondering why I'm not in bed at 4am. But as soon the misty sky took on a deep yellow hue, all hell broke loose. Your heart starts to race as you feel adrenaline surge through your body. You scan the horizon... spot something near the water's edge... walk up to it while lifting your camera to your eye. Click. Click. Click. Then you recall what you've known all along... this is why we do this. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: A lot can be said about being in the right place at the right time. Set that alarm clock to 4am and give yourself some extra time ponder the big questions in 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.)

#243 A Fleeting Moment

Life is short, but what can be even shorter? The moment, of course!

On Minanga Este in Buguey Cagayan, on top of a hill by the sea, I found a solitary patch of grass struggling with the dunes. Grass on a sand dune can be smothered in time, but even that's a long time compared to the moment I was in. The patterns on the sand were formed by wave upon wave of wind blowing in from the sea... continously re-arranging each particle. And then there's the light from an approaching sunset, whose warm colors and long shadows aren't going to last more than a few minutes. The moment I was in... was indeed fleeting... more fleeting than life itself. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: Near sunset and within the golden hour, shadows-in-transit and saturated colors are everywhere. Move quickly and don't hesitate... the moment escapes.)

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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.)

#242 Farming the Lake

On Laguna de Bay, on the side where it borders the town of Taguig, water spinach (Kangkong) is farmed along its shallows. They float like grass mats atop fishing nets, stretched-out as far as your eyes can see. And with good light and flowing water, you realize why they just grow like crazy here. Twice a day, they are harvested and tied into approximately 3 kg bundles. They are sold to middlemen who will haul them to market... all part of a supply chain that puts food on our table. Now you know. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: I've been taking photographs of these seemingly endless mats all morning. They look like nice empty landscapes, nothing more, until we chanced upon some men dragging their harvest to shore. The human element in a landscape cannot be discounted. Look for it.)

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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.)

#241 A Good Book

We all know the value of a good book, a comfortable pillow, and some downtime.

We were on Puka Beach in Boracay on an unusually sunny day. And since it was supposed to be raining, the beach is nearly deserted of folks who didn't take a chance.  But for those who thought the weather will be exactly what she is, wildly unpredictable and certainly unexpected, nice things can still happen. Just don't leave your book and pillow at home. Enjoy.

(Pixel-peepers: A really bright beach scene can have many sources of reflection, and it's these reflections that can reduce the contrast of your photographs. The water's surface, the wet sand, even the distant foliage, they all can look dull and washed-out if there's too much glare. Luckily, a polarizing filter can do wonders. The result is strong and faithful colors without post-processing.)

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.)