Seeing Binondo as a Travel Photographer

BINONDO, Manila, Philippines

I think I've been to Binondo twice (or thrice, tops), years ago, to pick up a computer from a friend whose family was in the business of selling them (special shout out to Patrick! hehe). I think I may have driven past it a few times on my way to run errands in Sta. Cruz or Divisoria, oblivious of the people who call it home, or make their living there, or the activity found along the narrow streets lined by buildings with commercial establishments occupying the ground/first floor and the residential units on top of them. Before today, Binondo to me was simply where most of my Chinese friends lived and where I can ask them to get me authentic Chinese delicacies like hopia and tikoy (which incidentally Patrick often gave me as a gift or pasalubong). Today changed all that...

I signed up for a Travel Photography class led by Karlo de Leon and Leo Castillo for Photoworks. Binondo served as the backdrop for our field work, where we were supposed to apply what we learned in the classroom. As part of my preparation for this photo shoot, I read up on Binondo and viewed images of Binondo available online. After doing the research, there were two subjects I wanted to avoid: poverty and fruit stalls. A travel photograph is supposed to pique the viewer's curiosity and compel the viewer to visit a place. Not only do I not consider poverty as an acceptable means to encourage people to visit, I find it extremely intrusive to take a photograph of someone on hard times, almost as if I were taking advantage of their situation for personal gain. Perhaps if I were asked to document poverty in Binondo, in order to increase awareness of the plight of the poor, in an effort to help solve social issues and better their situation in life, only then would I start capturing those images on film (yes, I still stubbornly shoot on slide film *hehe*); but as an exercise in "travel photography", I will personally back off that subject, and leave it for another time and another purpose. As far as fruit stalls go, well, I've taken my share of them in Seattle, Bangkok, Nice, Rome, and Paris; and, I can say with no hint of embarrassment, that I am creatively challenged to make fruit stalls look different and evoke the spirit of the place other than making sure to include a local selling or buying the fruit or some easily recognizable landmark in the frame to put it in geographical context, been there, done that (not very well LOL), move on... *hehe*.

It was a long day and... uh... uhhh... I am beginning to feel the effects, my eyelids are getting heavier and I seem to hear my bed calling me to sleep... to be continued tomorrow (hopefully heh) :)

EDIT 11/12/2008 10:45PM: You can find the continuation to this entry at Seeing Binondo as a Travel Photographer (Part 2)