Seeing Binondo as a Travel Photographer (Part 2)

BINONDO, Manila, Philippines

Before you proceed, I suggest you read the first part of this blog entry if you haven't yet =).

... so where was I? ahh yes, yes, sleep and exhaustion. It was definitely a long day and by the end of it we were all fatigued, but my fellow Photoworks: The Travel Photographer Class 5 participants can probably attest that it was a creatively rewarding experience. Classroom lectures augmented by practical on site lessons by Karlo served as a foundation that gave me the confidence to go out and capture images of Binondo from my own point of view. I approached the exercise knowing that I may not leave with that perfect image (and judging from the slides I got back, I certainly didn't LOL), but at least Karlo and Leo provided the tools to help me see Binondo in a different way, to look beyond my own narrow notions of Binondo as a place for hopia, tikoy, and dim sum (It was very tough to keep my mind off of food, because Photoworks kept us well fed, three(!!!) times between 6:00AM and 3:00PM hehe).

I will not bore you with details of how the workshop helped me experience Binondo as a travel photographer. I think it is enough to say that it has. Besides, what inspires me will certainly be different from your own motivation. I've attended photography workshops in the past, and I am always amazed by how you let photographers loose in the same area, yet they each come back with distinctively unique images. This workshop was no different in that regard. I find myself asking, "why didn't I see that image?" or "how did I not think of capturing it that way?" I guess the answer is simple: we are all unique and we see the world through our own tinted glasses, whatever color it may be hehe (or in photography parlance, through our own unique lens and filter *groan*).

Moving forward I hope to be able to apply what I learned here to all future travel opportunities, to be able to come home with images that will pique the interest of whoever I share them with. On this particular excursion, the goal is to try to capture at least one image of Binondo that if I were to show to you, might encourage you to venture out there yourself and experience Binondo in your own personal way. Was I successful?

... and even though I saw Binondo in a new light, at the end of the day, I still found comfort in the familiar and went home with a bagful of hopia, tikoy, and other treats for myself ;)

*all images shot with a (borrowed, thanks Ate Neneng!) Canon EOS 3 on 35mm Fuji Velvia 50, 100, or 100F slide film