Nap Time Rocks!

Stranger #4: Barker, mother

yes, i’m a sissy. i never got the courage to walk up to a stranger again until today. the last time was too easy. this one, though as easy as the first one, was difficult to digest.

name: lourdes

age: not important, but with the hardened life she’s had, who knows

address: binondo, manila

occupation: barker*, mother of 4

territory: where the quiapo jeepneys are found in manila

we had a long conversation about raising kids in that part of manila, how important it is for them to stay in school, and how proud she is of her 21-year-old son who now works at a big local fastfood chain.

she’s a barker for quiapo jeepneys, one of the occupations that make our manila culture interesting and busy, and she’s damn proud of it.

hard times, desperate measures. it would’ve been an altogether inspiring story if not only for the part of our conversation that involved some trafficking. i don’t want to go into that really.

my fourth stranger, found in Binondo.

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* bark?er –noun
1. an animal or person that barks.
2. a person who stands before a theater, carnival sideshow, or the like, calling out its attractions to passers-by.
3. in Filipino slang, one who calls out to passengers for jeepneys

**this photo is part of the 100 Strangers pool, come join us.

Stranger #3: Mang Dante

Finally, I found my third stranger. I’ve been meaning to take a picture of the very friendly guard down at our office building lobby, but was always making up excuses. When Mang Dante sauntered into our group at the Sunken Garden (when the kids were having their Christmas party, and yes I was tagging along as chaperon), I knew this was my chance.

Mang Dante is a magta-taho (Fil., n., vendor selling Taho or soybean custard with sugar/vanilla syrup and pearl sago, a local street food delicacy in the Philippines) at the University of the Philippines Diliman. He’s been ‘patrolling’ the sunken garden grounds and the area around it for 10 years or more.

I graduated 5 years ago from UPD, so we had a lot to talk about. The different traffic rules, stricter curfew hours, and a couple of crimes going on inside. But not much has changed. Their group (Association of vendors) still flourishes within the campus, and it has never been safer. Mang Dante is such a happy soul doing what he does. I could see it on his face while we were chatting.

I bought 2 cups from Mang Dante (Php10 each) and he politely excused himself. I’ve actually never met such a nice street vendor.

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This photo is part of the 100 Strangers project. Join us!

Stranger #2: Mr. Jun

Those who can’t do, have to make do. I was totally unprepared for this encounter so I had to make do with my N70’s phone camera and a lot of editing.

This was taken at the St. Luke’s Medical Center lobby, after Mia was discharged from the hospital. It has been a grueling 4 days of confinement, and for the people at St. Luke’s, they will spare no expense to make their ‘guests’ feel at ease because of well, whatever purpose they have for being at a hospital.

Mr. Jun is part of that effort. He was playing a baby grand piano at the lobby while chatting to a doctor. I approached them and asked if he (Jun) was also a doctor. He laughed and said no. The other guy said, “I’m the doctor. He’s a doctor of music.”

So there you go. Wasn’t too embarrassed because of that. It turns out Mr. Jun (forgot his last name) is also a professor at the University of the Philippines’ College of Music, which is my alma mater.

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Mr. Jun is my second stranger for the 100 Strangers project. If you want to learn interesting ways and techniques to photograph human subjects (and learn about them), join us.

My First Stranger

Found this new group on Flickr through Ate Pao. It’s called 100 Strangers, and you’re supposed to submit a photo (1 per day only) of a stranger via the Flickr site. The group isn’t just all about getting to publish your photography skills, but for you to pick up new skills on photojournalism, processing and all that stuff. It’s a great venue to learn many photography styles.

This is great especially for those starting out in the field, or for those wanting to take better ‘people pictures’. It’s also a great way to meet new people.

It’s really interesting. Why don’t you join us?

Here’s my first 100 Strangers photo. I haven’t really seen any photo of anyone whose face wasn’t shown, so I really really hope this makes it. The little kid was too shy to look at the camera (it was just a cam phone, nothing intimidating, right?) when I asked him if I could take his photo.

I really did ask nicely, so he just smiled at me and just continued to do his thing. He was picking coins at one of the fountains at Tiendesitas. He didn’t take any of them, though. He was just transferring them from one place to another in the fountain.

I didn’t think the fountain was a wishing one, but I guess whatever grants our wishes is relative. For this little boy, this one probably does.