During the first week of December, my photo was awarded as the 6th place in the international Wikipedia’s WIki Love Earth photo contest. As the first Filipino to have placed and entered the top 10 realms of the competition and placed at the world stage, I take great pride in waving the flag of the country on a global scale. My photograph of the mystical and beautiful Blue Water Cave of Quezon, Bukidnon has taken its rank among a nearly hundred of thousands of entries.
The win has left me even hungrier to improve my skills, explore the undiscovered places, and write about the experience. The beauty of photographs and writing is that they go hand in hand, and though some may debate that “a picture doesn’t need words to be described principle”, there will always be a story behind each photograph.
Truth be told, the photograph was a fortunate accident or misadventure with friends during the Kaamulan season. From Cagayan de Oro City to the city of Malaybalay and finally ending up in Quezon. Food trips, sleeping on the floor, late-night splurges at Yaka in Malaybalay, and the love for adventure with 3 of my closest friends is how the photo came to be. The municipality of Quezon is in its own right an adventure destination in the country. Soon to be called as the climbing capital of the Philippines, efforts made by legendary Filipino climber extraordinaire Mackie Makinano and Jboy Sanchez of the bolting team of the area is paving way for the Kiokong walls. One can’t truly describe the feeling you go down to the blue water cave. I’m not talking about the pools by the Pulangi river, but the one deep within where you’ll have to crouch your way and sometimes crawl just to have secure footing.
Connected. Maybe that is the right word that I can use when I photographed the cave. The more connected you are to your subject, you can really bring out the best in the images you create of them.
As a descendant from one of the indigenous people groups of Bukidnon, I carry within me a part of them and I try my best to represent them in the photos that I create. Passion is a common thing to say these days, but to establish a connection to your subject or to what you’re photographing is often overlooked at. Photographing the indigenous people, their places and culture roots you back to the earth, these fleeting moments of their lives and domains where modernization is slowly gobbling up are photographs that I cherish.
Achievements has always been part of people’s to do list, and its no different from mine. Taking photos of the beauty of the unknown and moments only few are there to witness, those are what chills my core. I’ve failed so many times in the years that I’ve held a camera, not being placed in contests, not recognized or credited for the work that we do, and cast aside because “I’m just a camera man”. Although that is part of life’s spice, I’ve come to accept the balance. When all you ever think about is the award of a photograph, when you’re there in that very second of pressing the shutter, the feeling is fleeting. And when you feel that you haven’t done enough, you’ll anguish and plan the next big photograph or project. I have learned however that the best moments were when you were sweating head to foot from hiking up mountains, when you’re in the freezing water setting up your tripod, or the grit you develop when you get wounded but still urge yourself to take one more shot. One more shot and sometimes that is what makes the difference.
2019 started off slow for me, leaving my post in the province and setting my scope to international possibilities. It was a drastic change, but a good one. My vision towards different aspects were changed dramatically, and my photographic skill was sharpened even more by photographing what mattered to me and the people who were fighting for cause. I’ve come to accept that I’m not everyone’s cup of tea, and they should understand that we all have our choices. Not so long ago, I was told that I had crap gear with a small sensor camera, but I guess my little Olympus OMD EM 10 Mark 2 proved them wrong.
I’ve always been inspired by people who go beyond their limits and push the envelope. May it be climbing, public service, tourism, artistry, or even just by taking care of their family (I thank you for this Mama and Papa, I am who I am now because of you both and the lineage that you’ve given me). They take it up a notch and you can just feel the passion in the way they share their work. I believe that it is important to understand what made them tick, what they’ve achieved, and in the end pull something off to set the bar higher. As a photographer, your standards are that of your own. Influences, gear limitations, skills, and personal mindset are factors that differentiates each one of us. However, the final image is always the bottom line, the exclamation point so to speak. And when it comes to standards, I believe that you should set them very high.
