Philippines Working Poor

Jan.3, 2006: Cebu Philippines
Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/200s f/3.5 at 54.0mm iso400

A portrait of Sharie, who I shot while out on a long walk home after going to a local store in Cebu.
...I couldn't get any local tricycle driver in my neighborhood to take me on the 10 minute ride to the local grocery store, so I had to make the 30 minute walk myself.

Same scenario after I left the store - I couldn't get a tricycle ride back (seems all the local drivers banded together after I'd moved in, and decided I'd have to pay them 10 times the going rate for a ride) so I walked home, and I had the camera with me.

Sharie & her friends were outside a house I passed by, and they called to me to take their pictures - she's got wonderfull light brown eyes, and although she was shy she let me take her portrait, and then her Family invited me to stop by their simple home, which I did.

The Family was what I call part of the working poor there - their house was quite simple; one room with nearly no amenities - they had some electricity, but no TV or running water or aircon, etc.
...but the 7 people in that Family were quite close & seemed very happy together, and offered me their hospitality; I had a very nice chat with her Father & uncles, and they all had simple jobs & seemed hard working, and were proud to show me through their simple home - it was quite obvoius they kept it clean & neat, with beautiful baby palms & flowers growing eveywhere inside coffee cans.

I'm glad I had the camera with me that day - it was a totally spontaneous shoot, with a very nice Family I'd never met before.

Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES

ps: with all the local drivers who refused my fares, I have to say I DID find 2 or 3 really nice tricycle drivers just by chance, who only charged me the local fare - I always thanked & tipped them, but I was never able to find them every day, so I would walk - and if they saw me walking they'd always stop to pick me up.