August 2007 Archives

Cebu, Philippines: January 12, 2007

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/3.2 at 14.0mm iso400

...shot during the walk home from the BBQ stand where I take Lisa, LetLet & their brothers/sisters for their daily lunches.

PJAMES

April 21, 2007: Cebu Philippines

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital, 1/400s f/3.5 at 54.0mm iso400

As soon as my Father's condition improves and I have a bit more time to write & edit new images, I have new stories about Lisa & LetLet's Family, and exactly how much more I was able to do for them in terms of buying them food, rice & a big clothing trip to the local markets - all because of the kindness of readers here.

I very much like this portrait of Lisa - she's a bit more photogenic in front of the camera then here sister LetLet is, but she's always been like that since I've known the Family.

Thanks for reading today, and thanks for the kind thoughts for my Father - I'm posting this from his hospital room as I've been here overnight staying in his room since last Saturday when he had his heart surgery.

I usually leave him around 11am to go back home to sleep before I come back at midnight.

PJAMES

August 19, 2007: Dad photographed at 4am in Cardio/Thorasic Intensive Care

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital 1/13s f/3.2 at 14.0mm iso400

I've been doing overnights looking after my Father in ICU; he underwent a triple play open heart surgery on August 18th (an anyurism repair, an aortic valve replacement PLUS a bypass)

The op lasted over 6 hours, and he's been upgraded to Stable Condition today - the image from last night shows him actually sleeping in his chair with his legs propped up, as he wasn't too comfortable in the bed and was able to communicate that to his nurses - so that's a very good sign.

He was comatose from the anesthesia for the entire first day, and it was still not entirely gone from his system yesterday, but during the night & this morning I'd say it's almost entirely clear from his system, although he came out of the op almost totally deaf and has lost about 80pct. of his hearing, and no one seems to know why. (he's never had an issue with his hearing his whole life)

Another good sign is they said he could have regular food as soon as he wants it, so I spoon fed him some strawberry yogurt for his breakfast yesterday, which he liked.

What a miracle he survived the anesthesia for 6hrs, and the cardiac arrest they induce in order to work on the heart once the chest is open - Dad is 85 years old next month.

Thanks for reading today - I'll leave here in a bit & get back to editing as best I can; it's been very stressful around here lately, but we're dealing with it as best we can.
PJAMES

Dec.6, 2006: Bantayan Island, Cebu Philippines

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/800s f/5.6 at 54.0mm iso200

A portrait of Deb at 4:15pm, as she was working with her sisters who were loading their Father's big fishing net into his boat, for his nightly 6pm-6am fishing trips that help support the Family.

Deb and all her brothers & sisters have great smiles, and Deb's is especially difficult to catch on camera - but I managed to get a nice capture this day.

Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES

April 18, 2007: Bantayan Island, Cebu Philippines

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/640s f/3.5 at 41.0mm iso200

LittleFish's sister Jen holds her baby Kuji, while the Family discussed some serious child support issues created by Jen's husband abandoning her & going off to Negros Province, early in 2007.

This left her Parents and the rest of her Family pitching in to support baby Kuji, and I supplied as much rice as possible, as well as all of his diapers & most of his baby clothes (rice in 20KG & 50KG sacks I had delivered to the house via tricycle, as that much rice wouldn't fit safely on the back of my motorcycle)

This image really speaks for itself.

Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES

I was so happy earlier today when I found my pBase Gallery: FACES - Philippines 2007 on their popular front page galleries, and more so, relieved that's it's finally beginning to get some long overdue attention.
FACES: Philippines 2007

That gallery just never got any of the action that my "sunrise/sunset: and other colors of Bantayan Island" gallery got, and I really thought that the FACES gallery would be the more popular of the 2, and it turned out to be the other way around.

I'm happy because many of the children & Families (featured here) who I'm able to buy food, rice & clothing for are also directly featured in that FACES gallery.

my 'colors of Bantayan Island' Gallery made the popular list in June 2007

Thanks for visiting today,
PJAMES

Nov.15, 2006: Manila Philippines

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/400s f/4.0 at 44.0mm iso400

A beautiful little child on Mabini Street in Metro Manila who's Family I frequently see (his Family was one of the Family's close to Rosa & Edison's place who we included in the massive clothing buy we did for all the children there in December 2005)
...his Mama has powdered his face so he can be more comfortable in the heat & humidity there.

Maybe a little too much powder:)
...plus, since this turned out to be a sharp portrait from in-close, I also wanted to post it larger then I normally do, which is 600x450 px - at 675 px (I tried 700 pixels, but the right side of the image turned out to be outside the usable MovableType posting space.

I just found this file last night, from my first full day out street shooting on the last trip.

Good Sunday afternoon to you all,
PJAMES

My sincere thanks to Peter, the Series Producer for seeking my images out.

The ITV Brittish Documentary Series: "London Luton Airport" features two of my images within the program, and airs in August 2007 on ITV on the SKY Network in the UK. (the email from the series producer is quoted below) My personal THANK YOU to the series producer Peter, for believing in my photography.

"Hi Paul
thanks for all this extra information. It is all very interesting.I will send you a copy of the programme in the near future if you give me an address. You are free to mention that your photographs have been used in this series 'London Luton Airport' on ITV/SKY.. It is a straightforward documentary series about day to day life in an airport - the people who work there and the passengers. Your photographs illustrate one passenger's quite moving story of abandoning life in the UK to help street children in the Philippines.

Please pass on my good wishes to all the people whom you help and I think you are quite right to say that they have other 'friends' around the world who wish them well. I will mention your photography and your project here to help spread the word. I will send you a logo/screen grab from the series shortly.

with very best wishes

peter"

.

Been away working crazy hours (100hrs in the past 7 days) without time for little else than (very little) sleep, and will be preparing new postings soon - I hope to have some new material possibly as soon as tomorrow evening.

Many Thanks fr your patience,
PJAMES

Jan.7, 2005: Pampanga Philippines - the Portrait of the FishMan

Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/50s f/3.1 at 28.0mm iso400

...one of my most favorite street Portraits; I nicknamed this Gentleman the FishMan.

While shopping in a local fish market in Pampanga, he came right up to me & I shook his hand, and he has this enormous smile & happy eyes.

He spoke broken English "...give me a Peso please...?
...I asked him "Can I buy you some lunch instead?

...but he smiled bigger when I raised my camera; what an expressive face he has - one of my best photographs from 2005.

Later in the week when I went back to that market, I'd always find him - and he'd always shake my hand...and he always had that smile.

He never took me up on my lunch offer, so yes - I gave him the coins.
PJ