January 2009 Archives
I haven't taken a day off from shooting & editing images since left
the USA, but I wanted to get out on the motorcycle and roll through
some other Barangays I don't normally drive through, so we took off to
see some friends & Family in Balidbid & Sillon and enjoyed the
drive.
These Barangays on the Island are fishing communities and inherently quite poor, but when you roll in everyone comes out delighted & curious to see you.
Spontaneous portraiture with the kids who came out to greet me yesterday:
Sillon, Philippines: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/5.6 at 54mm iso200
Sillon, Philippines: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/5.6 at 54mm iso200
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
These Barangays on the Island are fishing communities and inherently quite poor, but when you roll in everyone comes out delighted & curious to see you.
Spontaneous portraiture with the kids who came out to greet me yesterday:
Sillon, Philippines: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/5.6 at 54mm iso200
Sillon, Philippines: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/5.6 at 54mm iso200
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
I haven't taken a day off from shooting & editing images since I left the USA, but I wanted to get out on the motorcycle and roll through some other Barangays I don't normally drive through, so we took off to see some friends & Family in Balidbid & Sillon and enjoyed the drive.These Barangays on the Island are fishing communities and inherently quite poor, but when you roll in everyone comes out delighted & curious to see you.
Spontaneous portraiture with the kids who came out to greet me yesterday:
Sillon, Philippines: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/5.6 at 54mm iso200
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
I haven't taken a day off from shooting & editing images since I left the USA, but I wanted to get out on the motorcycle and roll through some other Barangays I don't normally drive through, so we took off to see some friends & Family in Balidbid & Sillon and enjoyed the drive.
These Barangays on the Island are fishing communities and inherently quite poor, but when you roll in everyone comes out delighted & curious to see you.
Spontaneous portraiture with the kids who came out to greet me yesterday:
Sillon, Philippines: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/5.6 at 54mm iso200
Sillon, Philippines: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/200s f/5.6 at 54mm iso200
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
These Barangays on the Island are fishing communities and inherently quite poor, but when you roll in everyone comes out delighted & curious to see you.
Spontaneous portraiture with the kids who came out to greet me yesterday:
Sillon, Philippines: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/5.6 at 54mm iso200
Sillon, Philippines: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/200s f/5.6 at 54mm iso200
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
I spotted LittleFish and son Kalle in town at the used clothing market, for an evening out 'roaming around' as it's called.
Since I had a package of Hany chocolate candies with me, I handed it over to Kalle who loves them - he started right in and opened it up.
Roaming around w/chocolates: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/16 at 14mm iso100
Pregnant ladies also love chocolate, so LittleFish just smiled and said "thank you kuya..."
I believe the baby's due by next month.
PJAMES
Since I had a package of Hany chocolate candies with me, I handed it over to Kalle who loves them - he started right in and opened it up.
Roaming around w/chocolates: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/16 at 14mm iso100
Pregnant ladies also love chocolate, so LittleFish just smiled and said "thank you kuya..."
I believe the baby's due by next month.
PJAMES
Mama Helen & Family arrive for the opening of SINULOG in Santa Fe. this weekend.
Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/11 at 14mm iso100 w/flash
It was so good to see the Family able to get out and enjoy a bit of the Festival happening here in town this weekend; I spotted them right as they arrived by tricycad.
Mama Helen has been looking very tired and gaunt recently, so I was thrilled to see her out with her kids.
...from left to right are LittleFish & son Kalle, Angelica & her Mama Helen - LittleFish is expecting her new baby next month, and she's in very good spirits - so when I see her these past few days Im always FEEDING her, as pregnant ladies are always quite hungry:)
Her & her husband were having a chicken dinner at the roadside BBQ later that evening, so I sent over more food to the table and a liter bottle of Coca Cola.
The kids really enjoyed running around to the local vendors selling toys, oki-oki used clothing, snack foods and such, and when I saw Sandman and asked to see how his severe burns were coming along, he opened his shirt and I was astonished to see NOTHING there anymore - it was all healed!
Now, it was dark outside at night when he showed me, but I really couldn't see any scaring, just smooth skin, so I'm going back later today to check on him in the daylight to make sure he's out of danger.
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/11 at 14mm iso100 w/flash
It was so good to see the Family able to get out and enjoy a bit of the Festival happening here in town this weekend; I spotted them right as they arrived by tricycad.
Mama Helen has been looking very tired and gaunt recently, so I was thrilled to see her out with her kids.
...from left to right are LittleFish & son Kalle, Angelica & her Mama Helen - LittleFish is expecting her new baby next month, and she's in very good spirits - so when I see her these past few days Im always FEEDING her, as pregnant ladies are always quite hungry:)
Her & her husband were having a chicken dinner at the roadside BBQ later that evening, so I sent over more food to the table and a liter bottle of Coca Cola.
The kids really enjoyed running around to the local vendors selling toys, oki-oki used clothing, snack foods and such, and when I saw Sandman and asked to see how his severe burns were coming along, he opened his shirt and I was astonished to see NOTHING there anymore - it was all healed!
Now, it was dark outside at night when he showed me, but I really couldn't see any scaring, just smooth skin, so I'm going back later today to check on him in the daylight to make sure he's out of danger.
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
Mama Helen, clearly looking tired and thin during our recent talk about the June 2008 Typhoon and its aftermath, with Cris translating off camera.
Santa Fe, Philippines: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/30s f/2.8 at 14mm iso100
After Mama Helen's house collapsed during the storm, they quickly ran to their cousins house to seek shelter, but that house also collapsed - so they literally had no where to go.
After the storm died down, they went back to the rubble of their house and sifted through anything they could salvage, including a small bag of rice.
During the first week post Typhoon, there was no food to be had anywhere - The Parents gave the rice to their 10 children who were sleeping in the local school gym, and Helen & David survived solely on coconuts and coconut milk for almost two weeks.
Kevin Weir came with us the day we met with the Family, and brought along a big 25kg. sack of clean rice; riding it all the way from the local rice vendor to Mama Helen's house, on his motorbike.
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
Santa Fe, Philippines: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/30s f/2.8 at 14mm iso100
After Mama Helen's house collapsed during the storm, they quickly ran to their cousins house to seek shelter, but that house also collapsed - so they literally had no where to go.
After the storm died down, they went back to the rubble of their house and sifted through anything they could salvage, including a small bag of rice.
During the first week post Typhoon, there was no food to be had anywhere - The Parents gave the rice to their 10 children who were sleeping in the local school gym, and Helen & David survived solely on coconuts and coconut milk for almost two weeks.
Kevin Weir came with us the day we met with the Family, and brought along a big 25kg. sack of clean rice; riding it all the way from the local rice vendor to Mama Helen's house, on his motorbike.
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
Mama Helen's house, pieced back together as best they could with old recycled & new plywood, 2x4 beams, bamboo, and plastic tarps to keep out the rain, after the June 2008 Typhoon Fengsheng, photographed last week in Santa Fe.
Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/640s f/5.6 at 54mm & 14.0mm iso400
During Chris' conversation with Mama Helen, Mama explained that when her house first began to come down in the wind, the Family was asleep and was woken up by very loud crashing noises.
Mama Helen & Papa David then grabbed all their children and crammed them all under a few bamboo tables to shield them from the debris which was smashing into the house from all directions.
PJAMES
Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/640s f/5.6 at 54mm & 14.0mm iso400
During Chris' conversation with Mama Helen, Mama explained that when her house first began to come down in the wind, the Family was asleep and was woken up by very loud crashing noises.
Mama Helen & Papa David then grabbed all their children and crammed them all under a few bamboo tables to shield them from the debris which was smashing into the house from all directions.
PJAMES
Kalle, who's Mama LittleFish sometimes called "Gigante" the little Giant, photographed at Mama Helen's house on January 5, 2009
LittleFish is expecting her 2nd. child next month with her Filipino husband, and she's in good spirits - always laughing & joking with me when I stop by.
LittleFish told me yesterday she has not heard from Kalle's Father in well over a year, nor has Kalle's Father sent any child support in that time (he's a Foriegner living & working in Europe) so Kalle must do without many things most fortunate children have.
I love you, little Kalle.
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
ps: LittleFish has asked for my help in locating Kalle's Father in Europe - If any readers have a contact in the private investigative area, or an information broker with experience in dealing with international embassies/consulates that would be willing to donate their services, please contact me.
LittleFish holds Kalle for my Camera: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/500s f/3.5 at 54.0mm iso200
LittleFish is expecting her 2nd. child next month with her Filipino husband, and she's in good spirits - always laughing & joking with me when I stop by.
LittleFish told me yesterday she has not heard from Kalle's Father in well over a year, nor has Kalle's Father sent any child support in that time (he's a Foriegner living & working in Europe) so Kalle must do without many things most fortunate children have.
I love you, little Kalle.
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
ps: LittleFish has asked for my help in locating Kalle's Father in Europe - If any readers have a contact in the private investigative area, or an information broker with experience in dealing with international embassies/consulates that would be willing to donate their services, please contact me.
LittleFish holds Kalle for my Camera: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/500s f/3.5 at 54.0mm iso200
While over at Mama Helen's house with Kevin 2 days ago, I noticed the SandMan standing off to the side and not saying much (he can usually talk your ears off), so I moved over to talk to him and only then noticed a huge horrible 2nd. & 3rd. degree burn on the lower right side of his torso, with a darker lesser burn that appeared to cover nearly 1/2 his upper body.
I was stunned, and asked how it happened, and was told SandMan was trying to carry a pot of boiling water when his cousin bumped into him, scalding him badly.
Jan.3, 2009: The SandMan & his burns. Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/5.6 at 14.0mm iso100
In the picture he was kind of blowing it all off, but I knew that he had to be in real pain, so I asked his parents for permission to bring him to my doctors office the next day, and they were happy I had offered.
Dr. Batayola saw us immediately when we arrived (I took SandMan and his sister Angie on my motorcycle) and learned that this was SandMan's 2nd. visit to a real doctor; he's 11 years old.
The doctor put him on oral antibiotics and prescribed an anti bacterial burn cream for the wounds, and only charged me for the medicines.
Seems the other scar SandMan has just below the center of his collar bone was from last New Years, when a firework he was trying to light off blew up in his hands.
SandMan's a firebug, just like my brother was at his age...and SandMan always reminds me of my brother who died a long time ago.
SandMan's a very lucky kid - serious burns of that degree usually land one in the hospital, and I just checked him earlier this morning and the burns look much better after 2 days of meds & ointment.
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
I was stunned, and asked how it happened, and was told SandMan was trying to carry a pot of boiling water when his cousin bumped into him, scalding him badly.
Jan.3, 2009: The SandMan & his burns. Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/160s f/5.6 at 14.0mm iso100
In the picture he was kind of blowing it all off, but I knew that he had to be in real pain, so I asked his parents for permission to bring him to my doctors office the next day, and they were happy I had offered.
Dr. Batayola saw us immediately when we arrived (I took SandMan and his sister Angie on my motorcycle) and learned that this was SandMan's 2nd. visit to a real doctor; he's 11 years old.
The doctor put him on oral antibiotics and prescribed an anti bacterial burn cream for the wounds, and only charged me for the medicines.
Seems the other scar SandMan has just below the center of his collar bone was from last New Years, when a firework he was trying to light off blew up in his hands.
SandMan's a firebug, just like my brother was at his age...and SandMan always reminds me of my brother who died a long time ago.
SandMan's a very lucky kid - serious burns of that degree usually land one in the hospital, and I just checked him earlier this morning and the burns look much better after 2 days of meds & ointment.
Thanks for reading today,
PJAMES
Big Kev just arrived back here a few days ago, and we both went to see Mama Helen and the Family (a BIG thank you to Kev for donating 25KG. of rice to the Family)
Kev outside Mama Helen's house yesterday, shooting in the storm.
Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/80s f/3.5 at 54.0mm iso400
The Family rebuilt some of their squatters shack from wood, bamboo & plywood scavenged from the rubble of the June 2008 Typhoon, and has hung some tarp just outside the main rooms to stay dry, as we're currently in the middle of Tropical Depression AURING here on the Island.
It was so good to see all the Family; I've missed them much.
Jan.3, 2009: Mama Helen sitting with 2 of her 10 children: JuvieMay & the youngest, John Mark
Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/60s f/5.6 at 48.0mm iso800
I sat down with Cris to translate her conversation with Mama Helen that outlined all they went through during and after the storm; Mama Helen was sad and at times angry at recounting all that happened, as she said the Family received next to no assistance or rice, which was supposed to be given out to residents in need.
The Family is still very much in need of food, rice, and building materials for ongoing repairs; if anyone reading would like to help, please contact me asap.
More on this later,
PJAMES
Kev outside Mama Helen's house yesterday, shooting in the storm.
Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/80s f/3.5 at 54.0mm iso400
The Family rebuilt some of their squatters shack from wood, bamboo & plywood scavenged from the rubble of the June 2008 Typhoon, and has hung some tarp just outside the main rooms to stay dry, as we're currently in the middle of Tropical Depression AURING here on the Island.
It was so good to see all the Family; I've missed them much.
Jan.3, 2009: Mama Helen sitting with 2 of her 10 children: JuvieMay & the youngest, John Mark
Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/60s f/5.6 at 48.0mm iso800
I sat down with Cris to translate her conversation with Mama Helen that outlined all they went through during and after the storm; Mama Helen was sad and at times angry at recounting all that happened, as she said the Family received next to no assistance or rice, which was supposed to be given out to residents in need.
The Family is still very much in need of food, rice, and building materials for ongoing repairs; if anyone reading would like to help, please contact me asap.
PJAMES
Happy New Year and Best Wishes for 2009 from our Family to Yours.
I'm hoping 2009's going to be a Geat Year!
PJAMES
December in Manila at Ana's house, with Ana on the right & her 20yr old cousin Necca seated on the left.
Ana's 13 now, and now the issue is of 18+yr old boys coming around wanting to date her, and also older foreign men are approaching her on the street, and none of this is good news, so I've been speaking with her parents about this.
Manila Philippines, Dec.2008: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/10s f/2.8 at 14.0mm iso400
Fortunately her Parents feel the same way I do, and they are not giving Ana permission to date anyone at her age, and I've been talking to her cousins and encouraging them to walk with her when she goes out play or go to the store, etc. so she won't be alone if she's approached again.
I'll be writing much more about this in the coming month.
PJAMES
I'm hoping 2009's going to be a Geat Year!
PJAMES
December in Manila at Ana's house, with Ana on the right & her 20yr old cousin Necca seated on the left.
Ana's 13 now, and now the issue is of 18+yr old boys coming around wanting to date her, and also older foreign men are approaching her on the street, and none of this is good news, so I've been speaking with her parents about this.
Manila Philippines, Dec.2008: Olympus E-1, Olympus Zuiko 14-54mm f/2.8-3.5 Digital: 1/10s f/2.8 at 14.0mm iso400
Fortunately her Parents feel the same way I do, and they are not giving Ana permission to date anyone at her age, and I've been talking to her cousins and encouraging them to walk with her when she goes out play or go to the store, etc. so she won't be alone if she's approached again.
I'll be writing much more about this in the coming month.
PJAMES
