grown up boys
The past few Sundays were spent burning fuel going around the city looking for something interesting to shoot. Walking is definitely a better choice when shooting the streets, but seeing the same scenes week after week and revisiting the same places is beginning to feel like groundhog day. If it isn’t too much to ask, I would like to have rain on a Sunday morning for a change.
These boys were too preoccupied reading the morning papers. It’s good that they know how to read and I’m glad about it……… until I realized that they were poring over a smutty tabloid.
The natural order of things – boys looking for bigger toys, and in this case, bigger marbles to play with. Speaking of marbles, I haven’t seen children playing with marbles lately. I remember seeing big glass jars filled to the brim with marbles in sari-sari stores, but that was decades ago.
Al fresco dining. This place used to be a bus terminal before McDonalds set up a restaurant nearby, with barbecue stalls along the pier. I grew up in this neighborhood and had my share of chicken barbecue dinners then. P15 would get you a good sized chicken thigh and leg, while the smaller cuts were about P7 or P8 each. Now it’s P15 for the smaller pieces. The chicken thighs are more expensive, but they’re not any bigger, just flatter and wider as if the chicken were run over by cars while crossing the street.
day’s note:
I stopped by a fishing shed earlier in the afternoon, just in time when the week’s catch was being hauled in from the boat. It was something I’ve always wanted to shoot, but didn’t. It was not a public place, so I asked the person in charge if it was ok to take some photos. I was refused. I stayed for a little while longer looking around but didn’t bother with my camera. At least I know what to expect next time I come back. When I asked leave from the manager, I was told that maybe next time when I come back I’d be lucky to get permission from the owner. I shall be looking forward to that.
I also dropped by to see Gwynneth late in the afternoon and gave her a couple of pencils and a notebook. Sorry, no photos, but I’m sure you can imagine a sweet, carefree, innocent and genuine happy smile of a child receiving a gift.
A walk with my camera 
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Hello fellow blogger,
I was nominated for a Liebster Award by Andrea (http://adventurousandrea.com). Well, now, I nominate you!
The Rules:
1. Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
2. Answer the 11 questions the person giving the award has set for you.
3. Create 11 questions for the people you will be giving the award to.
4. Choose 11 people to award and send them a link to your post. Go to their page and tell them.
5. No tag backs.
Great series of pictures. I especially like the one of the boys playing billiards – beautifully lit and composed.
thanks, Jon.
I like the idea and the way thrrough which it has been written as far as the series of photos also shows that writer take care of each and everything
Capturing the essence of your human subject (s), is more difficult than say snapping a
photograph of an unmoving mountain. You take such beautiful pictures! Wonderful drama in black and white. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks for pointing it out; I haven’t looked at it that way. I get very envious of places that boast pristine uninhabited landscapes because that’s not the case here where one can go driving for hours and still see scattered communities all around. I should be thankful to be in a place where human interests abound. Thank you for putting things in the right perspective.
Really great shots. My favorite is the second one. And you’re right about marbles. Same thing with many other childhood games we enjoyed. I got to talk to my 11-year-old cousin’s friends last week, and they had no idea how to play piko. I can’t get over it. Haha.
thanks Mariel. Wouldn’t it be nice for a change to see adults playing marbles, piko, patintero and other childhood games just so kids these days can learn from them?
These are truly excellent shots.
thanks!
I love the light and silhouette they’re so elegant with the stories you tell here.
thank you.
As a Mom who values education, I also love the fact that the kids are reading. Subject matter is a little, um, you know. I also think that your gift to little Gwynneth is awesome! What a lovely surprise for her.
It was indeed, and her grandmother was surprised as well. I am just as happy to have been able to spend a little time chatting with Gwynneth.
Brilliant. Boys as men. Excellent textures throughout.
thanks, Chris
I so love following your blog. You are a wonderful storyteller. The middle photo of the boys playing pool is simply lovely – the light on the boy’s face, the leading lines – gorgeous. Thank you.
Thank you, Ali.
All of these are wonderful, but the boys playing pool is really wonderful. I can relate to the feeling of wanting to go someplace different to get images. When I do that, I often come home empty-handed, so you did good with your efforts.
thanks Linda. I’ve been there too – coming home without a single photo. It’s a hit or miss, especially when I go someplace with lots of preconceptions.
well, we can’t ask for more, a good set once again. grown up boys, and they grow fast up beyond their years. love the one playing pool, you could see the seriousness and concentration. I just hope they won’t end up to be “Hustlers” one day ( remembered a movie ). You made Gwyneth happy, I could just imagine:))) Here’s to a “story teller.”— thanks.
or he could follow the footsteps of Efren “Bata” Reyes and become a famous pool player someday…
Thanks!