Gala Pinoy Redux

This month’s photo story is a submission from Kaiz Belga of www.missbackpacker.info. She shares three interesting images, about which she says:

“Half House
May 5 2011
Mandaluyong City

It’s very rare that you get to see random things like this while you are away from home and doing your routinary work. Ever since I learned of this house, I didn’t stop until I get some good photos of it. I thought, “why left a piece of junk when it should’ve been demolished like its other half?” Check out how innovative Filipinos are as this trash turned treasure has a room one can rent!”

And here’s one more photo…

Got a Photo Story to Share?

Send it to cedric @ galapinoyredux.com and your photo story could be featured here next month! :)

The Sunken Garden at the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman means a lot of things to a lot of people. If you like music, for example, this is where the UP Fair is held every February. If you like hanging out with your friends, this is probably where you smoked your first joint. Or if you’re cash-strapped but need to take your girl on a date, you could go stargazing here–well sort of.

I have a few memories of the Sunken Garden too. And shooting this photo using black and white film somehow captured the nostalgia I was feeling when I went there with a borrowed rangefinder one summer afternoon in 2011.

I love Cebu because it has the comforts of any other modern city, yet retains a characteristic all its own. I returned there again last August, and was lucky enough to have had the chance to snap this photo. From my window, I saw that the day was dying and the sky was slowly turning purple which contrasted beautifully with the orange street lights below. And so although its colors look similar to my Malate skyline photo, I took this photo anyway.

I’ve been to Ortigas so many times, and I’m all too familiar with most of these streets. Which is why I also like exploring the back alleys whenever I can and see what I can discover.

It’s the second time I’ve been to this particular alley. I’m always drawn towards abandoned buildings and this alley had a row of these. Some used to be food stalls, while others were probably internet cafes. But I was particularly drawn to these two buildings because they are colorful, although the paint’s almost faded. It was only during my second time there, however, when everything fell into place, the wet streets that added to the gloom of the scene, and a lady with a purple umbrella to add a bit more color. I snapped a few shots and this is the one that worked.

All fluff. Some unrelated photo to grab your attention. :D

You know those times when you’re bored and you’ve got nothing to do and think about all sorts of things that normal people don’t think about? This is one of those moments. I tried to ask myself whether I think before I shoot or shoot before I think. The answer came easy enough for me, but I’d like to know how you approach your own photography. So here’s the question:

“Do look at your photography as a thoughtful process, or do you take a rapid-fire approach by shooting now and thinking later?”

Share your thoughts on the comments box below. :) And next week, I’ll share my own thoughts, and some of my favorite comments, so make yours witty!