Oldies, but goodies. Digging through the archives today for some stock images, and forgot about these portraits I made right after getting my Canon 5Dmk2. My beautiful wife (then girlfriend), always a willing subject!
Sacha / Bozeman, MT / Spring 2011
Sacha / Bozeman, MT / Spring 2011
Some more portraits from my shoot with Ben. Also, the first photo with text was designed by my talented wife, Sacha. Seriously people, you should hire her for all your design needs. (No really, we need to pay rent...) Enjoy, folks!
A rocking portrait from last night. I had fun shooting my friend and fellow photographer, Ben Johnson, for some portfolio building work. He's headed off to South Korea next week to teach English for the a year, just as I had done this past year with Sacha. I wish him all the best, and safe travels. Korea won't know what hit 'em...
Ben Johnson / Bozeman, MT / August 2014
Back in the "studio" with my ever patient wife, working on some light testing for upcoming projects.
Finally getting around to editing photos from our 10 week summer odyssey. Glad to be home and putting together a few edits, and getting some time in on the river (AKA: fishing).
Mumbai, India - May, 2014
I met Robert and his family at an impromptu BBQ put on by the gracious Gerard & Edelweiss Villoria. Over a meal of smoked Hawaiian ribs, we spoke more about how he and his family came to the Philippines. A citizen of Italy, Robert came to the Philippines 7 years ago to train and teach martial arts. In the Himalayan summer months, he travels with his wife and son to northern India to reside in a Tibetan monastery in Himachal Pradesh. There he studies Buddhist teachings, meditates, and teaches martial arts techniques.
After deciding to make a more permanent residence in Boracay, in 2011 he sold his apartment in Italy and used the money to start construction on a multi-story building in Diniwid Beach, where he would reside with his family in the top apartment and rent out the lower three units to supplement his income. After three long years, the building is still in construction. Poor workmanship and dishonest contractors have plagued his efforts, so much so that this year he and his family were not able to make their annual pilgrimage to Himachal Pradesh, instead having to track down a contractor who skipped out on Robert with thousands of dollars worth of unfinished work already paid for.
When touring his future home, he spoke of the numerous headaches he's suffered in trying to get the place finished. "The point is, you're considered stupid or naive if you're normal and honest, and smart or clever if you're a thief."
A man of strong and imposing stature, Robert is more peaceful and jolly than his physique lets off. And while other people may have succumbed to the bitterness and callousness that comes with being constantly cheated, he still retains his joyful disposition and gracious attitude. His advice to Sacha and I as we said our farewells:
"To be honest anyway. Despite what happens to you, be honest. And in seeking justice, be honest. Be honest in everything you do. If you read from every [religious] book, they all say that this is the point; to be honest."
This is the first in a series of posts about a project I'm working on while my wife and I are traveling/sabbatical-ing. We are nearing the end of our journey through SE Asia and India, and it's been a wonderful (and exhausting) 2.5 months. And as we look back on our trip, the best part has been the people we've met along the way.
"Well Met" is a portrait project focusing on the people that I connected on a deeper level with. I not only wanted to visit these places, but to also share in the stories of the locals. To take in their wisdom, their view of the world, and to share it with others. So along with taking their portrait, I asked each person for one bit of advice about life, or one piece of wisdom that they try to live by. I was encouraged and inspired in different ways by each person I met. I started to see that no matter where you come from or what your background is, we are all pretty much the same.
Gerard was one of the first people I met in my week spent at Diniwid Beach at the beginning of our trip to the Philippines. A gregarious and easy going guy, Gerard lived in Manila before moving to Boracay Island with his family in February 2014. He is the owner of GerWeiss Motors, a company he started in 2008, manufacturing custom electric tricycles that he himself engineers and designs.
Due to a recent pollution reducing program initiated by the local government, business has been booming at GerWeiss Station, where he hires locals to manufacture and maintain the trikes. The Station also doubles as a recharge point for drivers, and serves up refreshingly good mango and coconut shakes.
After stopping in for shakes several times, Gerard generously invited Sacha and I over for a BBQ, after which he gave me this advice: "The number one thing to have is faith, and to trust in God."
A couple of shots from our first week of travel, both shot at Diniwid Beach on Boracay Island. In the sunset pic you can also see some bats flying through the photo (the specks in the upper half). There is a massive colony of fruit bats that come out every evening as the sun sets, searching for bugs and other foods to eat. It makes for a really cool sunset experience.
Looking out into the cove from a sea cave.
Sunset from Diniwid Beach. The bats are a bonus treat.
I'm not always the best when it comes to keeping people in the loop, so here's my way of making it up to those following along. The next few posts will each be centered around a location, or region, and a selection of photos from these areas. There will be more posts coming in the next few days as we are resting in Georgetown, Malaysia. I will also be "unveiling" a travel portrait project I'm piecing together. Enjoy the photos!
Today's post is a follow up to my last one from the rice terraces in Batad and Banaue.
The view as we descended into the Batad rice terraces on our way to Tappia Falls.
The tour group as we trekked across the terrace dikes in Batad.
Rice clumps ready for transplanting and spreading out in the next step of the cultivation process.
Tappia Falls. Cold swimming and beautiful views. Our treat after trekking through the rice terraces.
The wifey and I in Banaue.
Some photos from our visit to the rice terraces carved into the mountain sides of Banaue and Batad. Built by the indigenous tribes of the northern Cordilleras, the rice terraces are on the same ancient engineering scale as the pyramids of Egypt. Irrigated by tapped mountain springs and streams that are fed into a complex system of canals, the locals have been growing their rice here for over 2,000 years. Truly a fascinating experience to view and trek through.
And a tip for those who visit, go with the municipal tourism group. They employ natives who are extremely knowledgeful and helpful. Also, there are no hidden fees, which you'll find with many of the non-authorized guides. Ask for Nathan Cabbigat of you can get him - he's an awesome dude.
Batad Rice Terraces
Banaue Rice Terraces
Guide extraordinaire, Nathan.
