Bounties Of The Sea

A trip to General Santos, Philippines would never be complete without having to witness the great tuna trade first-hand. Here the tunas are weighed, graded, sold, and shipped directly from the fish port to the fish markets in Japan and delis in Seattle.

I made new friends that day. Most of them had already flashed me their biggest smiles as I was just approaching. I politely asked them if I could board their ship and take pictures. One of them automatically stuck his hand out, offering to assist me up on board, and I gladly took it-- it was going to be a great day.

These photos only show a quarter of a day in a fisherman’s life. What they do is the epitome of manual labor. Casting their first lure way before the sun rises, these men leave their homes at ungodly hours, and if they’re lucky, they’ll be able to haul along a prized yellow fin tuna or two.

Operation Smile

Operation Smile is a charity organization that helps children from all over the world who suffer from cleft lip, cleft palate, and other facial deformities; leaving a lasting legacy and a world of smiles.

Having a background in the medical field makes documenting events like this even more special. People who have just recently met me are often surprised that I have a degree in nursing. They would always assume that I've been a photographer and writer all my life. I have always been a firm believer of free health care for everyone. A few months after I got my professional license, I volunteered at a public hospital back in the Philippines. It opened my eyes to the harsh realities of life, which only fueled my penchant to lend my eyes to the public through photography and create awareness.

He Makes Them Good Girls Go Bad

Model: Rabsin

I would have never pegged Rabsin to be one of the bad boys. He's a complete gentleman in person, though he was spot on in looking the part. This was my first time shooting a male model. Quite honestly, I was nervous the night before. What did I know about directing men! But since Rab moves with such grace that every single position he angles his body to is just picture perfect; it was one of the easiest shoots I've had thus far.

Sunkissed

Model: Vanessa East

These photos were the first signs that I was slowly growing and coming out of my shell as a photographer. Never in my former years would I have thought of even shooting against harsh sunlight, and shooting backlit would have been dismissed automatically. Slowly I learned (and to love) to play with lighting. I adore taking shots of the in between moments as opposed to traditionally making the subjects pose. There's something more genuine and raw about it. There's more life in shots like these. You get a certain type of connection between you and the subject when you look at the photos.

2014

2013 was all about closing old chapters and starting new ones. I have learned to practice my practice so I can be kinder, more patient, and forgiving towards others, and most especially to myself. 

As I struggled my creativity was stunted. But the new year has come, I wish to use my eyes more, see the beauty in everything, and capture them in timelessness through my lens.

May you have a prosperous new year, everyone!