On the Road: The Backroads of National Highway 6A

   

We took our scooter and headed 120km North of Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham. The 9-hour motorcycle, or moto as they call it here, was nothing short of gruelling. We took the backroads of National Highway 6A when the road construction started to get unbearable. Our legs and back were sunburnt by the end of trip-- the heat pierced through our skin like thin muslin in a hearth. The trees were beautifully covered in red dust. It reminded me so much of Poinsettia leaves that turn red during Christmas season. We met an accident which left a gash on my knee, a burn on Taylor's calf and a huge wound on his knee that is still healing after nearly 2 months! After having gas poured on our wounds, a man took his stash of dried tobacco, spat on it, and rubbed it on them, but nonetheless, we were both happy we took this trip.

Travelling to and through the provinces on a moto reminded me why I decided to stay in the first place. Children enthusiastically waved and shouted "hello" when we passed by. And when we needed help and assistance during the accident, the locals didn't hesitate to lend us a hand. They gave us water and tended to our wounds and didn't ask a single penny in return. A woman passed by and offered to have us shower and rest at her home. Quite honestly, we probably looked like we really needed it-- in all our dusty and bleeding glory on a side-walk.

It was breath of fresh air being surrounded with such innocence and genuine acts of kindness towards strangers. And in that moment, I fell in love with Cambodia once again.

Back to Basics

I haven't done documentaries in quite some time, I haven't travelled to a new place in a month as well, come to think of it, I haven't been doing the things I love lately.

There's always a thin line when it comes to doing what you love because it makes you happy and doing what you love for the money. Most people would probably think that it's great to be able to do the things you're passionate about and get paid for it-- but when your craft becomes a money making venture, you can sometimes lose the essence of why you do it in the first place. It becomes less fun and more frustrating. And for any creative person, that's when shit hits the fan.

Others are lucky, though, they are able to distinguish that fine line. I still have to practice my practice, and remember, always, to do the things I am passionate about for myself and not for anyone else.

Sihanoukville: Khmer New Year Photo Diary

Take an island girl out of her comfort zone and have her live in a city that's 4 hours away from the beach-- a girl can only take so much! I swear living and working in Phnom Penh, no matter how wonderful it is, will be the death of me.

I grew up in Cebu, a tropical island where everything is just mere minutes away-- the beach, the city, the mountains-- you name it and it's only a short car ride away. Having lived in Phnom Penh now for almost a year, I haven't had luxury to drive all way out to Sihanoukville for some beach time. Lucky for us Khmer New Year gave us a week off from work and a good friend of mine, Lea Ann, was visiting from Cebu-- for those who know Lea, you know how much she loves the beach.

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.