PHOTO WALK: LEARNING INSTRUMENT

In terms of scientific knowledge – walking is one of the best exercises as experts would say, simply because it helps the circulatory system function better and as a result it also improves someone’s thinking faculties as the blood delivers oxygen to the brain faster, and thus giving more oxygen to the brain that it needs to consume during a thinking activity. Little we realize that through walking we also get the chance to do other meaningful things like perhaps taking a photo. Walking lets you travel and wander around to see the beautiful gifts of nature, to know the story behind people that you meet in the street, and to make sense of the different realities that unfold in your eyes as you walk, something that you can relate to – photo walking.

On September 20, Friday the group of Mass Communications Technology (La Verdad Christian College- Caloocan) was scheduled for a photo walk activity. The students will now execute all the lessons they have learned during the discussions and seminars in photography. How to make a good angle, how to set the ISO, shutter speed, aperture or in short how to take a perfect picture. Each one of us gets more excited after the activity instructor divided the groups. At 9am all was settled and geared, every group has its team leader (a PHOTOVILLE international member) ready to get it on. 

The first destination is in the vicinity of Intramuros, as the group went on we spotted a child which is leaning in a cemented wall, waiting for the passer by to give him pennies. Not wanting to lose the moment my colleagues rushed to get their cameras, (DSLR and point and shoot) the boy was not that shy he keeps smiling to all those who is after to get a portrait from him. As a token they gave him biscuits and candies. On the other street there are three children playing, the other child- a girl gives attraction to my companions she is very active and loves to pose on every students taking pictures.

However near the children playing, someone attracted me, a woman in her 60’s I bet dressing rugged clothes she was busy arranging garbage. She has a wooden cart full of big black bags, afraid to disturb her I slowly went backwards to take a photo of her, maybe she feels that someone is attentively looking at her she glanced to me 5 seconds, blank face, then turn again to do her stuff. Ironic as it may seems that woman who is already a candidate for retiring to work still needs to convince herself she have to do it, no matter how bright the sun is, no matter how weak her bones is and no matter how the smell and dirt of the garbage penetrates to her nostrils she will do it or else she will be starving.

” Too many subjects, beautiful sceneries”, said by a student who, not from a far, saw a Canadian woman named Marie, a tourist who wanted to visit the beautiful places in the Philippines. She was surprised with the group of boys and girls who run after her who are eager to take pictures of her.

Look. Talk. Walk. Stop.  Shoot.  Even though it gives cramps to our legs and back yet the eyes do not get tired. From the riverside where we found cargo ships and ‘bangka,’ we stayed there and take pictures of a man riding on that ‘bangka.’  However, three young boys who fearlessly dive from the bridge into the water to bathe themselves got the attention of the students and also took pictures of them. Rest for a while then the students went to Luneta Park, and took pictures of pigeons, kalesa, children playing and the dancing fountain.

The last destination was in Manila Bay, the weather is not friendly anymore raindrops started to fall but it did not last long so we are able to get pictures. When I went on walking and looking for my subject three young girls with unwashed clothes perhaps got my attention. They are laughing hard, chasing each other and then keep teasing. I talked to them and asked where they live and said “here” I cannot explain but I am really happy that time I cannot resist myself to take pictures from them. These three young girls also love to pose and asked me and my other friends to take pictures of them.

When I am on my way home, on the LRT all the things that we encountered in our photo walk flashbacked on my mind. I was very happy that our instructor together with his co-photographers allowed us to experience such activity. This event taught me not only the technical aspect in photography rather it opened my eyes and my heart to a reality. I am really blessed I can go to school, eat three (more than three actually) times a day, I have clothes to wear and things I needed. I learn to appreciate more and more as I got to know these things. So walking and taking photos make harmonious relationship, giving us an opportunity to value our nature and to know the story of others and able to help them in a little way we can. It serves as a learning instrument to us in being grateful, Thanked God that I saw the bigger purpose of photo walk.