Through a Lens, Clearly!

On Recent Events–

Today’s column focuses on some events of January as seen by our readers.

We start off our features with photographs of the Ati-atihan celebrations by architect Mikko B. Martelino. Mikko, who has been shooting for three years, hails from Kalibo and is a Sto. Niño devotee. He is also an extensive traveler who has photographed tourist spots and festivals worldwide. See more of Mikko’s images at mikkobm.multiply.com and at his Facebook account.

 

Bhong S. Rosales shares his images of the annular solar eclipse of Jan 15, 2010 taken from behind the Manila Film Center at the PICC complex. Bhong used an x-ray film as a lens cover filter of his point-and-shoot.

John Gabion covered the feast of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo and sent in his photo titled “Mother’s Devotion.” John writes: “The image shows the devotion of a mother for the Black Nazarene and also her devotion in being a mother for her child.”

 

Ronie Ablan, a 2nd year student in San Sebastian also attended the annual event in Quiapo. Ronie shares that more than just a fascination for the culture, he attended the event to fulfill a promise he had made during last year’s Quiapo festivities. “A kind of devotion,” he says. “Also, there is something in the procession that makes my knees tremble and (my eyes) get teary whenever I click my shutter,” he says. “If someone asked me to portray in words that feeling, I would reply in a jumble and incoherent words; intense, holy-spirit, purgatory, and redemption, which makes sense… at least to me.”

Leo Vina says that last New Year’s eve, he was not watching the fireworks but was just staring at the moon. He writes: “I was fascinated with the unusual revolution of the moon during New Year’s Eve. Internet news said that a blue moon would occur during the night when the year would change. The moon was really captivating with its bright light and its roundness. It was a wonderful experience for me on the first day of the year. Hoping that our lives in this coming year will be as bright as this Blue moon.”

(Regarding the term blue moon, it simply refers to a second full moon within a month.)

Michael “Vaskt” Morota of Photo Kalye witnessed the Paco fire that razed almost all of two barangays to the ground last January 13, 2010. He says the photos were taken notwithstanding “the intensely smoldering heat and clouds of smoke.”

Jhunelle Sardido has taken on a 365 days Project and shares an image taken recently in Batangas. ( A 365 days Project requires one to take a photo very day of the year.) He shot the photo “Jesus on the Cross,” Jhunelle says, in memory of the victims in of the destructive Haiti earthquake. He reminds us not to forget God and to call on Him for comfort in tragic moments.

Also included in today’s column are new contributors Marc Joshua Gonocruz Alcala, J. D. Batac, and Alexis Carlo A. Corpuz.

Marc, a 3rd year college student at UST Conservatory of Music writes that his photo, “Jump Leap and Soar,” “shows the flow of energy and happiness.”

Photo-hobbyist J. D. Batac sent in photos from the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig and Kilometer Zero in Manila.

Alexis Carlo A. Corpuz says that he got into photography because he originally wanted to take photos of cars. He was “really into the car scene and was an avid reader of the motoring supplement of the Manila Bulletin.” However, he shares that “as time went by, I started to focus more on photography and before I knew it, I was reading Picture Perfect more than the motoring supplement.”