When I look at this photo of my son Dylan, I can only speculate as to what's on his mind. This fits into that category of "a pictures is worth a thousand words." I do believe that I had just eaten his last spoonful of yoghurt which caused this reaction.
portrait
Dylan Defies the Law
I thought it might be fun to take my son Dylan for a walk with his favorite toy truck down Ayala Ave on New Year's Eve. This is the only time of the year when they close down the street. It could almost pass for a Hollywood set. The fearless Finnster takes on Makati City.
The Foundry
I made these images when I was living in Australia. This was shot at a local foundry somewhere in Sydney. These guys were so accommodating and just great to photograph. Their only request was if they could wash up before the shoot. I convinced them not to do so to keep the look as real as possible. The best part of the shoot was they invited me to join them for tea and bickies afterwards (Bickies is Oz speak for biscuit, aka cookie.)
This was shot with available light on a overcast day on a Mamiya RB 67 camera with a 90mm lens on Kodak Tri-X.
The Barbershop
Ahhh, the smell of freshly cut hair with a dose of carabao sweat lingering in the background. All this place needed was a bottle of Old Spice or Aqua Velva and all would be sweet. There's nothing like having ones hair cut or a shave in the boondocks. Where manly men go and men who are not afraid to be in the company of other men. A place where 50 pesos goes a long, long way. I love old school barbershops and the men who work there. I remember once getting a shave. The guy must have thought I was one tough hombre. No water, no shaving cream, just a straight razor and a smile. I winced, a bead of sweat rolled down my face that acted as my beard lubricant. The killer though, at the end, was he brought out his trusted jar of Vick's Vapor Rub and massaged my face into a frenzy, I cried like a baby. Film: Kodachrome 64 Olympus OM-1.
"Torotot"
It never ceases to amaze me, even after all these years of living in the Philippines, that one can find many hidden treasures. One day, I found this stylish horn section wailing away down on Roxas Blvd. Note the improvised horns. Film: Kodak EPP shot with a Olympus OM-1.
Happy New Year!
The Finnster
Baby Dylan (aka: Finnster) was brought into this world almost 4 years ago and much to everyone's surprise, mine included. How could this possibly happen? The lack communication most likely but we refer to him as the happy accident. I cannot fathom my life without him or my daughter Aryanna.
