Passion

Since the Holy week is just a few days away, I thought it be a good time to share a work I did 6 years ago. Yup, SIX years ago. That’s about as long of a time as I’ve done any new personal project. This particular work is very memorable for different reasons mainly because it was my first time witnessing and documenting a passion play or Senakulo, let alone in Pampanga. And to be that close and “comfortable” to the action is way beyond me because frankly, I HATE BLOOD and as a child I was afraid of seeing a Senakulo.

Visual Storytelling

The reason I remember this shoot vividly is because I took this opportunity to practice and improve on my “visual storytelling”. I’ve also just taken a documentary workshop at PCP (Philippine Center for Photojournalism) and was obsessed on reading and watching different documentary photographers trying to learn and better understand their works. Now, I didn’t turn out to be a photojournalist but the things I’ve learned then are still the things I consider as my fundamentals whenever I get a chance to shoot. Have an establishing shot, shoot from different angles, never stage or manipulate a scene, curate your work carefully and many more, but my favorite is from a quote by famous war photographer Robert Capa, he once quoted “If your picture are not good enough, you’re not close enough.”

Getting Close

Getting close sounds easy to do, but it’s not. Getting close is not just about getting closer physically but it also means (and more importantly) getting closer emotionally or since it’s the holy week should I say, “spiritually”. In order for you to successfully tell a story you should also be able to let your audience feel the same emotions you are feeling and trying to convey. Being closer also meant that we become more involved and intimate with our subjects, this allows us (the photographer) to not be a stranger to our subjects but rather a welcomed guest or better, an invisible observer. Although upon looking at my “Senakulo” set here this might not be the best example of me “getting close” to my subject, rather you can also check my Sitio Agushin work here. 😉

“Passion” 2013.

Pampanga, Philippines

Held yearly during the Holy week in the Philippines by devoted Catholics. “Senakulo” or Passion Play is a reenactment of the life, suffering and death of Jesus Christ. For those individuals taking part in this event, this has become their yearly vow or panata as a sign of either repentance of their sins, gratitude for an answered prayer, or just pure devotion.