A Street Named Colon

Once the heart of the city, Colon St reeks of architechtural decay. Quiapo in Manila is what comes to mind. The old buildings that are usually preserved in old cities stand here begging for restoration. At day break the homeless rise from the pavement that are their beds. Tourists avoid this place but the hardcore travellers will find character in Colon.

"Street Doll"

Where there are street kids there are street dolls. Like their owners they are in need of a good bath and attention. To them a doll is their ticket back to innocense.

"Orient Reflection"

Buildings from its years of glory look down to the puddles that rise after a little rain.

"Bottom Feeder"

Even urban widlife has found refuge in Colon, where there are food carts and barbecue stands there are cats that have no need for human touch.

I regret that I had only an hour to walk the country's oldest street. I'm sure I will be back to capture more of its character.

Cebu Heritage

"Faking Sunrise"

I had to be up at 4 am for a street photography fun shoot organized by PCC (Photographer's Club of Cebu) last Saturday. I had a great time despite my lack of sleep. I'll post more photos when I get a chance to tinker with them. In the mean time feast your eyes on the photo above.

It's the silhouette of the Cebu Heritage Monument. Done with 5 photographs, auto-stitched and auto-aligned via CS3. Cropped to define the edges and color matched with a photo of a sunset. This photo was taken at 7 in the morning when it was almost impossible to get silhouettes. The details of the monument were evident the original photographs. I used curves to hide the details and bring out the silhouette. I hope I was able to fake sunrise. What do you think?

Fort of San Pedro

For a structure dwarfed by modern buildings. Fort of San Pedro surpasses the value of the ones outlining Cebu's skyline. Its walls house points in the country's history, written and otherwise. It's original structure saw the Spaniard's first settlement in a country that will be under their rule for 3 centuries. Wars were fought even after the Spaniards left, and as wars ravaged the land the fort changed role fit for its time. It was once a prison, an American barracks, an informal school; it even served as a hospital. In its later days it was turned into a garden and a zoo.

Today tourists flock to this place where its importance is reiterated by the occasional guides. Its written history can be read and seen in a number of materials hung on stone walls including photographs depicting its days. Locals seem to come here for picnics, dates and photo op's. Fort of San Pedro is small compared to Intramuros in Manila. There is not much to expect if you decide to come to this place. Without knowing what it has gone through one will think that it's a garden inside a triangular stone wall. I would pay to hear those walls talk.

Since they are not selling tickets for talking walls let me show what my lenses have captured.

"History Brief"

"A Rusty Welcome"

"Hinged"

"Peeking Explosion"

"A Fort's Mouth"

For more information about Fort of San Pedro click here.

Floralized

I dedicated my Sunday to Fort of San Pedro in downtown Cebu. Cebu has been my home for over 2 years yet I have not seen much of downtown. My next posts will most likely feature the City's must sees. You will see what the port is all about in my succeeding entries. I took this chance to feature the flowers that litter the site. Unless you're "The Crow" or the devil, these images are delighting to see.

"Budding Beauty"

"The Color Violet" LOL

"Color Sampler"

"Hot Flashes"

"Petal Pop"

"Micro Bouquet"

"Pink Swirl"

"Pinkquisite"

Do note that these photographs were take on a windy day. Just when you thought stationary objects are the easiest to shoot the wind turn them into kids on speed. All of the following photographs were taken in Speed Priority, WB: either Cloudy or Shade.