Ordinary Contrasts

I shot this series in Bayanan, Muntinlupa for the Fujifilm Nationwide Photo and Video Walk in 2025 under the theme of contrast. The work was selected among the Top 10 finalists and exhibited at the Ayala Museum as part of the Fujifilm NPVW Exhibition. In dense lakeside communities, people live their days right out in the open, and contradictions sit side by side in normal routines.

The work looks closely at these daily pairings. Down by the water, a tub of fresh carp rests on the hot concrete landing, while a worn work boot dries upside down on a bamboo mooring post overlooking the lake. Further up the street, three neighbors share a roadside bamboo shelter where one man naps in a suspended hammock while others stand and sit beside him. Through the white iron bars of a security gate, an older man holds a red pocket mirror to shave while younger family members sit inside on the porch.

None of these scenes were staged or arranged. The contrasts in these frames are simply part of daily survival and neighborhood life along the water.