After posting my introduction here, I had my mind set on one topic for my first Visual Series. I promised to myself that it should be a tribute to my second home for almost a decade now - Cebu. This series is about the Oldest street in the Philippines - Colon Street.
Cebu is known for its rich history and culture. Walking in its streets enables me to access my creativity more readily. Finding the right time of the day to shoot is critical in telling a story through photographs. For the series, I decided to shoot at 5am everyday to present Colon in a different perspective - how the country’s first street comes alive. Shooting at the right time will not only show a different personality/character of a subject but also provide the photographer the right light for a more compelling photograph.
Colon is the country’s oldest street. Walking around the area would give you a glimpse into the city’s vivid historic past. The street is an essential part of the Cebuano lifestyle, culture and history. Traces of its past as the main commercial district can still be seen today. The street has been the best witness to all the changes within the Queen City of the South.
Also considered as the country's shortest national road, this street has so much stories to tell. Each structure has its own history. These stories inspired me to take photographs. I wanted to capture each subject's daily routine and any other stories they have to tell. Each of the succeeding photographs represents a character to this whole narrative. Each of them contributes to what Colon Street is today.
Before starting a series, I spend time visualizing on how the series would be like and its purpose. Identifying the characters of the series is an essential part of my process. Having a clear idea of what story you’re trying to tell prepares you for the shoot. Unlike in countries or cities with distinct cultures, shooting here in Cebu presents the challenge of finding an interesting subject in an environment that everyone sees everyday. The location is as important as the subject. It’s not all the time that a subject is in a scene you had in mind. You have to wait for that decisive moment.
This is just the start of my Visual Series. I have more interesting stories to tell through my photographs. I was overwhelmed with the warm welcome from the Steemit Community. It made me more inspired to write stories and share my passion for Visual Storytelling. Have a good day everyone and Steem on!