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Although all of our field reporters are amazingly multitalented (even if we are slightly biased!), Ed from Tabaco, Philippines, has a particular skill with black & white photography. Here's his latest collection. Enjoy!
I saw these kids playing in an abandoned industrial site. They live just a few steps away, in makeshift huts. Such temporary shelters, in undesirable spots, are common among the poor. Without access to “proper” playgrounds, the kids who live here turn it into a big play area, seemingly unaware of the hazards.
Mark (10, middle) and his two friends are hanging out in a sea port after school. The kids in the background are scavenging for recyclable materials to sell to junk shops. Mark told me that some days, he and his friends look for scraps to sell. The group that arrives first usually gets dibs.
Two boys maneuver a wooden boat in shallow water. Their fathers have just arrived on the same boat from an entire day of fishing. The kids’ job is to properly moor the boat as their fathers rush to the market to sell the catch.
Kids constantly seek a different playtime experience, and the sloping side of a seawall provides just that. Playing on the 45-degree angle, they told me, makes them imagine they are in a different world. As a “safety measure,” they remove their flip-flops and walk barefooted, since the soles of their feet provide better traction.
These boys are enjoying each other's company while fishing in a shallow stream. They hope to catch small snakehead fish, which they fry up for a tasty snack. Instead of fishing rods, they use cans as reels, unspooling the line with a tricky spinning technique.
The majestic Mount Mayon is considered as the most perfect cone volcano in the world. It’s a common sight for kids in Bicol. Here, Mayon serves as the background for these two youth who are dancing to a popular Filipino hip-hop song.
After a long day at sea, this fisherman carefully maneuvers his boat to shore, avoiding the kids who’ve turned his docking area into a swimming pool.
This is a community called "Fatima." During high tides, the shore behind the seawall receives enough water for children to swim in, yet remains relatively shallow. Youth and adults tend to swim in the bay. While keeping her infant within reach, a mother helps her daughter climb back onto the wall.
Thanks to cell phones, selfies are now commonplace all over the world. But these two sponsored cousins, Jean (left) and Alexa, were delighted to get the rare chance to take selfies in black and white – with a real camera!
I ran across this group of boys taking an afternoon dip … although some of them were busting out moves that seemed more suited for gymnastics!
