You're an Orphan Right?

"You're an orphan right? You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you?" ~Sean to William, excerpt from the movie Good Will Hunting

A child's paradise.

James, his name, poses for the camera.

This line was the first thing that popped into my head as soon as I saw the children at Damas Filipinas. I was invited by Dara, a friend and a former teammate when I was still working at a contact center, to their outreach program. The children looked neat as if they have just finished taking their morning baths. They were seated in front, some were smiling while some were shy just like what a normal group of kids would look like. But no, they weren't a normal group of kids for sure. They didn't have anyone to call Mommy or Daddy. They didn't have the usual weekend eat out or movie with their families. There was no one to read them a bed time story. No one to tuck them in bed warmly and give a good night kiss.

Kids performing a song for the Convergys people.

I never got to read Oliver Twist, but I did watch the movie several times. You may also include Annie and both tell the story of a certain orphan. Is that enough for a background study so that I can relate to these children? I don't think so, I may not have an inkling how their lives are. I don't know what goes through their minds when their resting from an afternoon play. I'll never know what they feel when they're about to sleep.

They prayed before the meal.

Von, a former teammate, playing Funny Bones w/ one of the kids.

What amazes me though is the joy in their eyes while they were singing, dancing, and playing. They say that the eye is a window to the sould and I tell you, their eyes revealed the purest of souls and those eyes fascinated me. We can't change reality. It has come to past. They are already there and I'm sure there are thousands like them or probably even a million but enough with the statistics. What can we do? What can I do?

This is Dara holding a child.

The kids singing a song.

Directly, I don't know if there's much I can do. I'm just a common man living with ample means. But surely there is something I can do. I'd like to think that these children are praying that no more children would go through with what they're going through right now. Like I said, it has come to past. Tomorrow, on the other hand, is a different subject. With the proper knowledge there's always a way. Taking care of your own child is a simple start. Own up to the responsibility. Not just in financial matters but emotionally as well. To be a guide to the child as the north star is to sailors. Some children do have parents yet they are still lost. Children need that constant light that they can follow.

Makis recording the kids perform on her mobile phone.

Chris, a Team Leader, also playing Funny Bones with James.

Thank you Dara for inviting me the outreach program. It was a marvelous experience. Kudos to the Retail accounts of Convergys-Glorietta 5 for giving something back to the community. To the teachers at Damas Filipinas, a million thanks for taking care of these beautiful people. Despite all the corruption and turmoil going around, I know there is still hope as long as there are people like you. To the kids, be strong and may the acceptance that eluded you be yours soon.

Smile with Jolibee!

One last group hug before the program closed.

More Seconds to that Shutter!

Long exposure is my first love in photography. I read somewhere that most of the beautiful photos involve long exposure. That is why after upgrading my lens, the next thing I bought was a tripod. It is a must if you would like to try long exposure so that your camera is stable. According to wiki, long-exposure photography entails using a long-duration shutter speed to sharply capture the stationary elements of images while blurring, smearing, or obscuring its moving elements.

In easier terms, long exposure means that the "eye" of the camera stays open longer than the usual shots. At least that's what I tell my friends. For this reason, the camera is able to capture the movements of the subject in a single photo. The results can sometimes be magical. If you would like to try this out, I would suggest that you go out during the magic hour and stay there until night falls. Find interesting subjects such as moving vehicles w/ lights. Of course, long exposure photography is not limited to night shots only. Some professional photographers use this method (with the help of graduated filters, don't let me explain more on that) in landscapes as well to create surreal and breathtaking photos. Here are samples of my long exposure shots w/ their corresponding EXIF (Exchangeable image file format) data in the following order: ISO, focal length, aperture, and shutter speed.

ISO 100 18mm f/8.0 0.8sec

ISO 100 24mm f/8.0 2.0 sec

ISO 100 22mm f/8.0 10. sec

Not a long exposure? Actually it is. It was very dark and I used the flash light of my phone to paint light on the subject. ISO 100 62mm f/5.3 20.0sec

ISO 400 42mm f/11 25.0 sec

This is a sample of how other photographers use long exposure for landscaping. However, I don't have filters like they do (expensive) so that's why I just decided to make this shot in black and white. ISO 100 18mm f/8.0 10.0sec