Binondo (P.1)

Okay, I’m proud to say that I just finished my second photography workshop in DPI! This time, I took up Travel Photography under Karlo Del Leon. For our main project, we spent 12 hours in Binondo last Sunday! It was exhausting, but it was well worth the effort because we really learned a lot in what I could only describe as photography boot camp. I got home at 2am the night before and woke up at 5am to get to Binondo by 6:30am, our meeting time.

Binondo was a mishmash of cultures – Filipino and Chinese, Christian and Buddhist, rich and poor, and the list goes on. All the hectic commerce mixes seamlessly with the rich spiritual culture of the place. There’s a unique shrine in one alley where Christianity and Buddhism stand side-by-side. It’s got a huge cross together with incense.

But of course, the primary characteristic you’ll notice is the mercantilistic spirit that pervades the area. My favorites are the carts of fruits and vegetables; they’re just so colorful and so photogenic.

Of course what is Chinatown without the exotic dishes with exotic ingredients…

Here are a couple of quirky pics:

Antok na si Manong…

It was sheer timing when I was taking a shot of this dragon when a vehicle with another dragon emblazoned on its side drove by. It looked like dragon versus dragon!

And what’s with this hydrant?

I also loved the people of Binondo. It was surprisingly easy to ask permission for a picture. A lot of them were game and even hammy to pose in front of the camera. It was nice taking portait shots of them.

I also got some shots of Binondo church, including it’s beautiful ceiling mural:

Binondo is an explosion of color, sights and sound…

But cheery Chinatown also has a sedate face. In part 2, I’ll share with you the somber side of Binondo.