Viva Cebu

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Worldwide | Monday, October 31, 2011 | flickr photos

It was my first day in India, and my friend brought us to the streets of Old Delhi. There’s poverty everywhere, but there’s also life. You see so many homeless people and street children. But for some weird and unexplainable reason, they seem contented. I initially thought of relating it to their religion or their culture. But I see no point in such, even in pity. Life in India is incomprehensible. As an outsider, all that you can really do is to be a spectator to this amazing fact that somehow, despite the poverty, they survive. A young Indian guy explained it to me. He said “People living in the streets don’t show sorrow to others. They believe that their God will create happiness for them.” Some people may be quick to judge such philosophy. But for me, I admire their spirit. Their spirit and strength to survive, and still have hope. This makes India even more amazing and different.

These people, more than the sights, fuel my passion for photography. The ability and opportunity to capture such life and strength in people. And to be able to share it to the world and open their eyes to the other side of things, and see past the surface and the obvious. This, I think is where the power of photography is of great importance.

I personally believe that my willingness to learn, explore new places, and being adventurous should fit well with this photography scholarhip. I hope to be given the opportunity to improve on my skills and learn from a person who’s been to a lot of places and who has captured a wide-array of subjects.