LA & Lengski: Second life, at the streets

People who don’t know what happened may wonder why I let go of a career many would wish they have. I was on its peak, meeting people I never imagined in my life would be my acquaintances. I even had a footage of myself aired on TV during our prestigious exclusive high profile events. Work was hard, but pretty satisfying. And I learned a lot about it, plus, I had worked with really great people.

So why leave? At first, I was really afraid to let go. Not so much financially (which was actually a big factor based on how life is today), but more on the fact that maybe, “they”, my colleagues, will go on their lives, and I will be left behind.

The career was really promising, but my health didn’t allow me. Yes. That was the real score why I left. My health. It will be too risky for me to come back to that life. A life I learned to love.

But as they say, life will go on, and everything is already planned. Yeah, my second life should go on and it was time to move forward and face my so called destiny.

So, I looked back, far beyond that wonderful career, and for some reason, it took me far way back until I saw my life before that promising career. And I saw myself when I was still an aspiring photographer. Yep, it was during my elementary days when I first had my film camera. I was the school paper’s photojournalist from elementary to high school. Even in college, photography was my thesis. And I got good grades.

I don’t know, but it might really be a coincidence that I stumbled to this group, WOSW (Wide Open Street Workshop) when I was starting to search for myself. Kuya Ray (Leyesa, a WOSW alumnus and my angel) casually mentioned it to me. “Ey, may street photography sa Sabado, baka gusto mo subukan. PM Sir Luis Liwanag, here’s his FB account.”

To be honest, I only got three thousand pesos that time. I was jobless remember? And all our savings was spent to hospitalization. So I was thinking, is it worth it? This money must better be well spent. Last money I have, and I got tons of loans to pay. Not to mention our cable TV that was past due notice.

Instinct and “desire” perhaps, I pm’d Sir Luis and said I’ll join the workshop. Without hesitation, I committed my three thousand.

Street photo day one, Baclaran. There were so much in mind that I was thinking. I was hoping for a very fruitful result for my last investment. And as I met them, one by one, seeing them in action, laughing with them, learning with them, meeting whom I considered as the “photo Gods” in an art hub, I can’t hardly wait for day two.

Though not a hundred percent recovered, I didn’t feel tired even if we walked the whole day,scanning Quiapo and Binondo area for SP’s” just waiting to be captured. I was uplifted and inspired to look for subjects. I somehow felt challenged by my colleagues, which in a positive way, made me excited and inspired even more. I really want to deliver something that will make them proud. They have given me reasons to give it my all and capture the best shot. Each individual had his own story to tell, and I wanted to be part of it.

There, I felt a sense of belonging. Something I had been missing for so long. Something that I have forgotten and was rediscovered. Something that I really want.

The workshop was not just about learning street photography. It is a discovery. And I discovered not just the streets, but myself and the world beyond it.

Now, I’m loving photography even more. And Street Photography genre had given me a whole new perspective in life.

Street now is my life. My second life actually.

And it is my new career, the street as my new home, and them as my new family.

And so I can say, that three thousand pesos was the best investment I ever did.