Thank you to my bff Karla for taking this photo <3
“Hi, what’s your name?” Xyza cheerfully asked
me as I approached her on the podium. I gave her my nickname, “Macee.” She
looked at me with a puzzled expression and said, “Pahirap na ng pahirap ang pangalan ng
kabataan ngayon,”(The names of teens nowadays are becoming more and
more difficult to spell.) Then we both laughed. I spelled out my name for her
and she wrote it down on a souvenir photo along with the words “Thank you,” and
“XCB.”
It
was in the news wherein I first heard about Xyza Cruz Bacani. She is a Filipino
street photographer featured in the New York Times Lens Blog for her stunning
black and white photos taken in Hong Kong, where she works as a domestic
helper. I immediately sought the internet for more information about her and
for a glimpse at her photos. Luckily, I found a poster announcing that Xyza
will be tackling photography and sharing her experiences in an event entitled,
“Through the Lens of Xyza Cruz Bacani.” The event was held last 26 July 2014 at
the Senate of the Philippines. The office of Senator Sonny Angara sponsored the
event, along with Fujifilm Philippines and Litratista sa Daan Street
Photography Group.
Among
the 200 attendees were students, photography groups, and amateur and
professional photographers. In the talk, Xyza shared that she liked shooting
alone during her free time. She explains that photography is therapeutic for
her since she is not very vocal with her feelings. Also, shooting alone allows
her to become more observant and helps her focus even on the tiniest details
she wants to incorporate in her photos. A question was raised regarding what
time of the day Xyza goes out to shoot. She said that at noon time, she usually
has five to 15 minutes. Because of time constraints, the 27-year old
photographer shared that she always brings a camera with her, and that she
shoots every day. “Di
bale nang may bitbit kang camera, kaysa mag-regret ka na may na-miss kang eksena,”(It’s better to bring your camera along with you,
than regret that you’ve missed a scene) she added.
Because
of Hong Kong’s chaotic setting, Xyza explained that the challenge of being a
street photographer is how you will be able to frame and arrange a scene to
tell a story without meddling with the people. Candid images stir emotion, and
Xyza turns these simple moments into awe-inspiring photos. She described
herself as a ‘fly on the wall,’ as she usually goes unnoticed when taking
photos. But the streets of Hong Kong weren’t always a safe haven as Xyza shared
that there are people who do not want their photos taken, and sometimes, they
even tell her to delete their photos. The “ninja” photographer turns to her
earphones for protection when faced with these encounters. “Kahit na sigawan nila ako, kunwari hindi
ko naririnig,” (Even if they shout at me, I’ll pretend that I didn’t hear
anything)she also added that there are also streets with
scary dogs that she never braved to enter.
Xyza
emphasized the importance of anticipation in street photography. This means
that we have to be observant and aware of our surroundings and the possibility
of a story to share. Aside from the architecture-filled streets of Hong Kong,
Xyza is now exploring the colorful boulevards of the Philippines as well. She
believes that Filipino photographers are very talented, and hopes that we will
have nationwide photography collective soon. Although most of us are unaware of
it, bullying also happens in photography wherein criticism becomes harsh and
unwelcoming to the newbies. Xyza herself has experienced this so she tells us,
“There should be no stereotyping in photography. “Lahat tayo dumaan sa pagiging newbie.” (We
all went through being a newbie [in photography]) Criticize in a way that you can inspire, instead of
destroying them.”
The
event ends with a raffle wherein Instax cameras and books authored by Filipino
photographers were given away to lucky winners. A meet-and-greet followed
shortly which the attendees took as an opportunity to take photos with Xyza and
have her autograph photo prints, and even lens filters. Senator Angara was also
present during the event.
xxMacee
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